Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Amanda couldn’t help but feel as if she had a huge cloud over her head.
Like something was going to happen. Even though, ever since she and Rain had moved into Nash’s apartment, things had been good.
It was a weird dichotomy. Waiting for the other shoe to fall while absolutely loving the direction her life had taken.
She’d gotten in touch with the principal at the school on the base, and he was thrilled she was interested in the long-term sub position. It wouldn’t start for another month, and she had to apply, but Amanda was fairly sure she was going to get it.
She had also applied for an online program to upgrade her certificate. She had to take some classes but the process didn’t seem too complicated, which was a relief.
Rain had settled into Nash’s apartment as if he’d always been there.
The only difference between a week ago and now was that the dog wouldn’t let Amanda out of his sight.
Instead of sleeping in the living area, he now had a second bed in Nash’s bedroom.
When she got up to pee, Rain went with her and sat outside the door while she did her thing.
They’d also had to put his bed in the living area in a place where he could see her in the kitchen, when she was in there helping Nash.
It seemed as if even the dog felt the tension in the air, and even he was worried about the letter she’d received in the mail.
Either that, or he was still remembering the strangers who’d come to her apartment and was waiting for more.
Things with Nash were better than ever. She’d never lived with a man before, but Nash was surprisingly easy to cohabitate with.
He cleaned up after himself, didn’t expect her to do all the chores, even though she was at home during the day while he was at work, and he’d eagerly made room in his closet and dresser for her things.
But while her personal and professional life were going well, Amanda still felt a sense of unease.
She’d tried to get a hold of anyone down in Guyana every day since receiving the threatening letter, and no one ever picked up the phone.
Nash’s friend Tex had confirmed that everything at the school and orphanage seemed to be operating as usual.
The rebels hadn’t kidnapped anyone, and there wasn’t any unusual digital activity.
He was still researching to see what he could dig up around the time of Amanda and the kids’ actual kidnapping, but so far he hadn’t found anything pointing to Blair’s involvement.
Nash was getting anxious, because his Night Stalker team was preparing to deploy soon.
He couldn’t say where or for how long, but it was obvious he was reluctant to leave when things with her situation were unresolved.
Honestly, Amanda didn’t really want him to go either, but what choice did they have?
He had a job to do, and she would never make him choose between her and doing what he loved.
The only thing in Amanda’s life that wasn’t great, was that she didn’t leave Nash’s apartment without him. She felt cooped up. She was grateful to have a safe place to hunker down while his friend looked into what the hell was happening, but she still felt stifled.
She’d been reading books, playing games on her laptop, starting early on the lessons she had to complete in order to get her new certification…but she was still bored. And nervous about her future.
After Nash went to work that morning, a week after she’d received the threatening letter, and after a few hours of doing busy work to keep her mind occupied, Amanda decided it was time for her daily call to the school in Guyana.
She was desperate to talk to someone, anyone, about what was going on down there.
Not really expecting anyone to pick up, just like the last several times she’d called, Amanda was busy getting a treat for Rain out of the cute little jar Nash had come home with a few days ago, when the ringing in her ear stopped and someone actually answered.
“Hello?”
“Oh my God, Desmond? It’s Amanda.”
“Mandy? Oh! It’s so good to hear from you! Are you all right?”
His voice had instantly lowered, but Amanda was relieved to be talking to someone, and that Desmond wasn’t pretending she was a vendor or some random person calling to donate to the school. Hopefully that meant no one was listening and they could talk freely.
“I’m all right. Are you? I’ve been trying to get a hold of someone for ages and no one’s been picking up. What’s going on? Are the kids okay? I’m so worried about everyone!”
“Things are bad,” Desmond said, making Amanda’s stomach roll. “Blair, she’s… I don’t know how to tell you this…but she’s gone.”
“Gone? Gone where?” Amanda asked.
“We don’t know. Let me back up,” Desmond said.
“After you left, she was like a completely different person. We thought it was because she was worried about the rebels coming back or something, but I don’t think that was it.
She stopped taking care of herself…showering, washing her clothes, even leaving her room or office much.
She began to mumble to herself a lot and basically ignored everything about running the school.
I stepped in to make sure bills got paid and the children were fed.
“Then she moved Bibi into her room. And she wouldn’t let anyone in to see the little girl.
She claimed she was teaching her personally and taking care of her, but the few times anyone saw her, the girl looked just as disheveled as Blair.
It was if she were a dog with a bone, possessive and aggressive if anyone dared question what she was doing.
She’s been moody, secretive, and downright mean to everyone, kids included. ”
“Holy crap, Desmond. And now she’s gone? Where’s Bibi?”
“She took Bibi with her. Disappeared in the middle of the night. Didn’t even take anything.
All her suitcases are still here, all her personal things.
We’re all extremely worried about Bibi. I don’t know what switch flipped in Blair’s head, but it seemed she couldn’t even take care of herself before she left. How can she care for a four-year-old?”
“Does she have her passport?”
“We think so. We haven’t been able to find it anywhere.
We also found a copy of paperwork that Blair had filled out, including forged signatures, saying that Bibi was legally hers.
We think she might be trying to leave the country.
We’ve called the police, but they don’t seem too interested in helping us figure out where they might have gone. ”
Amanda’s heart was beating a million miles an hour. She felt panicked and absolutely helpless to do anything.
“Something is wrong with Blair. She’s not right in the head. Right before she left, it was almost as if she didn’t even recognize me, and I’ve worked with her since she first arrived here. But Mandy…there’s something else.”
“Oh man, what?” she asked.
“Some of the other volunteers heard her mumbling your name. Pacing back and forth in her room and talking under her breath. They heard her saying things like, ‘the plan should’ve worked. Should’ve known they would fuck it up. Mandy should be gone for good. Bibi’s mine. She’ll never get her.’”
Amanda was literally at a loss for words.
She had no idea what to say to that. She’d had her suspicions, of course, that someone at the school was behind the kidnapping, but to hear confirmation that it had been Blair, the woman who’d hired her, who she’d shared so many personal talks with, was heartbreaking.
“Desmond, she’s…she’s not well. A friend of Nash’s found out that Blair’s been in and out of mental hospitals.
It’s likely that she’s gone off her meds or had a break in reality or something.
” Amanda told Desmond everything she could remember from the conversation she’d had with Nash about Blair.
She’d kind of felt sorry for the woman at the time, but now?
Knowing she’d disappeared with little Bibi?
It was hard to feel sorry for her at all.
“Well, hell,” Desmond cursed. “I don’t want to think Blair was behind everything these poor kids suffered, but with everything else that has happened recently? I don’t know what else to believe.”
“How are all the kids doing now?” Amanda asked, feeling heartsick about Bibi and Blair, but worried about everyone else as well.
“They’re really good. We’ve kept most of what’s happening from them.
But I’m worried about what will happen next.
Without a director, we might have to close.
I don’t know what will become of the children who live here.
Blair might have lost her mind, but she was a great fundraiser.
Had a lot of connections back in the United States and even here in Guyana.
Without that money…” His voice trailed off.
Amanda closed her eyes and sank into one of the chairs at the small kitchen table.
She didn’t know what to say. How to reassure Desmond that everything would be all right.
How could it be? Without funding, the orphanage would surely have to close.
Thinking about what would happen to Michael, Sharon, little James, and all the other kids was enough to have tears leaking from her eyes.
“Be careful, Amanda,” Desmond said, sounding stern. “If Blair was the one behind the kidnapping, and if she was hoping you would disappear forever, you could be in danger.”
“I got a threatening letter,” Amanda admitted. “It’s written to look like it’s from the people who kidnapped me and the kids. It was postmarked from Venezuela.”