Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
The next morning, as soon as I get back to the guest house, I turn on the radio and leave it near the wall, just in case.
I won’t let myself use it, but I should at least be here to listen.
An hour later, I’ve almost given up on hearing from the girl, almost bought into their story that it was some kind of prank or misunderstanding.
Then I hear the crackle of the line again. Straightening, I brush the hair back from my face and wait.
When I hear it again, I rush toward the bedroom.
“Hello?” The voice is softer today, a whisper that sounds as terrified as I feel. For just a moment, I consider not answering. Consider calling Simon, asking him to come down here.
But I can’t. If this is real, if she actually needs my help, I can’t wait. I drop to the floor and press the mic to my lips. “Hello? Hi? Are you there?”
It takes a moment for the reply to come. “I’m…I’m here.”
My brain short-circuits, wondering just what I should be asking first. So many questions flood my mind, overwhelming me. “What—um, where are you? Are you okay? What’s your name?”
The line crackles again, like she’s trying to say something, but I don’t hear anything. The warnings flash in my head. This could all be a prank. It might not be real. I might not be able to trust what she’s telling me.
“Hello?”
“It’s da-k.” The words cut out, barely audible, like she’s lowering her voice again. “Mom’s gone.” Something cracks in my chest. It sounds too real.
“Your mom’s gone?” I ask, my stomach turning to stone. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know.” Her voice cracks then, splintering like ice.
“Shh, shhh. It’s okay, all right? Everything’s going to be okay. What’s your name?”
“Lia.”
The room contracts. Nothing exists except me and the darkness. My throat is tight, dry. The breath I fight to take gets lodged. I hear Marlie’s voice in my head again.
Lia. We were around the same age…
It’s impossible. This is not a thirty-year-old woman I’m speaking with. But that name. What are the odds?
I shake the thoughts away, focusing. “Lia. Hi, Lia. I’m Astrid. I’m going to help you, okay?”
The line crackles again, but she doesn’t answer. Webs of electricity cover my skin, like one of those balls at a science museum, tickling my fingers and making my hair stand on end. Everything about this feels wrong.
“Can you tell me where you are? Are you with your parents? Are you at home?”
“With the man.”
Everything in my body turns to slush. “What man? What does he look like?”
“I—I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Something snaps inside my skull, and I stand, rushing across the room to get my phone from the kitchen counter. When I return, I press the button to record. “Lia? Can you hear me?”
There’s no answer.
I swallow and rub my hand against my dry eye. “Lia? I’m sorry if I sounded angry. I only want to help you. When’s the last time you saw your mom?”
Again, she says nothing.
Several seconds pass. Agonizingly. Painfully. Every sound in the house is amplified as I wait for a response. “Lia? Honey? Can you hear me? I need you to say something.”
My throat goes tight as I consider what she told me. There is a man. Her mom is gone. Her name is Lia. She sounds very young. Three, four. Old enough to have figured out the radio, but still young enough to not completely understand it, I’d guess.
I wonder if I’m missing half of the messages she’s trying to send.
And now she’s relying on me.
Every true crime documentary I’ve ever watched flashes through my head—beating, beating like a drum. Like a heartbeat.
“What’s going on?”
I jump to stand at the sound of Simon’s voice behind me.
“When did you get here?” I demand, sounding a little angrier than I should be.
“I came down to check on you. You were asleep by the time I got out of the shower last night, and we didn’t get to talk much this morning.”
“Yeah, you slept in.” I fidget with my wedding band, spinning it around. “Hey, you haven’t seen my hairbrush, have you?”
“Your hairbrush?” His face goes serious as he mulls it over, eyes losing focus. Then he’s back. “I don’t…think so. Is it missing?”
“I couldn’t find it last night.”
“Are you sure you packed it?”
“Yeah, I had it yesterday morning. It’s like someone moved it.”
He gives a soft laugh of disbelief, like he’s trying to determine if I’m serious. “Why would anyone do that?”
“I don’t honestly think anyone did, I just…it’s weird, you know? I’m sure I put it somewhere.”
He’s still lost in thought, trying to help. “The cleaners aren’t here this week. No one was in our room.”
“Yeah, no. I’m sure it’s me. I just didn’t know if you moved it somewhere.”
“Mom probably has extras if you want me to ask.”
“It’s okay. I’ll order a new one. I need some new eye serum anyway. I forgot I was running low.”
“Want me to take care of it?” he asks, scratching his cheek. “I could have Caleb run into town.”
“I’ve got it but thank you.”
His lips form a hard line when his eyes land on the radio. “Don’t tell me you’re messing with that again.”
I want to lie, and I hate myself for it. We’ve never lied to each other, not when it mattered. We aren’t that couple.
“She was back again,” I tell him firmly, squaring my shoulders. “The voice. I really think it’s a little girl, and she sounds scared, Simon. She said her mom’s gone and there’s a man who’s with her.”
“You talked to the man?” One of his dark brows shoots up.
“No. I, well, I didn’t talk to him. I heard about him. But what if he kidnapped her? What if she’s locked up somewhere? We can’t just pretend this isn’t happening.”
He stares at me for a long moment. “We aren’t pretending anything.
We looked around, okay? There was nothing.
No one. We’ve told you, it’s probably a prank.
Everyone in this family has had at least one stalker at some point in time, not to mention the press snooping around at all times, especially leading up to the wedding.
You should just leave it alone.” His eyes fall to my phone. “What were you doing?”
I wet my lips, looking away as disappointment settles over me. “I tried to record her.”
“Tried.”
“She was gone before I got the chance. She stopped responding.”
He bounces his head up and down, thinking, and rubs a hand over his chin. “There’s no one near here,” he says simply after a moment. “No houses for miles. Whatever you’re hearing, it’s…” He doesn’t seem to know how to finish that thought.
“It’s what?” I ask, my jaw tight.
“It has to be a prank. Or a joke at the very least.” His eyes meet mine and there’s a bit of pleading in them.
He wants me to let this go, but I need to know why he doesn’t believe me.
“Look, why don’t we switch? I’ll finish up here, and you can handle the guest rooms. I’m nearly done anyway, so it’ll be a piece of cake and then you can just relax. You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
“I don’t want to switch. I want you to believe me.” I stare at him, my eyes darting back and forth between his. He’s never doubted me in the past. Why start now? “Why don’t you believe me?”
“Honey.” His face breaks, and he rests his hand on my shoulder.
“It’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just…
” He gestures toward the radio. “That thing is old. There’s no telling what you’re hearing, but I promise you there are no kidnapped little girls around here, okay? ” He tries to laugh, but it falls flat.
I breathe in deeply, calming myself, then force a smile. “You’re probably right.”
“Yeah? See?” He massages my shoulder. “So, what do you think? Swap?”
“No. I’m good, I swear.” I switch the radio off again. “I’m almost done here anyway, but thank you.”
He kisses my cheek. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” I pause, the question from last night haunting me. I have to ask it. “Simon?”
“Yeah?”
“You don’t think…whatever’s going on, your family wouldn’t be involved.” I swallow, meeting his eyes. “You don’t think they’re hiding anything, do you?”
His eyes drill into mine, and I can’t read the expression behind them. “What are you saying? You can’t seriously be asking if they’ve…what? Kidnapped someone?”
“Of course not,” I say quickly. “I just…if there’s something going on, you can tell me. If you know who this is. Why they’re doing this…”
His face is still. Hard. A muscle in his jaw twitches.
“It’s probably just a prank, like I’ve said.
I won’t pretend to understand these people.
They prey on celebrity, on proximity to our lives.
Gossip. For their little videos online. There’s no reason for it.
Insanity, that’s all. They’re bored and want to feel special.
” He rubs his lips together, studying me.
“If I knew anything, I’d tell you. You know that. ”
Shame heats my body from the inside out. “Of course. Yeah, you’re right. Of course. I just…had to ask.”
Uncomfortable silence stretches between us, but eventually, his hardness fades away. “I’ll bring your lunch later, okay?”
I give him a sharp nod.
“Any requests?”
I wrap my arms around myself, flashing a quick grin. “I’m sure whatever your mom has planned is perfect.”
He nudges me playfully. “Don’t let her hear you say that. It’ll go straight to her head.”
As he walks out the door, I call after him, “Then you’d match.”
After the sun sets, Pierce comes to get me for dinner again. This time, he’s quieter, distracted on his phone as I gather the lunch basket and shut the door behind us.
With the beep of the lock, it’s as if he realizes where he is. He tucks his phone into the pocket of his slacks.
“Forgive me, Astrid. That was rude.” He slips a hand through the basket’s handle. “Let me take that.”
“Oh, I don’t mind.” I straighten the hem of my shirt, following him toward the golf cart. “Is everything okay?”
Lost in thought, it takes him a moment to look at me, and even when he does, I can tell he has no idea what I just asked. I watch the question process in his mind. “Oh.” He pats his pocket, the phone within it. “Yes. Yes, of course. Just…today’s fire in need of putting out. You know how that goes.”