Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CORINNE WILDE - PRESENT DAY
The moment the question leaves my lips, the stranger on the other end hangs up without giving an answer. Conrad starts the car and backs us out of the flooding road. Lewis, Greta, and I share worried looks. I have no idea what to make of this. Of any of it.
Why would someone hurt Greta? Why was she back here in the first place? I feel as if I’m in a dream I can’t wake up from. And still, Taylor is missing.
Taylor.
I’ve been so distracted I momentarily forgot our daughter ran away from us.
“I’m going to call Taylor and tell her to stay with Mom,” I say. “I may not want her there, but at least she’s safe far away from here until we figure out what’s going on.”
“Taylor’s with your mom?” Greta asks. “I thought you said I was supposed to be looking for her. That she was missing.”
“We just found out where she is,” Lewis fills in as I dial.
She doesn’t answer—no surprise—so I leave her a voicemail.
“Taylor, honey, it’s Mom. Listen, I don’t want you to worry, but I need you to go ahead and stay at your grandma’s tonight, okay?
I’ll explain later, but just stay where you are.
Where it’s…” I stop myself from saying safe, not wanting to worry her.
“The storm is getting bad. You’re better off there right now.
Okay, we’ll, um…we’ll talk in the morning, okay? I love you.”
I end the call just as I feel the car lurch. Conrad slows the car to a stop without warning.
“What’s…” I don’t finish the question. Don’t need to. I can clearly see what’s wrong. Up ahead, a fallen tree lies across the road.
Conrad and the man lean forward in their seats, getting a better look. They turn back toward us almost in unison.
“We’ll have to turn around,” Conrad says. “This is the only way into town tonight.”
“What? No. She has to go to the hospital.” I gently squeeze Greta’s arm.
“I don’t disagree, but unless someone in here has a plane I don’t know about, there’s no way. We can’t move the tree on our own, especially not in the middle of this storm.”
“Then, we’ll get out and walk,” I argue.
Conrad shakes his head. “The storm’s too bad. The roads are already starting to flood, and we haven’t even made it to the worst parts.”
I glance out my window with a sinking feeling in my gut. Dark water covers most of the road. There’s no denying he’s right.
“About half a mile up, the road floods for quite a ways every time it rains,” he goes on. The storm is so loud he’s having to shout to be heard. “If it’s already this bad here, it’ll be worse there.”
“We could try,” Lewis says, but he doesn’t sound convinced.
“It’s not safe,” his friend says. “You can call an ambulance if you want, but whether or not they’ll be able to make it through is questionable until the storm clears and the water drains.
For now, we’ll get home and get the wound on her neck cleaned up.
Get a better look at it and ride out the storm. ”
“There has to be another way,” I argue, trying to think of one. He’s right, however. This is the only road into town, but I can’t give up.
“Look, he’s right. Let’s just go back to Foxglove. I’m really okay,” Greta tells me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “It’s not worth dying over. We’ll find a way into town once the storm has passed.”
“You have no idea if you’re okay. You don’t even know what day it is.” My words are biting, but she takes them in stride.
“Either way, we don’t have a choice.”
“She’s right.” Conrad backs the car up, turning us around.
“Hey, who are you guys anyway?” she asks Conrad and the stranger. “Why do I recognize you?”
“You met him,” I remind her. “At the house after Taylor’s stuff was ruined. You saw Conrad then. Our neighbor.”
“That’s right,” Conrad says. “And this is my husband, Benji.”
“Husband?” The word smacks me in the chest. “I thought…what about the woman at your house earlier?”
Conrad glances back at me. “My mom. I was delivering her groceries before the storm. Benji is my husband and a nurse. He can take care of her, at least until we can get more help.”
Relief floods my chest so quickly it takes me by surprise. “A nurse.”
“Partially retired.” Benji smiles at me. “Also a baker, but he only ever brags about the nurse part. I’m not sure whether to be offended.” I remember the cookies then. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Before I can respond, my phone rings. “Taylor.” I put the phone to my ear quickly. “Hello?”
“Mom, what are you talking about? I’m not driving all the way to Grandma Billie’s.”
My veins freeze, then turn to slush. “What?”
“It’s way too far. I’m not driving there alone.”
“You…” My head spins. “You’re not already there?”
“What? No. I’m…I’m in town. I was supposed to be meeting Madison, but her mom made her turn around when the storm got bad.”
“You’re… Jesus, I don’t understand, Taylor. You’re in town? Right now?”
“What’s the big deal?”
“The tree,” Lewis reminds me.
The tree is the last thing on my scrambled mind, but he’s right. “You won’t be able to get home, honey. Listen…there’s a tree in the middle of the road.” I lower the phone, talking to Conrad and Benji. “Is there a hotel in town? Our daughter is stuck there.”
“No hotel, but there’s an old bed and breakfast on the square,” Benji tells us. “Aranka’s a friend of ours. I can call her and ask her to get a room ready.”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you.” With that, I relay the message to Taylor, telling her to get there and stay safe while we wait out the storm. Then I call Mom.
“You lied to me.”
“What are you talking about?” At least she answered this time.
“Taylor isn’t with you. She’s here. In town.”
Mom chuckles under her breath. “You’re losing it. I don’t have time for whatever sort of game you’re playing tonight, Corinne. I’m old and tired.”
“Cut the crap. Why would you lie to me? Do you have any idea what I’ve been going through tonight? You’re a mother. You have to know how scary this is for me.”
“Stop.” But now my mom’s voice doesn’t sound annoyed. She sounds…worried. Her words come slow, measured. “Taylor is right here. I’m…I’m looking at her.”
My breathing catches in my throat. “Impossible. Let me talk to her.”
“She doesn’t want to talk.”
“Mom—”
Lewis takes the phone away from me, putting it on speaker. “Billie, it’s Lewis. Look, tonight has been weird, and we just want to hear from our daughter. If she’s with you, please put her on the phone. We just want to know that she’s there.”
She sighs. “Well, hang on a second.”
Then, after several seconds of excruciating silence, she’s there. Impossible, but true. “Dad?”