Chapter 3
Ava’s mom liked to call her first thing in the morning for a chat when she had something on her mind. The rest of the time they both sort of did their own things. She’d just put Gracie down for a nap, knowing that Chay was going to drop by for their date sometime today.
She should have been more specific about the time instead of just inviting him to stop by…
“Ava…you there?”
“Yeah. Sorry, was watching the baby monitor,” she lied. “What did you say?”
“Aw, I remember those days,” her mom said. “I asked if you’d heard that the Annie Ross’s murder might be related to the men who took Fern Hensley.”
Ava curled her legs up underneath her and shifted the phone to her other hand. “No, I hadn’t. How did you hear that? You know you shouldn’t listen to gossip, Mom.” Using the phrase her mom had used so many times when Ava and Ryan had been growing up.
“Ha-ha. Ryan was here for dinner. He mentioned it because of the connection to Fern. Seems that Annie had filed a missing-person report on her friend and roommate Camille Lancaster. Some of the details of her friend’s abduction match how Fern was taken.”
“When did they find all of this out?”
“Yesterday, I suppose. I’m not really sure. But it’s scary to think of all these women being taken and brought to our town,” Mom said. “You be extra careful.”
“It is scary,” Ava agreed. “But most of the women were taken elsewhere, right? I should be fine. You, too.”
Her mom huffed. “Of course I will. They’re going after young women.”
“You’re still young, honey,” she heard her dad say. The phone was muffled, and she suspected her parents were kissing before her mom came back on the line. “Still, I want you to stay vigilant.”
“I always do,” she said.
“Good. So when are you going to bring that cute baby over so I can cuddle her?”
She agreed to a day next week when Ava was off again and then hung up with her mom. The information her mom had given her would help Chay’s investigation, she thought. It would also give her some background to start questioning Fern on.
The other woman didn’t want to talk her abduction. Given that she tried to let Fern guide their sessions, she imagined the other woman didn’t want to talk about it.
Her street was quiet, as it usually was on a Thursday morning. Most people had gone to school or work, and there weren’t a lot of stay-at-home parents on her street. In fact, if it wasn’t for Gracie, Ava would be volunteering at the homeless shelter today.
She checked on Gracie, who was still sleeping. Standing over the baby, Ava had so many questions. Why had Annie Ross abandoned her at the fire station? Had she realized that her questions were leading men who were kidnapping women to her?
It must have been difficult for Annie to leave her baby. A part of Ava felt strongly that Annie would have come back for her. Maybe that was just because she wanted that for Gracie.
She tucked the Diné blanket closer around the baby and went to the changing table where she had left some clothes to be folded. It felt like someone was watching her, and she pushed the sheer curtains aside to look up and down the street.
Nothing.
That conversation with her mom must have spooked her more than she’d guessed.
She was a woman, so she always took extra precautions.
She called her friends when she was walking home alone.
She texted them when she went on a first date with a stranger.
She walked with her keys out to use as a weapon late at night when she left the hospital and the parking lot was almost empty.
But sometimes all the precautions weren’t enough. Women who did everything right were still taken and hurt. Like Fern and Annie Ross.
Feeling safe in her house wasn’t even enough.
She had double locks on her front door because of that one incident in college.
She’d never known for sure how Daniel Wayne had gotten into her apartment or why he’d been waiting for her there.
Luckily she’d been with Greg, and that had been enough to frighten Daniel off.
Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she left the baby’s room. Daniel was still in prison. He’d stalked and attacked another young woman after she’d reported him and gotten a restraining order. There were times when she realized just how lucky she was to be alive.
For some reason Daniel Wayne hadn’t killed her…maybe Greg’s presence.
But Greg was gone. God, she was getting sucked into a negative thought spiral.
She dropped down on the floor and sat in the lotus position.
Centering herself, she started to some box breathing.
Counting and concentration on her breath pulled her mind away from the past and her fears and straight into just breathing.
It took her fifteen minutes before she felt calm enough to get up. She heard a truck in her driveway and went to put the coffee maker on. Getting to her front door just as the doorbell rang.
Opening it, she took a deep breath.
Chay.
He wore a thick sheepskin jacket and a pair of jeans and boots. He took off his aviator-style sunglasses, putting them in his breast pocket. He had a Tupperware container in one hand and held his hat in the other.
“Hope I’m not too early. We never set a time,” he said.
“You’re just right,” she said, stepping back so he could enter. He put his hat on the hook near the door and looked down at his boots, handing her the Tupperware.
“Shoes off? I didn’t ask the other day.”
“I don’t mind if you want to keep them on unless they’re slushy.”
He toed his boots off, and she watched as he bent down to stand them neatly side by side. When he straightened, he noticed her watching him.
She flushed slightly. He had a nice butt. It wasn’t illegal to look at it.
His grandmother had made a batch of blue corn cookies for him to bring over.
She was intrigued by Gracie and had seconded his desire to have the baby raised on the Navajo Nation.
He’d invited her to come along but she already had plans with her best friend, Fiona.
They liked to get together and weave and talk.
Which was fine with him; he’d sort of wanted to be alone with Ava again.
She had her hair down today and wore a henley top and a pair of faded jeans.
She had socks on her feet that were patterned with hearts.
It wasn’t just that she might add something to his investigation—actually, he’d pretty much given up on that front.
He liked her. She was sassy and funny and caring.
He’d seen how much she loved Gracie and cared for Fern.
She was very protective of the injured woman.
Seemed she might like him, too.
“Like what you see?”
“Yes. Also I have some news for you…that you’ll need to verify. Let’s go into the kitchen so we can chat and enjoy what you brought.”
He followed her, this time taking in the photos on the wall.
Most of her house was decorated with photos of family rather than art.
There were two cross-stitched scenes that had been framed and hung as well.
One was of a German shepherd named Brandy and the other was of a house and had the title “Home.”
She had poured two mugs of coffee and had one sitting in front of the seat he’d used last time when he entered. She’d set out some cloth napkins as well. The baby monitor was near her side as she sat cross-legged on the chair across from him again.
“What’d you bring to eat?”
“My grandmother’s blue corn cookies. She made some fancy ones for you,” he said, opening the box to reveal the heart-shaped cookies. “She’s getting ready for Valentine’s Day.”
“They look really nice. Can’t wait to try one,” she said.
He held the box out to her and she took one, taking a bite and closing her eyes as she chewed. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, watching the enjoyment spread over her face. She opened her eyes to find him watching, and he didn’t look away.
She licked her lips. “Delicious.”
He simply nodded and popped a cookie into his mouth. After he’d washed it down with the coffee, he said, “What about the investigation?”
“I’m not sure how, because I heard this via my mom, but it seems that Fern’s abductors might have be responsible for taking Annie Ross as well.
There are details that match between Fern’s abduction and the abduction of a friend of Annie’s.
She heard this from my brother, who is a firefighter and was the one to rescue Fern. ”
That was a solid lead. He’d had plans to stop by the Dark Canyon police office while he was in town, but maybe he should speak to Ryan Colton as well. “That is interesting. Any more details on Annie Ross? Was she found near a cabin as well?”
“No. Not at all. She was just dumped in the wilderness and left to die from exposure. When she was found she had extreme hypothermia and died as a result.”
“Had she been drugged like Fern?”
“I really don’t know,” Ava said, taking another cookie. “I think my cousin Jacob Colton with the National Parks ISB is conducting the investigation because of where Annie was discovered.”
“I’ll get in touch with him. Thanks for this,” he said.
“No problem. Mom called to warn me to be extra safe.”
“Why?”
“Three women have been taken.”
“I get that. I wondered if there was something particular that made her concerned for you?” he asked.
She took a deep breath, looking down at her coffee mug. It was a while before she shrugged. “I had a stalker back in college…I think all these young women being taken reminded her of that.”
Her words were even, almost nonchalant, but her hands were white where she gripped the coffee mug, giving away her unease.
Reaching over, he put his hand on hers and squeezed.
Of course he wanted to tell her she’d be fine, but he couldn’t guarantee that.
No one could. He hoped she would be. Chances were a woman as connected to Dark Canyon and a Colton to boot wasn’t going to be taken, but there was no promise of that.