Chapter 14
Pulling into her driveway just after ten, Ava was glad to see her home. It had been a long, emotional day and really all she wanted was to get Gracie changed and to bed so she could get some sleep. Put this day behind her.
The porch light was out, because of course the bulb would die on this already crappy day. She got Gracie out of the car, holding the baby with one hand as she fumbled with her keys. As soon as she got to the front door and put her key in the lock, the door swung open without her turning the key.
Freaking out a little but keeping calm because of Gracie, she removed her key and double-timed it back to the truck, getting in the driver’s side and hitting the lock button as soon as they were both inside.
Her pulse was going so fast that she was sure the neighbors could hear her heart. Gracie was watching her with those sweet, innocent eyes. She stroked the baby’s back as she hit the speed dial for her mom.
“Ava—”
“Someone broke into my house, Mom.”
“Where are you? Are you safe?”
“I’m in my truck in the driveway. The door was open and the front porch light was off.”
“Dad’s on his way. I’m calling 911.”
“I should have done that.”
“You did the right thing. Stay in the truck. Doors locked.”
“They are.”
Her mom talked to her until her dad arrived. He had his gun but waited until the cops arrived, along with her cousin, Jacob, who worked with the National Parks ISB. They checked her house and found that it was empty.
“We need you to come in and make sure nothing was taken,” Jacob said.
Her dad hugged her tight and then offered to hold Gracie while she went with Jacob to inspect the house.
Her hands were sweating even though it was below freezing. Now the one place that she’d always been comfortable felt scary. They went room by room through the house and when she got into the kitchen, her blood ran cold.
Someone had rearranged her canisters in size order. She’d had them scattered around, but they’d been moved to the center of the counter underneath the cabinets.
“See something?” Jacob asked.
She pointed at the canisters, wrapping her arm around her waist. “Daniel did that at my apartment.”
“Daniel Wayne? Isn’t he still in jail?” Jacob asked.
“Last I heard,” Ava confirmed.
“I’ll check on that. This is more than likely tied to Annie Ross and her baby. Even though she died of natural causes, there’s a lot of suspicion around the circumstances. Your dad’s insisting you go home with him tonight. The house is safe if you want to go pack a bag for yourself and Gracie.”
Her dad was sitting in the rocking chair in Gracie’s room, the baby sleeping against his chest.
“Everything here?”
“Yeah…but the canisters in the kitchen were moved around,” she said, catching him up as she shoved a bunch of diapers and clothes into a bag for Gracie.
“I hope this doesn’t affect Gracie,” she said to her dad as she finished gathering her stuff. “She’s just started to feel like this is home.”
“It’s just a few nights. Mom called a friend and found a portable crib, so she’ll be sleeping with you in a safe place.”
“Thanks. I should have just called the cops, but you guys were my first thought,” she said.
“As we should be.”
“Ava, you okay?” Ryan’s voice echoed through the house.
“In here,” Dad said.
Ryan came over and gave her a hard hug. “Sorry I was a brat earlier.”
“You were justified.” Her voice was muffled against his winter coat. Now that her family was here with her, she didn’t feel as panicked as she had before. But still…could Daniel be out of jail?
Those canisters…her gut told her it had to be him. Or someone who knew him? She wasn’t entirely sure. She felt scared and unsafe.
“Want to ride with me back to Mom and Dad’s?” Ryan asked.
“I’ll drive your vehicle over,” Dad said. “Take this little angel with me.”
“I can drive, you know.”
“We know,” Ryan and Dad said at the same time.
That feeling of being loved and taken care of washed over her. She could take care of herself, but for tonight she was glad she didn’t have to. Her family was always there for her, the way that Ava knew she’d be for Gracie.
It made her wonder if Chay felt the same way about his grandmother. He thought he was safe by not allowing her and Gracie into his life. He had never experienced life as a Colton, where everyone knew you and had your back.
Maybe that was part of what had him pumping the brakes with her. She knew she was focusing on him, trying with all her might to keep her focus on figuring out Chay instead of the fear that had taken root in her stomach as soon as she realized her house had been broken into.
It was one thing to suspect it was Daniel, but the truth was women were being abducted. Fern had been. What was to say that she hadn’t been targeted as well?
Or were they after Gracie?
Had Annie Ross been involved with someone who was part of Fern’s kidnaping? So many questions and too few answers.
When they got to her parents’ house, Ryan stayed for a cup of decaf before heading home. Dad went to bed because he had to be up early, but Mom just sat next to her on the couch.
Not saying a word, just letting Ava have the time she needed.
“I’m scared.”
“You’d be silly not to be. But no one is going to hurt you or Gracie. We’ll make sure of it.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Her mom might run a charitable foundation and be a rather slight woman, but the fierceness in her tone reassured Ava. She understood her mom a little better now that she had Gracie. There was nothing that Ava wouldn’t do to keep that baby safe.
Ava knew sleep wasn’t happening for her, and since her mom was sometimes a bit of a night owl, she didn’t feel guilty about staying where she was.
“How’s the silent auction fundraiser coming along?”
“Well, as you know, I have the Pinterest board started and I’ve just spoken to Sassy and we’re going to use the Zephyr Gallery for the event.”
Her cousin Sassy owned the gallery and was an artists’ agent.
The event being held there would be profitable for the Colton Foundation but also help to spotlight Native artisans and crafters.
Aponi had mentioned Sassy had already been in touch to invite her to display some of her rugs and offer one for sale in the silent auction.
“That’s great. Do you have a menu yet? Aponi has these blue corn cookies that are delicious and would pair well with this type of event,” Ava said.
“Aponi?”
“Chay Benally’s grandmother. I was at her place earlier tonight. She’s excited to have a great-grandchild, even though it’s through Chay’s mother and not her son,” Ava said.
“How does Chay feel about that?” Mom asked. “Did you push?”
Ava wanted to deny it. “You know me. I tried to be chill about it, but it’s hard, Mom, when I know what’s best for everyone but they won’t listen to me.”
Her mom laughed. “It’s a burden we Colton women must bear.”
“I also was ham-handed with Ryan. He’s visiting with Fern a lot, and I didn’t realize how close they were becoming.”
Her mom’s brow furrowed with worry. “He hasn’t been the same since the hiker last year.”
“Precisely why I wanted to just warn him to take it slowly,” Ava said. Her brother would be furious if he heard them discussing him. “I think he will. Just know I wasn’t as cool as I wanted to be. Tell me about the artists you have lined up for the silent auction.”
Her mom did. Ava felt slightly better about turning her attention away from Ryan and back to the auction. “Want to play with me?”
Her father wore noise-canceling headphones to bed to help him sleep, so the music wouldn’t disturb them.
“I haven’t practiced in a long time.”
“When were you ever regular about it?” Mom teased.
“True. Let me check on Gracie.” Ava darted down the hall to find the little girl sleeping soundly. She’d had an exciting day with her new words. And of course crawling all over the place.
“Good night, angel. You’re safe,” Ava whispered before kissing her and leaving the room with the door ajar.
Mom was at the piano bench, her fingers moving fluidly over the keys, warming up by playing scales. Ava sat next to her and took the octave above, seamlessly picking up where her mom was.
They did scales for a good five minutes, Ava making a few mistakes before the muscle memory kicked in. She found when she stopped thinking about playing, she was better. Letting her subconscious and her fingers do the heavy lifting.
“What shall we play? Classical or pop?”
Pachelbel was challenging and would draw her out of her head. But the song that was on replay in her mind was “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton. Her mom had sent her that song when she’d dropped Ava off at college. “‘A Thousand Miles.’”
“Perfect. I was thinking that, too. Want to start?”
“Yes.”
They switched around on the bench. Taking a deep breath, closing her eyes, she heard the song in her head. The musical notes on the staff appeared in her mind, and her fingers started moving.
As she played, she was aware of Mom joining in, but her mind was floating free, thinking about the people who mattered to her. The ones she’d make a journey for no matter the distance or time it took.
Her family, of course, but then Chay’s face. Aponi’s face. Gracie’s. They were the new family she’d created with indelible threads whether she wanted to admit it or not. Whether Chay wanted to admit it or not. The connection was there.
She knew she was being a little bit selfish not messaging him that her home had broken into. He’d want to know, and she was doing it to hurt him back because he’d avoided seeing her tonight.
When the song was over, she hugged her mom and told her good-night, going to bunk down in the room where they’d set up the crib for Gracie.
Playing the piano had made it clear that she needed to contact Chay.
Ava: Hey. Sorry for the late text. Didn’t want you to hear it from Jacob or someone else. My home was broken into tonight. Gracie and I are fine. We’re staying with my parents.