Chapter 5
FIVE
In the morning, after only three hours of sleep, I sit up in bed and yawn, rubbing my eyes. I’m exhausted, but my mind is sharp and hyper aware. In fact, I’ve never felt more awake.
After brushing my teeth and getting dressed, I step into the living area.
Gabriel is already in there, at the kitchen island, with his laptop in front of him. His posture is rigid, shoulders squared even in rest, like he’s bracing for impact.
Wearing a crisp white shirt and blue dress pants, the family lawyer in him is already awake and on the job even at seven in the morning. His red eyes tell me he hasn’t slept much either.
Coco is a bundle of energy as always and is pacing and sniffing the baseboards, until I enter and she glances at me but doesn’t approach.
“Hey, girl,” I murmur, reaching for the bag of treats on the counter before crouching slightly. I shake one loose into my palm, but when I tear the packet open a little more, the top gives way too easily.
Tiny brown nuggets scatter across the kitchen floor.
“Oh, no!” I bend down, quickly gathering them, but Coco is faster, darting in, nails clicking against the tile as she snaps up as many as she can before it’s too late.
“Hey, slow down—” The chuckle I force sounds hollow even to me. Kneeling on the floor, I pick them up one by one. Crumbs stick to my fingers as Coco’s wet nose nudges at my closed fist.
Sadie used to do this, laughing as she fed her too many at once, even when I told her not to.
“Fine, just a few more,” I mutter, handing her one. For a moment, I just stay there on the floor with her, letting her take them, letting the small chaos fill the space.
“How did you sleep?” Gabriel asks when I get up again and kiss him on the lips, before letting him get back to his work on his laptop, clicking away.
“Not good.” I massage my temples, eyes closed.
“You still think that photo is real, don’t you?” he asks and my eyes snap open.
“I don’t think, Gabriel.” I rinse a mug before filling it with water, the familiar ritual grounding me. “I know it’s real. The girl in that photo is our daughter.”
The sound of the front door being unlocked cuts our conversation short.
When it opens, Scarlett steps in first, followed closely by Alice, who’s carrying a brown paper bag from Rosewood Pastries down the street. The smell of warm baked goods immediately fills the apartment.
“Morning, you two.” Scarlett comes to pull me into a hug. She smells faintly of citrus soap and something floral. “Look who I found outside when I went to fetch my laptop charger from the car.”
I smile. “How lovely. I thought you were coming in later, Alice.” I didn’t get a chance to clean up.
“I thought you could use something freshly baked this morning,” she says, lifting the bag slightly.
Alice is wearing a pale-blue blouse tucked into black trousers, and her strawberry-blonde hair is twisted into a low bun, a few strands slipping free to frame her oval face. She looks neat and put together without trying too hard.
“Well, I’m not complaining. It’s always wonderful to see you. Come here, you.” I open my arms for a hug and she walks right in.
There’s something about this woman that has always pulled me in. Even at fifteen, she was a breath of fresh air.
Coco darts across the room to greet her, tail wagging furiously.
Scarlett lets out a laugh as the dog springs into the air, front paws batting in excitement.
Alice bends to gather Coco into her arms. “Hello, you,” she murmurs as Coco licks her cheek. “Nice to see you too, Coco.”
When Gabriel comes to greet her, I take Coco from her arms, but the dog wriggles right out and runs off to the rooms like she’s had enough of us for one day.
We all laugh and then Alice gestures toward the kitchen. “I’ll put these away, then.”
Gabriel, Scarlett and I migrate to the library lounge while Alice busies herself with the pastry bag and tidies the kitchen.
The intimate space sits just beyond the living area, separated by a set of French doors.
When I saw it for the first time, I fell in love immediately.
It had been empty then, but in my mind’s eye, I could vividly see what it would become.
The bright light pouring in through sheer linen curtains draped over the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the ocean.
Built-in walnut bookshelves line the walls, filled with our favorite books, mostly hardbacks.
I even imagined what it would smell like, of the sea salt drifting in from the windows, sandalwood potpourri, and old paper.
That’s exactly what it became, a sanctuary.
A deep beige couch sits at the far end framed by two cream leather armchairs and a low glass-and-marble coffee table in front of it.
A few minutes after we are seated, Alice appears in the doorway with a tray. “Thought I’d bring you in some coffee and croissants.” She glances down at the tray in her hands then sets it down.
No one speaks as she pours us each a cup, then straightens up. “Would you like me to take Coco for a walk?” she offers. “She seems restless.”
Scarlett nods. “That’s a good idea.”
I glance at Gabriel.
“Yes,” I say finally. “That would be nice, thanks for that.”
After we chat a bit about her life and how her father is doing, Alice leans down to fasten Coco’s leash. “I’ll just take her around the marina. We won’t be long.” She stands up and looks at me for a moment. “If you need anything at all, give me a call.”
She leaves, closing the door softly behind her.
“Judy, are you feeling better today?” Scarlett asks when the three of us are alone, her eyes searching my face.
I glare at her. “Of course I’m not better, Scarlett.
How could you even ask me that?” I shake out my jittery hands while blinking back hot tears.
Unable to release the mounting tension inside me, I bite down on my lower lip until I taste blood.
“I’m sorry, Scarlett. I didn’t mean to snap at you.
It’s just… I won’t feel better until we find out where Sadie is and what has happened to her. ”
“I’ll help. I’ll help you find more information. I can also stay a bit longer, if you like. I still have a few days before school starts.” Scarlett pauses. “I’ll do anything for Sadie. You know that.”
Her voice wavers just slightly on Sadie’s name, a crack so small it would be easy to miss. Her offer of help takes me by surprise. I thought she would side with Gabriel.
“So, what do we do first?” she asks as she picks up one of the croissants, but after staring at it, puts it down again, picking up her cup of coffee.
“I want to go to the camp today.” I bite into my croissant. “To have a look around.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightens. “You can’t.”
“Why not? I just want to ask questions,” I reply. “What if someone there knows something that could help us find her? Or lead us to the person who sent that photo?”
“Not just anyone can walk in anymore.” Gabriel reaches for my hand. I let him hold it for a second before pulling away. “Access is restricted, you know that. And adults aren’t allowed in unless accompanying a child.”
Scarlett sighs loudly. “Yeah, I heard they have much stricter rules now, for the protection of the kids.”
“I don’t care. I’m going there. I need answers.”
Gabriel stands abruptly. “Why can’t you let this go? We came here to say goodbye to our daughter, not tear ourselves apart again. I told you that photo is just a horrible prank. See it for what it is.”
“This isn’t me reopening wounds.” I pull the photo from the back pocket of my pants. “This is real, Gabriel.”
The door swings open and Gabriel sits back down, reaching for a newspaper.
I place the photo on the table, face down, just as Alice comes back in, Coco’s leash in her hand.
“Sorry to disturb,” she says, shifting from foot to foot.
“I forgot my phone.” She walks across the room, picks up her phone from the windowsill where I stood with her earlier, and turns to go.
“Alice,” I call before she walks out. “What have you heard about the youth camp lately? Anything new happening over there?”
She pauses, gazing out the window. I know she also spent a summer there as a teenager on a scholarship.
“It’s still considered one of the best teenage youth camps in the country.” She leans against the doorframe. “A family I worked for sent their seventeen-year-old son there three months ago, and he certainly came back changed.”
“In what way?” Scarlett asks.
“He was just calmer and less angry. His parents kept praising the place.”
“And you don’t work for them anymore?” I cross my legs and hold my knee with both hands.
“They moved to Europe. Julian, the father, got a new job in Sweden.”
I nod. “Anything else you heard about the camp?”
“Only that after what happened to Sadie…” She looks down at her feet, then back up, her eyes full of sadness.
“They became very protective of their residents, invested a lot in security, with cameras and controlled access. They also monitor the waterfront more now. There used to be a way in and out of the camp via the beach but not anymore. They spent a lot of money to make sure nothing like that happens again.”
A lump forms in my throat. “They should have done all that before.”
“I know,” Alice says quietly. “I guess they thought what they already did was enough back then. Oh, I also heard they might be expanding into adult workshops or retreats, or whatever they’re called.”
Gabriel sets down his newspaper. “Adult retreats? What kind?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know any details. It could just be rumors. But the camp is definitely changing.” Alice opens the door again. “Well, I should take Coco now. She’s getting impatient.”
Coco gives a small bark, as if to agree.
“Thank you,” I say.
“Of course,” Alice replies, and then she’s gone.
Gabriel turns to me. “You’re not really thinking of going there.”
I don’t answer. I just look out the tall windows at the blue water beyond the marina and the pastel buildings in the distance, wishing I could see the last room Sadie stayed in.
Finally, Scarlett stands and smooths a hand over her hip, tugging at the sleeve of her cardigan. “I think I’m going to go to the gym.”
“The gym?” I repeat. “Here, in the building?”
“No.” Scarlett averts her gaze. “In town. I signed up for a free two-day trial. You know, while we’re here.” She laughs lightly, then pinches the soft skin at the back of her arm, her smile tightening. “At forty-three, maybe it’s time I start doing something about this.”
I stare at her, confused. Scarlett hates exercise.
Always has. She used to tell me stories about her childhood, about endless swim practices before dawn, competitions every weekend, parents who measured her worth in medals and stopwatches.
She’d quit the moment she graduated from high school and any form of exercise after that, even as innocent as an aerobics class, made her break into a cold sweat.
“Since when do you work out?” I ask carefully.
“People change.” She winks. “And, like Coco, I need to get rid of some restless energy.”
She leaves before I can say more. I know she’s going out because she feels uncomfortable around us. She still carries the guilt around with her.
Gabriel exhales sharply. “People do change,” he repeats, coming to take my hand in his.