Since She Went Away(76)

“Is that the guy from the Web site?”

She found her voice again. “Yeah. He’s the one who wrote the other night when I called the police. He never said he was showing up before.”

“You are going to call the police again, right? He says he’s coming here. He must know our address. I told you not to leave the number listed. Celia wouldn’t need it.”

“He must be joking, right? He’s just a nut.”

“Do you want to take that chance?” Jared asked.

“No, of course not. Go make sure the doors are locked.”





CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE


Jared went to every door, making sure they were locked. And they were. Then he checked a few windows, but the windows in the house hadn’t been opened since November when the last Indian summer days blew away. Right when Celia disappeared.

If the guy on the answering machine really possessed the information he claimed, why hadn’t he gone to the cops and collected a reward? And besides, his voice sounded like air leaking out of a balloon, high and squeaky and annoying.

But they couldn’t take chances, could they?

As he returned to the living room where his mom was still on the phone with Detective Poole, a bizarre possibility popped into his mind: What if Domino55 and William Rose were the same person? Jared had never heard William Rose’s voice, so it was possible. Or what if they were friends, working together as partners in crime?

Then why show up in Hawks Mill, where everyone was after them?

His mom got off the phone. He saw two lines along the side of her mouth, lines he would have sworn weren’t there just a few months earlier. She’d always looked and acted so young compared to a lot of other parents, even ones the same age. Celia’s disappearance was etching itself on her face.

“They’re sending a car around to keep an eye on things,” she said.

“Good.”

“They’re busy, though. They’ve stepped up the patrols with William Rose on the loose. And they’re having some kind of press conference tonight. Just an update on everything, something about a connection between William Rose and Henry Allen. I’m curious, but I don’t want to watch it.”

“Right. I heard—”

“You heard what?”

Jared stopped. He took a mental step back. He wanted something from his mom, so he couldn’t just go wandering into the conversation as if it were an unseen minefield. He needed to be careful. He knew she would be reluctant to let him go on TV. But he could try to bargain. . . .

He desperately wanted to speak on Natalie’s behalf. To plead for her on TV.

To do something to save her from William Rose.

“I know what that stuff’s all about. The Henry Allen and William Rose stuff.”

“What is it?” she asked. She wore the same serious look she had when she worked on her taxes or paid bills.

“I need something from you first.”

“What?”

“It’s a big favor.”

“Are you trying to negotiate with me? You know, I can talk to Detective Poole any time I want. I can read about this in the paper. What do you want?”

“I want to go on TV tomorrow night. With you.”

His mom stared at him for a long moment. Her eyes blinked a few times. “Are you nuts?”

“Listen to me, Mom.”

“Who told you about that? Did Becky call you?” Her voice rose with every word.

Jared felt as if he were trying to outwit a Jedi master. “No, Ursula did.”

“Ursula? What does she have to do with it?”

“She heard they wanted me to go on. They called her too, but her dad won’t let her. But she wants me to go on. She thinks it will be more emotional, more real if I’m on there. And it will keep the story alive.”

His voice sounded weak and unconvincing. Even though he was a teenager, his mom could make him feel like a little kid if she wanted to just by looking at him the right way.

“And what do you know about Henry Allen and William Rose?” she asked.

“Ursula . . . she came to the house the other night. She and Bobby Allen. And I went out and talked to them.”

“What did they want to talk about?” she asked.

“Bobby wanted to talk about his dad. About what I saw in that house. His body and how he died.”

“Shit.” Her eyes widened. “I guess I understand the curiosity. It’s a little morbid. . . .” She looked as though she wasn’t sure what to say next. “I really don’t like you having to keep thinking about it.”

“It’s fine, Mom.”

“But what is this about Bobby Allen and William Rose?” she asked. “They know each other? And what does that have to do with Ursula?”

“William Rose worked for Bobby Allen’s dad. That’s what I found out when they came to the house.”

Confusion crossed his mom’s face first, and then she looked determined.

“And they just came to the door? Out of the blue?” she asked.

“They hang out in the park a lot,” he said. “They’re always just kind of around.”

His mom looked distracted. She talked almost to herself. “I could call Ian and ask to talk to her.”