214 Palmer Street(2)

Maggie perked up. “I do feel better knowing someone is in the house,” she said, her hand on the doorframe, leaning in. “The Caldwells are my favorite neighbors. We’re very close.” She craned her neck, trying to look past Sarah.

Sarah got the impression she was hoping for an invitation inside, but there was no way that was going to happen. “So you don’t need to worry about the house anymore. I’ve got things covered.”

Maggie didn’t move. “If you’re sure…”

“I don’t want to be rude,” she said, “but I really need to take a shower and go see my mom. I’m sure you understand.” Her hand went up to her hair, which was always messy in the morning.

“Oh, of course. Well, if you need anything, I’m right next door.” She gestured toward her house, which was unnecessary because Sarah knew exactly where she lived. In fact, she knew the color of the area rug in her living room, and where the framed Japanese prints of long-necked birds hung in her dining room. Sarah knew how many years the older woman had lived in her home, the name of the company she hired to replace her furnace, and the rating she’d given them on Yelp. If Maggie had any clue how much Sarah knew, she’d be horrified. “Anything at all, just come by. I’m always glad to help.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sarah said, taking a step back. “Thanks so much for stopping by.”

“How did you say you know Cady?”

Sarah turned her head. “Sorry, but I hear my phone ringing. It might be the nurse from Angel’s Grace so I’ve got to go. Nice meeting you.”

As the door was closing shut, Maggie called out, “But I never got your name!”

“Take care now!” Sarah pushed the door closed and locked it. She leaned with her back against the wall and closed her eyes, giving a sigh of relief. When a minute or so passed and she didn’t hear anything else, she snuck a look through the peephole. Maggie was gone, which meant things were fine for now, but her appearance at the door and the following questions were too close for comfort and she knew it wasn’t over yet. Judging from things Cady had said, Maggie could be persistent.

The old woman’s intrusive nature was a problem to be solved.

Luckily, Sarah had a plan in place to cover this very scenario.

Honestly, she’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but Maggie’s appearance at the door had forced her hand. Sarah sighed. She’d have to make a phone call. It was an unfortunate turn of events, but she’d come too far to let one old lady stand in her way.





TWO





SIX MONTHS EARLIER





Disoriented, Sarah managed to open her eyes, but only slightly. She was outside, ground-level, flat on her back. The pain in her head was as intense as if she’d been hit by a sledgehammer. Next to her, two men talked between themselves, saying things she couldn’t quite grasp. They rolled her onto her side, then pressed something against the back of her head and put a brace around her neck. Her eyelids were heavy, but she managed to open them just wide enough to see she was lying on the patio behind her house. The men, she realized, had to be EMTs. A second later, she mentally corrected herself. Not EMTs. They were paramedics. Was that the right term? EMTs. Paramedics. The two words overlapped in her mind, making her realize she didn’t really know the difference.

The pain, though, that was a certainty. It felt like her skull had exploded and shards of bone had penetrated her brain. Complete and utter agony.

What happened? Thinking back, she remembered coming home after work and heading out the back door. And then the sound of the dog next door barking like crazy, which was completely out of character for him. Buster was a sweet dog and almost never barked. She remembered walking toward the fence to see what was making him so upset.

And then, a sudden jolt to the back of her head. After that, nothing.

Until now.

Where had these men come from? Nothing made sense. A light drizzle fell on her face; she was cold and wet now, her clothing clinging to her body. One of the men noticed her eyes tracking his movements and gave her a reassuring smile. “My name is Darren and this is Chris. You’re going to be fine. Can you tell me your name?”

With much effort she managed to say, “Sarah Aden.”

He said, “Do you know where you are?”

“My house. Backyard.”

“Good.” From the color of the sky she got the sense that it was late. Kirk should be home by now. Where was he?

“Do you know what day it is?”

“Thursday. End of March.” She racked her brain but couldn’t come up with the exact date. “The twenty-second. I think.”

“Can you tell me what happened to you?”

Not a clue. She seemed to have a gap in her memory. How did she go from setting her purse on the counter, to opening the screen door and being out on the patio to having EMTs arrive? “I… something… in my head.” She struggled with how to describe it and settled on, “It went off.”

Darren turned to look at the other man. “She’s confused.” He returned his attention to Sarah. “You’ve had a head injury. We’re transporting you to the hospital.”

A head injury? The pain kept her from thinking it through but the idea that she had a head injury sounded unlikely. People’s heads got injured playing sports or getting hit by a car while bicycling. Not by stepping out into their backyard.