At the Quiet Edge(70)

Keep an eye on her boy. She hadn’t been doing a very good job of that, clearly. “I’m trying. He’s more independent now, and I’m trying not to hover. Have you . . . ?” She couldn’t ask, but she had to, didn’t she? For all her nosiness, Sharon cared about Everett. She’d once whispered to Lily that Everett could come talk to them anytime, about anything, and he needed people like that in his life. Other gay people navigating a small town in the Midwest. Sharon and Nour could be there for Everett in ways that his own mother couldn’t.

“He’s twelve,” she finally said weakly. “He’s not a baby, but . . . adolescent boys can find trouble. You’ll tell me if you see anything I should know about, won’t you?”

Of course it was too late for that question if they were moving out. She should have asked it a year ago. But now she could tell herself she’d asked.

She hadn’t anticipated the guilty side-eye Sharon threw in her direction.

“What?” she snapped. “What is it?” Had he stolen from Sharon and Nour too? He moved freely in and out of their work area when Nour was around. “Sharon, please tell me.”

She sighed, but once she opened her mouth, her eyes were as bright and eager as always. “I said I wouldn’t tell you, but . . .”

Oh God. Lily braced herself.

“I did see him and his friend up on the roof of the big building over there. I told him not to do it again or I’d tell you.”

“The big building?” Lily spun to look at the two-story structure and the top loop of the metal ladder just visible from here. “That’s all?” She laughed a little, then caught herself when she turned back to find Sharon frowning. “I’m sorry. Thank you so much for telling me.” She scowled with mock seriousness, knowing she should be freaked out over that kind of danger, but she just wanted to hoot with relief.

“I guess kids will stretch their wings,” Sharon said a little doubtfully.

“They will. They really will.”

“Well, try not to worry. Detective Mendelson asked us to report anything at all unusual, so we turned one of our cameras out toward the street.” She winked. “I’ll let you know if I catch Everett up to no good.”

“Great,” Lily said weakly. “Thanks.” She was just starting to turn away when Sharon dipped her head closer to speak in a loud whisper. “Nour found two energy drink cans behind the shop this morning. Like someone has been lurking there after hours.”

Lily’s heart stopped. She spun back to look at Sharon, then toward her shop. “Energy drinks?”

“I hope it’s not Everett. That stuff is so bad for kids his age, but I know they love it.”

Energy drinks. Jones used to down energy drinks constantly. So many that Lily had worried about his health.

“I put them in a bag for Mendelson,” Sharon continued. “Nour said it wasn’t illegal to drink caffeine. But he said a woman went missing around here, and I think we can’t be too safe.”

“Sharon,” Lily interrupted. “I think it was Everett. I found an energy drink in his backpack a couple of weeks ago, and I told him it wasn’t allowed, so he probably snuck some over there. He and Josephine, maybe. After their bike ride?”

Sharon frowned. “Oh. I hate to think he’d just leave them on the ground. That doesn’t seem like him.”

“They probably forgot!” Her words were far too loud. She needed to dial it back. “I’ll . . . I’ll talk to him, Sharon. I’m really sorry.”

She sighed. “All right, I’ll just toss them, then. Wouldn’t want Everett’s prints on file at age twelve.” She laughed at that, as if that were impossible. “There was nothing on the camera, so you’re probably right. He must have walked around back from your place.”

Around back from your place. Lily turned in a slow circle, her gaze catching on the cameras, her fence, the partial brick wall that shielded part of the office and apartment from outside view. That far corner toward the field was out of camera view, wasn’t it?

She looked around at the meadow that surrounded them, the open space beyond the business park. Jones could have parked anywhere and moved behind the buildings, watching them and waiting.

Waiting for what?

“Oh my God!” Sharon gasped, and Lily actually stumbled a little in shock. “I almost forgot to tell you! I have gossip! Kimmy Ross was in, and do you know what she told me this time? Just guess.”

Lily shook her head.

“She’s pregnant! Can you imagine starting over at fifty-one? Not me. I’m fifty-five, and you couldn’t pay me to raise a baby at this age. But Dr. Ross is in pretty good shape. He’s a jogger.”

“He is.”

Sharon threw up her hands in joyful exasperation. “I guess that’s what happens when you marry a young new wife! But God bless him, his youngest daughter checked herself out of rehab and came home, and she must have been really upset about the new baby, because she took off. They reported it to the police. Kimmy is worried sick.”

“Rebecca Ross is the runaway?”

“I’m not even sure you can call her a runaway at eighteen, can you? Poor girl. I hope she doesn’t become one of those lost souls wandering into darker and darker places.”

Lily felt almost guilty about her smaller worries now. “That’s awful. That poor family. I’ll keep them in my thoughts.” She took a step back toward safety. “Listen, I’d better get to work.”