Keep Her Safe(41)

“Just until I can get a job. You believe me, right? That this is it? This is the last time? I promise it is, Grace.”

That promise was broken before she uttered the words. I grit my teeth to keep from snapping at her. It’s like I’ve hit repeat. We’ve been here before. It’ll be the same old pattern, slightly varied by a unit number. She’s looking for an easy, quiet hole to crawl into. Going back to the Hollow would be a death sentence for her at this point. If Noah hadn’t shown up when he did, we’d have no other choice.

But he did show up, and we do have a choice.

I push down my bubbling anger. “Here—I picked up a toothbrush and comb, and pair of pajamas for you.” I set the plastic bag down on her bed for her. “I should go, before whatever’s left is gone. You know how it is.” There are plenty of scavengers, looking to clean up on someone else’s tragedy.

She winces. “Can you ask the nurse to give me another dose? It’s been hours since I had one. They’ve forgotten about me.”

“Sure.” I study her frail, emaciated body for another long moment, and then I leave her room, checking my phone for messages from Noah. None. He and the bag of cash are sitting in the parking lot. Now I understand why he was so attached to it. It’s unnerving, having that much money on us, waiting for some scumbag like Sims to take it away.

I head for the nurses’ desk. “Hi, I’m Dina Richards’s daughter. She’s in Room 538 and she asked for more Subutex.”

The nurse scans her records with a frown. “We just gave her a dose. She’ll have to wait.”

They forgot about her, my ass. “How long?”

“Three hours.” She gives me a sympathetic smile, which I return in kind, because the nurses are the ones who will be dealing with Mom’s tantrums until then.

She watches me linger for a moment before asking, “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Mom won’t stay clean a week outside these walls without serious help. I need to make a decision. One that will change both our lives. Noah’s words from last night echo in my mind, as the pain of regret I saw in his eyes twists my stomach.

If I don’t take this chance—if I wait any longer—it’ll be too late.

But first, I need to find out what’s in that box that has my mom so unnerved.





CHAPTER 15


Officer Abraham Wilkes April 20, 2003

“Have you seen her?”

“You don’t need her when you can have me, brown sugar.” The woman laughs—a practiced sound—as she reaches for my chest, her long, painted fingernails dragging along the cotton of my T-shirt. The color of those claws matches the red lipstick on her lips—and accidently, on her teeth. I’m guessing she’s around twenty, though her pale skin is weathered enough, and her eyes are hard enough, to suggest a decade older. Years of working the streets have been as kind to her as one could expect.

I take a step back, and hold the picture steady in front of me. “This girl. Have you seen her?”

She shrugs, her gaze never touching the photograph.

With a sigh, I pull a twenty-dollar bill out of my pocket, for motivation. I’ve made three trips to a bank machine these last four days with all the “motivating” I’ve been doing around Austin’s dive motels and on the streets.

So far, no luck.

The prostitute snatches the bill right out of my hand and lazily scans the picture. “She’s a pretty little thing. And young.”

“And she has a family who misses her. Have you seen her?”

“Nah, she don’t look familiar. How long she been gone?”

“About a year.”

The woman shakes her head and tsks. “Wouldn’t bother if I was you. That girl’s already lost.” She steps away, her attention shifting to a passerby, looking for her next target. It’s Easter Sunday; business might be slow for hookers today, but I’m no expert.

“If you do see her, could you please give this to her?” I hand the woman my business card.

The prostitute’s face hardens. “You a cop? ’Cause I ain’t done nothin’ wrong. This here is entrapment! You bribed me with that money and—”

“Thank you for your time, ma’am.” I give her what I hope is an assuring smile. I’d win my twenty bucks back if I bet that she’s going to toss that card into the trash the second I turn around.

I head for my car, exhausted, wanting desperately to be with my Gracie. I can imagine her, sitting up in bed, her innocent gaze locked on her doorway, Where the Wild Things Are resting on her lap. Eagerly waiting for me to come home so I can read to her using my gruff voice.

But I can’t give up now.

Not when I’m so close to finding Betsy.





CHAPTER 16


Noah

I should have left.

I should leave now.

I should drop off Gracie, grab my shit at the motel, and go.

I keep telling myself that, even as the brakes on my SUV come to a squeaky stop in front of the charred remains of Gracie’s home. From the outside, it actually doesn’t look too bad, but I already know the inside is a different story.

That mangy one-eyed dog from yesterday scurries out from beneath a trailer and runs to Gracie as she climbs out, wagging its tail with excitement. Its matted fur is even dirtier than yesterday—if that’s possible.