The Bad Daughter(101)

“And Donny?”

“Probably the end of that story as well, thanks to what just happened.” Melanie opened her car door and stepped onto the sand and gravel of the small parking lot. In front of them stood half a dozen rows of dilapidated trailers. “If memory serves, his trailer’s down this way.”

Robin took Blake’s hand and they followed Melanie, turning right at the end of the first row, then right again.

“Shit.” Melanie came to a sudden stop. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s that way. Wait. That’s it. Magnolia Lane. This way. Number 24. Over here.” She marched toward the second of four squat trailers in obvious need of repair and knocked on its door.

No one answered.

“Kenny?” Melanie knocked again. “Kenny? Anyone home?” She took a step back, waited half a beat, then stood on her tiptoes to peer in the high window. “It’s dark. Looks empty.”

“Damn it,” Robin said. “I really thought there was a chance Cassidy might have come here.”

“It was a good thought,” Melanie conceded. “Oh, God.” She sank to the step in front of the door. “What if Prescott is right? What if Landon was involved? What if he was one of the shooters? What if Cassidy is in danger?” A low moan escaped her lips. “What if it’s too late?”

The door to the trailer suddenly opened, striking Melanie’s back. She jumped up and out of the way. Kenny stood in the doorway, shirtless and holding a half-full bottle of beer, the smell of marijuana circling his head like a halo.

“Mrs. Davis?” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“Is Landon with you?” Melanie asked.

“No.” He glanced around, as if checking to make sure.

“What about Cassidy?”

“No.”

“Damn. Okay. Sorry to bother you.”

“They left a while ago,” he said as they were turning to go back to their car.

Melanie spun around. “They were here?”

“How long ago?” Robin asked.

“A few hours, maybe.”

“How did they get here?” Blake asked. “They can’t have walked.”

“Cassidy called first thing this morning. She was pretty upset, said to come pick her up.”

“And Landon?”

“He’s like her shadow, man. Doesn’t let her go anywhere without him. You know how he gets…”

“What were they doing here?”

Kenny shrugged, his ribs clearly outlined beneath the thin layer of flesh covering them. “You know.”

“We don’t know,” Melanie said. “That’s why we’re asking.”

“Just chilling, smoking a little weed.”

“You gave my son marijuana?”

Not to mention giving it to a twelve-year-old girl, Robin thought.

“It’s not like it’s the first time,” Kenny said defensively.

“I don’t believe this,” Melanie said. “This is the last thing the sheriff needs to find out.”

Kenny’s body tensed. “Who said anything about the sheriff?”

“Do you know where Cassidy and Landon are now?” Robin asked.

Kenny shrugged. “Home, I guess. They caught a ride with one of my neighbors.”

“When did they leave?”

Kenny looked confused. “What time is it?”

Robin checked her watch. “Almost twelve.”

“Noon?”

“No, midnight,” Melanie said. “Of course, noon, you idiot.”

“Hey,” Kenny said, managing to look both offended and on the verge of unconsciousness at the same time.

“Let’s go,” Blake said.

“Wait,” Kenny said. “I’ll come with you.”

“No,” Robin told him. “You’ll stay here. If Landon and Cassidy come back or contact you, call us immediately. Okay? Do you understand me?”

Kenny raised his hand in a mock salute that missed his forehead by several inches. “Aye, aye, Captain.”

Melanie was already halfway down the lane. “Let’s go, people,” she shouted. “We haven’t got all day.”





CHAPTER FORTY


Melanie was out of the car before Blake could pull to a complete stop in her driveway. The deputy Prescott had assigned to stay at the house was nowhere in sight, and neither was his car.

“Landon?” Melanie called, pushing open the front door; Robin was right behind her. “Cassidy?”

There was no answer.

“Landon?” she called again, running up the stairs.

Robin did a quick check of the downstairs rooms. “Cassidy?” she shouted. But there was no sign of her.

“Up here,” Melanie yelled, her voice stopping just short of a scream.

“Oh, God,” said Robin, grabbing Blake’s hand as he reached her side.

Melanie was waiting for them at the top of the stairs, her hands shaking, her face gray with the strain. The door to Landon’s room was open. The room was empty.

“What?” Robin asked.

Melanie pointed across the hall at the open door to Cassidy’s room.

“What is it?” Robin asked. “Is she there? Is she…?”