Crash Into Me(40)

Rogers didn't seem to be anywhere to be found, so I explored without restraint, finding a media room and even a game room with a pool table. An hour or so of shooting pool by myself and I was even lonelier. Even the stoic butler would have been welcome company.

The house had an empty feel to it with just me in it. I'd never been to the attic, so I roamed up to the top floor and after looking around at a bunch of boxes and trunks, found one of those heavy, black old-fashioned telephones. On a whim, I picked up the receiver and heard a dial tone. There wasn't another landline in the entire house, but this one telephone sat up here all alone and worked!

Unsure if I should use it, I looked around and saw I was still alone. My cell phone got no reception out here, so I took the opportunity to dial my sister's number and heard her phone begin to ring. It was a small thing, but a rush of excitement pulsed through me. It felt like I was in one of those old mysteries and had found something no one else knew about.

"Hello?" she said loud and clear.

"Kim?" I whispered. "It's Nina."

"Nina! I tried to call you two days ago. It went directly to voicemail. Are you okay?"




Looking around, I said, "I'm fine. My phone's been acting up. How are you?"

My sister was married with two beautiful children and lived in a quiet suburban neighborhood outside of Philadelphia. I hadn't seen my two nieces for months and just hearing Kim's voice made me wish I was there to see them.

"We're all good. Jeff's doing well at the firm, and you know the girls. Growing like weeds. They've been asking about their Aunt Nina, about when she's coming to see them again."

A lump formed in my throat. "I know. I've just been really busy. I promise I won't let so much time go by between calls, Kim."

"What's wrong, Nina? Your voice sounds so sad."

Kim's voice reminded me of my father. She had a way of phrasing things that sounded just like him. Neither of them would think what I was doing with Tristan was right, and they'd let me know about it. I didn't want to hear that, but I would have given anything to talk to him again.

"I was thinking about Daddy last night when I saw some fireflies. Remember how he'd sit with me while I ran after them on summer nights?"

"Yeah, I remember. I thought you were so silly, but that was the six years between us. But where did you see fireflies? I don't know where they'd be in Brooklyn."

Damn. I wasn't very good at this lying thing. "Sure. Fireflies go everywhere," I joked in a forced voice. "We have everything in New York, Kim."

I laughed nervously, hoping she'd be satisfied by my joking, and she laughed too. "Next time you're here you can chase fireflies with the girls. They'll love that."

"Okay, it's a date. I better get going. I'll talk to you soon, Kim."

"Okay, baby. Behave yourself out there."

I smiled at the word baby. Ever since our dad died four years earlier, she'd ended every one of our conversations by calling me the name he'd used all my life. As I said goodbye and hung up, tears welled in my eyes. It would likely be a long time before I got to see her girls, unless Tristan's driver didn't mind taking a joyride to the Philly suburbs.

I scanned the attic and saw dozens of boxes and a spooky sewing mannequin standing alone in the corner. Turning to head for the stairs, I ran my left shin into a chest that sat on the floor. As I bent down to rub my leg to ease the stabbing pain, I saw that the chest's lock was open. The ache in my shin abated, and I sat down on the floor. The lid opened easily, allowing me to peer in to see what was stored inside.