Intent(75)
The fire instantly lights up the area enough that the camera clearly picks up the perpetrator’s face.
“Margot,” I state disbelievingly. “She really did this. I suspected her from the beginning, but part of me just couldn’t believe she’d do something this stupid. This is stalker-crazy.”
“I’m sharing this with you as a friend. You know this isn’t standard protocol, but since we have her dead to rights, there’s not much more to investigate. A warrant will be issued for her arrest and we’ll go pick her up soon, but I wanted to tell you first since she’s River’s mother.
“Ace, she’ll be charged with felony arson and attempted murder. It’ll be up to the DA if they pursue the attempted murder charge. Her lawyer will no doubt argue that she didn’t know Layne was inside, but that’ll come later. Either way, she’ll be sent away for a long time,” Matt warns. “I know she’s been out of your life for a while, but I don’t know how you feel about all this.”
Funny he said that, because I don’t know how I feel about all this either.
My gaze floats to my mother. “If it hadn’t been her, would you have been so quick to turn in the video and prosecute?”
“Of course I would, Ace. Anyone who intentionally tries to burn down a house is not fit to be a member of society. She’s too dangerous and erratic, and if she’s allowed to continue, it could be River’s life in danger next time.”
As much as I hate to admit it, she has a valid point. She’s been kept away from River for a reason.
Even if it wasn’t initially by my hand.
On the drive back home, Layne and I are completely silent. I’m still reeling from seeing Margot caught on camera and struggling with how River will handle growing up with the knowledge that her mother is in prison. In this small town, she’ll have no way to escape it. The stigma of being Margot’s daughter will affect her regardless of how I try to shield her from it.
I can’t even begin to guess why Layne is silent. Maybe she’s shocked to learn who my mother is. Maybe she’s more shocked from the video recording of Margot setting the house on fire. When I try to focus on what Layne is going through, my mind wanders back to my daughter and her future. It’s a never-ending loop.
As if on autopilot, my truck pulls into the driveway and I have little recollection of anything I’ve passed in the last several miles. After I turn off the truck, I finally look over at Layne, but she’s already getting out of the truck, moving robotically toward the door. Seeing her in distress pulls me out of my own head somewhat and I rush to her side. After I lace our fingers together and squeeze, she finally looks up at me.
“We’ll get through this together,” I assure her. And myself. She nods and simply gives me a small, sad smile that in no way brightens the dimmed light in her eyes.
When we step inside the house, I immediately know something is off. Something is wrong. Layne feels it, too, and her eyes dart around the room as she takes mental notes of what’s missing.
All of Zoe’s belongings are gone. There’s no trace that she’s ever been here.
Layne rushes straight ahead to the kitchen table and snatches up a sheet of paper.
“What does it say?” I ask, steeling myself for the bad news that’s sure to follow.
“It says she’s changed her mind about the adoption.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Layne
How I can be so numb and hurt so badly at the same time is beyond my cognitive ability to grasp. Last night, I fell asleep sitting up in the glider chair in the baby’s nursery. The furniture is a constant reminder of what was just within reach but has eluded me once again. I can’t pass by that room without stopping to gaze at how perfect it is. When I walk in there, I can’t not touch everything, run my fingers over it, and visualize a sleeping baby girl. Am I not meant to have a baby to love? That thought plagues me as much as my worry for Zoe’s safety does. Depression tries to consume my mind and take me to an even darker place than where I was after Bobby betrayed me. The only thing that pulls me back is River’s sweet voice.
“Laynie, where are you?”
“In the den, baby.”
She walks down the hall toward the den, still wearing her pajamas and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and climbs into my lap. She snuggles into me as close as she can get, and my frozen heart thaws at the sight. I can’t help but circle my arms around her and rock her gently. Within seconds, she’s fallen back asleep, feeling safe and secure in her own little world.
It’s been days since I’ve seen or heard from Zoe. She’d already quit her job at the grocery store before she disappeared from our lives, and she hasn’t been at her parents’ house. I’ve literally worried myself sick over this whole situation. I can barely eat, and when I do, my stomach churns relentlessly. My heart is so completely broken—and not only because of the adoption falling through.
I love Zoe as if she’s my own daughter. Not knowing where she is, if she’s safe and taken care of, and if she’s healthy and getting the prenatal care she needs is driving me crazy. Add to that the fact Margot is still on the loose and it’s no wonder I’m a basket case. It’s crystal clear that this entire clusterf*ck of events has all been orchestrated and manipulated by Margot.