at the place where her sister lived. It was small, two-storied, with a tiny front porch and a big picture window in the front. The glass reflected her headlights back like eerie, vacant eyes.
Shadowy bushes and trees shivered in the chilled spring air while the drizzle coated them in a damp, glossy sheen that gave life to their barren limbs. A haunted graveyard would have fit right in with the scenery.
"Mommy's not home," Caitlin said in a small voice.
"No, it doesn't look like she is, does it?"
In her mind, she watched Caitlin pull out her key and say, Just in case. Just in case what? What had Tori told her daughter after that just in case ?
She squeezed Caitlin's hand. "Honey, everything's going to be okay. Your Mommy will come home soon and she'll have a perfectly good explanation for why she was gone. You'll see."
Just then, the inside of their car lit up and another vehicle pulled in behind them. Surprised, they both turned and peered out the back window. Dark though it was, they could easily make out the blue and red bubble lights on the roof and the two uniformed men in the front seat.
Tess's stomach plunged at the same moment her heart contracted and a surge of adrenalin shot through her. There was only one reason the police would be there.
Tori.
Chapter Six
It seemed the weather waited for just the right moment to let loose. As Tess and Caitlin stepped from the car, a huge gust of icy wet wind tried to push them back in. The officer who had been driving motioned for them to make a run to the house. Without hesitating, they did.
The key turned easily and the front door opened without a sound. Tess reached inside the house and flipped the light switch. She ushered Caitlin in first. The two officers followed. She called out for Tori, even though she knew she wouldn't get an answer. Caitlin raced up the stairs, shouting for her mommy. She came back slowly, her expression revealing all the hurt and confusion she felt.
Tess didn't give the officers a chance to shrug out of their wet coats before she asked, "What happened? Has there been word from Tori?"
"No," the older of the two men said. "I'm Sheriff Smith, this is Deputy Ochoa. We're here to ask you some questions."
Sheriff Smith stood square and purposeful, but his uniform hung on his bulky frame with a negligence that echoed the disillusionment on his face. A dark spot, which she knew from experience could only be ketchup, marred the beige shirt at the slope of his belly. His skin was pasty pale, his expression weary.
In contrast, the younger man behind him was tall and fit. His uniform was pressed and creased with an attention to detail that Tess's military father would have appreciated. Unlike her father, he had warm brown eyes and a compassionate face.
Caitlin stood at her elbow, tense and frightened. Tess squatted down and took the girl's shoulders in her hands. "They haven't heard from your mom, honey. Do you understand?"
Caitlin nodded.
"Okay, I want you to go change into some dry clothes and then come back." When Caitlin didn't move, she added, "I promise I'll tell you if they say anything about your mom."
"I want you to come with me."
Tess glanced up at the sheriff. He frowned with impatience.
"Go on and help her," the young deputy said. "We'll wait in the kitchen."
Caitlin led the way up a narrow flight of stairs and Tess followed, turning on every light they passed. Her niece's room was neat and pretty, filled with stuffed animals and frilly pillows. Caitlin went straight to a small, stuffed kitty that lay in the center of the bed and cuddled it close.
"A friend of yours?" Tess asked.
"Purcy. He's my best friend."
With the kitty under one arm, Caitlin went to her drawers and pulled out a soft fleecy pair of pants and an oversized t-shirt that said "Cowgirls Rule" in bright pink letters across the chest.
"Okay?" Tess asked.
Caitlin nodded solemnly. "I'll come down when I'm changed."
Tess smiled, gently touching her silky
Shadowy bushes and trees shivered in the chilled spring air while the drizzle coated them in a damp, glossy sheen that gave life to their barren limbs. A haunted graveyard would have fit right in with the scenery.
"Mommy's not home," Caitlin said in a small voice.
"No, it doesn't look like she is, does it?"
In her mind, she watched Caitlin pull out her key and say, Just in case. Just in case what? What had Tori told her daughter after that just in case ?
She squeezed Caitlin's hand. "Honey, everything's going to be okay. Your Mommy will come home soon and she'll have a perfectly good explanation for why she was gone. You'll see."
Just then, the inside of their car lit up and another vehicle pulled in behind them. Surprised, they both turned and peered out the back window. Dark though it was, they could easily make out the blue and red bubble lights on the roof and the two uniformed men in the front seat.
Tess's stomach plunged at the same moment her heart contracted and a surge of adrenalin shot through her. There was only one reason the police would be there.
Tori.
Chapter Six
It seemed the weather waited for just the right moment to let loose. As Tess and Caitlin stepped from the car, a huge gust of icy wet wind tried to push them back in. The officer who had been driving motioned for them to make a run to the house. Without hesitating, they did.
The key turned easily and the front door opened without a sound. Tess reached inside the house and flipped the light switch. She ushered Caitlin in first. The two officers followed. She called out for Tori, even though she knew she wouldn't get an answer. Caitlin raced up the stairs, shouting for her mommy. She came back slowly, her expression revealing all the hurt and confusion she felt.
Tess didn't give the officers a chance to shrug out of their wet coats before she asked, "What happened? Has there been word from Tori?"
"No," the older of the two men said. "I'm Sheriff Smith, this is Deputy Ochoa. We're here to ask you some questions."
Sheriff Smith stood square and purposeful, but his uniform hung on his bulky frame with a negligence that echoed the disillusionment on his face. A dark spot, which she knew from experience could only be ketchup, marred the beige shirt at the slope of his belly. His skin was pasty pale, his expression weary.
In contrast, the younger man behind him was tall and fit. His uniform was pressed and creased with an attention to detail that Tess's military father would have appreciated. Unlike her father, he had warm brown eyes and a compassionate face.
Caitlin stood at her elbow, tense and frightened. Tess squatted down and took the girl's shoulders in her hands. "They haven't heard from your mom, honey. Do you understand?"
Caitlin nodded.
"Okay, I want you to go change into some dry clothes and then come back." When Caitlin didn't move, she added, "I promise I'll tell you if they say anything about your mom."
"I want you to come with me."
Tess glanced up at the sheriff. He frowned with impatience.
"Go on and help her," the young deputy said. "We'll wait in the kitchen."
Caitlin led the way up a narrow flight of stairs and Tess followed, turning on every light they passed. Her niece's room was neat and pretty, filled with stuffed animals and frilly pillows. Caitlin went straight to a small, stuffed kitty that lay in the center of the bed and cuddled it close.
"A friend of yours?" Tess asked.
"Purcy. He's my best friend."
With the kitty under one arm, Caitlin went to her drawers and pulled out a soft fleecy pair of pants and an oversized t-shirt that said "Cowgirls Rule" in bright pink letters across the chest.
"Okay?" Tess asked.
Caitlin nodded solemnly. "I'll come down when I'm changed."
Tess smiled, gently touching her silky
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