It’s almost over. She repeated Curt’s words, but they didn’t soothe the fear festering inside. “Damn. I don’t want to cry.” She dropped her head against Curt’s shoulder and his arms went around her. “It’ll upset Mom more.” Her words came out broken up and muffled.
“Your mom can’t hear you.” Curt whispered the words against her ear. “Cry all you need to. Let it out.” He made small circles on her back with his hand. “You’ll feel better.”
Doubt that. Crying usually gave her a headache, a stuffy nose, and red eyes. But maybe a brief breakdown would help ease the tension trying to rip her body in two. Maybe after a good cry, she’d get her emotions back under control enough to get through the next couple hours.
***
Curt put to shame professional race car drivers getting them from New Hampshire to Boston after the call finally came. She’d participated in a few high-speed chases, but even she closed her eyes a time or two during the trip. And she’d heard Mom say a prayer in the back seat.
When they walked in the Boston Police Department, Captain Parker met them. “Please follow me,” he said, holding open a door to a restricted area. “Reese is in a conference room with Detective Hughes. We thought she’d be more comfortable with a woman, and Detective Hughes has children around Reese’s age at home.”
“The poor baby must be exhausted,” Priscilla said as they followed the captain.
Taylor looked down at the irregular sound of Mom’s sandals bouncing off the walls. On one foot Mom wore a purple rubber-soled flip-flop, and on the other a sandal with a wooden sole. Considering how quickly they’d left the house, it wasn’t a shock Mom wore mismatched shoes.
The captain opened a second door and escorted them down yet another hallway. “When I left them, Reese was talking Detective Hughes’s ear off while eating a donut.”
Sounds like the Reese we know and love, Taylor thought. She hoped Reese stayed that way. An ordeal like the one she’d experienced could change anyone but especially someone Reese’s age.
Their escort stopped at a closed door marked Conference Room 2.
“Where are my sister and her boyfriend?” Taylor asked before the captain touched the doorknob.
When they got the call telling them Reese was safe and with the police, she hadn’t asked about Eliza or her dirtbag boyfriend. At that moment, only getting to Boston and Reese had mattered. She wanted to know, though, and she didn’t want it discussed in front of Reese.
“Eliza Walker and Brad Monroe are in holding. Both face a long list of charges,” Captain Parker answered.
Well
, she knew kidnapping was one. “What else besides kidnapping?” It’d all come out in court, but she’d rather hear it now instead of at Eliza’s arraignment. Something she planned on attending Monday.
“Illegal possession of firearms. Possession of heroin.”
The captain rattled off a few more charges. Taylor’s mind stayed focused on the first one. Illegal possession of firearms. She offered up a little prayer. Reese and everyone who’d gone in to get her were safe, but it could’ve turned out much differently. Mom’s expression said she was thinking the same thing.
Taylor put an arm over Mom’s shoulders, and hoped Eliza spent the rest of her life in jail. “Thank you, Captain Parker. We’re ready to go in.”
Reese sat at the oblong conference table, half a strawberry-frosted donut and a container of chocolate milk in front of her. As she talked to the woman sitting next to her, she swiveled her chair from side to side. When she saw Taylor enter she jumped from the chair, ran over, and hugged her.
“Auntie Taylor, look what Beverly gave me.” Reese stepped back and held up a white stuffed horse with a pink mane and a pink tail. A tag still attached to the animal’s ear indicated it was a brand-new toy. “I named her Strawberry because her tail is pink. See?” She stretched the tail out. “And Beverly got me donuts and milk. I already ate the one with sprinkles.”
Beverly must be Detective Hughes, the woman walking over to them. “I hope you don’t mind. I thought Reese could use a special treat. My daughter’s favorite treat is donuts.”
“Reese loves them, too. Thank you.” Taylor pulled Reese in for another tight hug, tempted to never let the girl leave her side again.
Reese tolerated the hug at first but then wiggled free. “Mimi, are you feeling better?” She moved and wrapped her arms around her grandmother. “Eliza said you’re sick, and that I had to stay with her until you got better.”
Mom kneeled so she was at Reese’s level. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
“Good. I didn’t like it with Eliza and Brad. Their house smelled really funny, and they wouldn’t let me watch what I wanted. And they yelled at each other a lot.”
Taylor hoped yelling was all they’d done around Reese. “Say thank you to Detective Hughes so we can go home.”
“Who?” Reese asked.
“Me, silly,” the detective said.
Reese waved but didn’t move away from her family. “Bye. Thank you for Strawberry. I’ll take good care of her.” She tilted her head back. “Is Curt coming home with us?”