The Way to Yesterday (10 page)

'That's good, honey." He hesitated, then added. "If you ever see
the man again, do you know what to do?"

Hope frowned. "Run away?"

'That's right. Run away, then find your teacher and tell her. Can you remember
to do that?"

Hope nodded.

Daniel grinned, and tweaked her nose. "Good girl." Then he winked
at Mary as she set a platter of meatloaf on the table. "Let's eat, what do
you say?"

'Yes," Hope said. "I say eat, too."

Mary slid into her seat and bowed her head, as Daniel started to say grace,
but even as her eyes were closing, she was picturing a man with yellow hair, a
big mouth and funny teeth touching her daughter and telling her she was pretty.
It was all she could do not to throw up.

*

Lena Kristy was just getting out of the shower when her phone began to ring.
She grabbed for a towel, wrapping it around her as she raced for the phone.

'Hello?"

'Mrs. Kristy, it's Daniel O'Rourke. I know this is an imposition to be
calling you at this hour, but we've had a little situation at home today that
you might be able to help us with."

Lena
sat down on the side of the bed.
Something told her she knew what he was going to say before it came out of his
mouth.

'I had a dentist appointment after school today and I haven't been home very
long. I was just getting out of the shower when you called. Actually, you've
beat me to the punch, because I intended to call you."

Daniel waved to Mary to pick up the portable phone so that they could both
hear at the same time.

'My wife is on the other phone," Daniel said. "Hello, Mrs.
O'Rourke. Is Hope okay?"

"Yes ...but why do you ask?"

'I don't know why you're calling, but I know why I was going to call
you."

'Why is that?" Daniel asked.

'When it was time to go home today, I took the kids out to catch their
rides, just like I do every day. They walk in line and know they're not
supposed to step away, but Hope did. I don't know how long she'd been out of
line when I missed her, but I saw her even as I was turning to look for her.
She was sitting on that bench just to the left of the gates. You know the one I
mean."

Mary frowned. She could almost picture the school building, but not quite.
It was in her memory, but faded, like looking at the world through a thin veil
of fog.

'The bench under the trees?" Daniel asked. "Yes, that's the
one,"
Lena
said. "Anyway, when

I saw her, she wasn't alone. There was a man talking to her that I didn't
know. I immediately called to

Hope and she came running as the man walked away. I never did get a good
look at his face, but I do know that he had no business on the grounds. He
wasn't a substitute teacher because I checked. We only had two today and they
were both women. I told the principal immediately and she called the police,
but the man was gone. I can't say that he meant her any harm, but he had no
business being there." Daniel sighed and rolled his eyes at Mary. They
both knew how hectic it was for teachers after school, trying to get the
children in the right cars and on the right buses. He could see how the
incident had happened, but it didn't make them feel any better.

'I appreciate the fact that you've already taken steps to increase security
at school, especially considering the children who've already gone missing here
in
Savannah
."

Lena
sighed. "I'm so sorry. She's my
responsibility and I know it, but sometimes there's not enough of me to go
around."

'I know the feeling," Mary said.

'Oh,"
Lena
said. "One more thing.
Hope cried today after school. The woman who takes her to dance class is often
late and it makes Hope very anxious. She worries a lot. I just thought you
would want to know."

'Yes, she told me as much," Mary said. "Daniel and I haven't
talked about it yet, but as far as I'm concerned, Mrs. Barnes will not be
picking Hope up again. In fact, I'm thinking about taking her out of the dance
class altogether. She's too young to be doing so much, especially during the
school week." Daniel watched the intensity on Mary's face and marveled at
how far she'd come from the shy, inhibited woman she'd once been.

'I agree," Daniel said. "We'll take care of the dance class
situation and you make sure that man does not get access to the children
again."

'Consider it already done,"
Lena
said.
"The principal assured me that there would be uniformed policemen on duty
before and after school until the person responsible for the missing children
is found."

"That's great," Daniel said. "Thanks again for your
help."

'And thank you for your understanding,"
Lena
said.

They hung up, then looked at each other and sighed.

'It isn't easy being a parent, is it?" Mary asked. Daniel opened his
arms. "Come here, baby. I'm thinking I need a hug."

Mary's lower lip quivered as she walked into his arms. "I don't know
what I need, but I'm so thankful you're here with me."

'Where else would I be?" Daniel asked.

Mary hid her face against his chest and resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
She wanted to tell Daniel how confused she was. She needed to say aloud
everything that was happening to her, but if she did, he would probably have
her committed.

*

Howard Lee took the carton of ice cream out of the grocery sack and put it
in the freezer. He'd debated for a good thirty minutes before choosing the
flavor, but had finally decided on vanilla. You never went wrong with vanilla.
Besides, he had several kinds of sprinkles from which his little angel could
choose. Tomorrow he would order her a cake. Strawberry cream, he thought.
Pink-for little girls.

He put up the other groceries and then moved to the utility room, took the
clean sheets out of the dryer and hurried down the hall to the guest room. He
was smiling in anticipation as he began to put the new linens on the bed. The
sheets were pink with caricatures of Barbie imprinted upon the fabric. Howard
Lee prided himself on being the perfect host, and nothing was too good for his
little angels. Each one got their own special sheets for the sleepover, just
like they got their own presents for the party. He'd had the Little Mermaid for
Amy Anne, but she'd done nothing but cry and beg to go home. Unfortunately,
he'd had to resort to stem measures to contain her rebellion.

When he'd adopted Justine, the theme in the guest room had been Cinderella.
He'd even gotten a small, stuffed mouse for her to sleep with, reminiscent of
the ones in the Disney movie. But she'd tried to crawl out the window, so he
had to resort to sedatives in her food and move her down below, just as he now
did Amy Anne.

But his hopes were high for his new little girl.

Maybe she would be the one who would settle right in, and when she did, the
others would surely follow. He hummed beneath his breath as he worked, reveling
in the sensuousness of the smooth new sheets and the colorful pillow slips on
the pillows. Impulsively, he picked up one of the pillows, lifted it to his
face then inhaled. Meadow fresh. His favorite scent.

'Perfect," he said, as he laid it against the headboard, then pulled
the eyelet bedspread over the sheets and tucked it in place.

His gaze swept the room as he backed out of the doorway, making sure that
everything was perfect for his little angel's arrival. His pulse kicked
erratically as he gripped the doorknob and then closed the door.

Only a few more days and then she'd be here. For Howard Lee, it would be
none too soon.

*

Daniel sat on the side of the bed, watching Mary sleep. This was the second
time he'd been up to check on Hope, making sure she was still safe in her bed.
He couldn't get past the gut-wrenching fear of knowing he could not protect her
every minute of her day.

Mary moaned, then murmured something beneath her breath that Daniel couldn't
hear, but he didn't have to hear the words to know the source of her
discomfort. He'd seen the panic on her face. He'd heard her voice tremble and
her hands shake. A threat to a child, however impotent, was enough to awaken
every violent tendency a parent might have. He sighed, then stretched out
beside Mary and took her in his arms.

'
Sssh
," he whispered, and spooned her against
his body. "It's okay, honey, everything's okay. Just sleep."

Within seconds, he felt her body relaxing, and then heard her breathing even
out. Now if he could just follow his own orders, maybe they'd both get some
sleep.

Detective Reese Arnaud poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and then headed
back to his desk. Last night in
Savannah
had been a slow night for crime. One hit-and-run without a fatality and a
hooker who was claiming rape and assault, along with another crash and grab and
two robberies-one at an all-night service station and the other at an ATM. But
he would have willingly worked a night in hell if only they could find the two
little girls who'd gone missing last month. Amy Anne Fountain and Justine
Marchand
were their names-ages six and seven, respectively.
Their parents called him every day, and every day he had to tell them that they
were still checking out leads. But the truth was, they had no new leads-nothing
to lead the police as to where they'd gone or even a hint of who'd taken them.
He took his coffee with him as he headed for the morning meeting where the task
force was assembled. Being lead detective on the case made him ultimately
responsible for the success or failure of the investigation. It also made him
sick to his stomach. As he walked into the room, his gaze went immediately to
the pictures of the two missing victims. The sight of their innocent faces was
the stuff of his recent nightmares. What kind of maniac does it take to mess
with babies? Tiny little girls whose lives should still be far removed from the
ugliness of what the adult world had become. He had nightmares, imagining them
crying for their mothers, begging to go home. And that was a best-case
scenario. In the real hell that had become his dreams, they were no longer able
to cry about anything.

'What do we have?" he asked, "and for God's sake give me some good
news."

'Sorry, Arnaud, no can do."

"Then what can you tell me?"

'Well... we're not sure how this connects, or even if it does, but the
principal at Robert E. Lee elementary school reported a strange man on the
grounds yesterday afternoon."

Arnaud's heart skipped a beat. "Did anybody get a good look at
him?"

'Just the kid he was talking to."

'By any chance was it a little girl?"

'Yeah, I think so. Let me check my notes ... yeah, here it is. Hope
O'Rourke, age six. Her parents are Daniel and Mary O'Rourke."

Arnaud's belly turned. Ah God... not that Hope. Pretty, dark-haired, impish
little fairy of a female who just happened to be his daughter's best friend.
"God Almighty," Arnaud murmured. Suddenly this was too close to home.

The detective looked up, surprised by Arnaud's reaction.

'You know her?"

'She's Molly's best friend. She's spent the night at my house more than
once." Then he managed a small smile. "Hell, once she even threw up
on my shoe."

'Man... that's cold," the detective said. "What do you want us to
do?"

'I'll do the follow-up," Arnaud said. "She knows me, so chances
are if there's anything to tell, I'll get more out of her than anyone else. As for
the rest of you, I want unmarked cars at every elementary school this
afternoon. Tate... you're point man to coordinate with the schools. Make sure
the administration knows you're there and why, but keep it low key. I don't
want anyone blowing your covers."

'You got it," Tate said.

Arnaud nodded at the others, glanced one last time at Amy Anne Fountain and
Justine
Marchand's
pictures, then walked out of the
room. Whatever it took, he would make sure that Hope O'Rourke's picture did not
wind up on there, too.

Daniel's secretary knocked on his door and then stepped inside.

'I know you didn't want to be disturbed, but there's a policeman on the
phone who says he needs to talk to you. Line two."

Daniel grabbed the receiver.

'This is Daniel O'Rourke."

'Dan ...Reese Arnaud. We need to talk." Daniel frowned. "What
about?"

'We got a report that your daughter was approached yesterday by a stranger
on the grounds of her school."

'Since when do homicide detectives investigate those kinds of reports?"

'Since two little girls about her age have gone missing," Arnaud
answered.

For a moment, Daniel felt like throwing up, and then he took a deep breath
and made himself concentrate.

'Do you think the man Hope saw is the same one who snatched the two
girls?"

'I don't know, but at this point, I can't afford to ignore any lead, no
matter how small." Daniel closed his eyes and wearily pinched the bridge
of his nose. "What do you want to know?"

"I need to talk to Hope. I want to know what the guy looked like... if
she'd ever seen him before. You know... stuff that might give us a lead toward
finding the missing children." He paused, then added. "I don't sleep
anymore. I find myself getting up at night and going into Molly's room just to
make sure she's all right. When they told me about the incident at the school,
my first thought was, hell yes... a new lead. And then they told me the child's
name and I felt sick to my stomach. Damn it, Daniel, she's Molly's best friend.
I've read bedtime stories to her, put Band-Aids on her boo-boos and given up
the last of the chocolate chip cookies to her endearing pleas. She's as close
to my child as she could be and not be of my blood. I guess what I'm saying
is...this hit too close to home."