“Well, okay,” Samantha said. “It started the night I took over your shift. The last thing I remember clearly is driving up the road to my house . . .”
John listened attentively until she finished her story. He whistled softly.
“That’s bizarre,” he said. “You can’t imagine who did this to you?”
Samantha shook her head.
“What about a relative?” John suggested.
“I don’t have any relatives that I know of,” Samantha said. “For that matter, I don’t think I have any enemies. None of this makes even a bit of sense.”
John thought a moment.
“The things you’ve told me indicate you might have been brainwashed.”
“Why?”
“To get you to take the child without protest,” John said. “That’s why you’re so afraid every time you try to call the police. They fixed it so you wouldn’t report her!”
Samantha thought a moment.
“I’ll buy that,” she said. “It’s the only explanation that makes sense. But, for heaven’s sake, why? And why doesn’t Julie remember anything either?”
“You have a lot of questions,” John said. “What you need is a private detective.”
“Oh, no!” Samantha said. “No police.”
“A PI isn’t exactly the police,” John said. “And I happen to know one. A good friend of mine, Wil Sherer, retired from the force about eight years ago. He has a private agency now.”
“Well, I suppose I could try,” Samantha said. “It’s a logical next step. I’ll call him.”
John pulled a small black book from his back pocket. He tore a page from it, found a pen, and copied a number. He handed this to Samantha and said, “Promise me you’ll call.”
“I promise,” Samantha said. “Thanks, John.”
But as she held the number in her hand, fear began to rise in her. Despite everything John said, a private eye was a little too close to a police officer for comfort. If she tried to dial the number, would something terrible happen?
16
TATIANA WAS AWAKENED from a fitful sleep by a soft knock at her door. She sat up and opened her eyes. It took a moment to focus them, they were so sore from crying. Her voice was hoarse when she called:
“Come in.”
Olivia entered. She looked at her younger sister sadly, then came to the bed and put her arms around her.
“Tati,” she said softly. “I heard what happened. I’m sorry you got in trouble.”
“She called me a liar,” Tatiana said. “But I didn’t lie, really! Something scared me!”
“What, Tati?” Olivia asked with concern.
Tatiana hung her head. How could she explain, even to the sister who loved her, about the unnamed fear that had gripped her in those woods? She hadn’t seen anything monstrous, she hadn’t heard anything. It was just a . . . a feeling.
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
“Maybe it was shadows in the woods,” Olivia suggested. “Or maybe it was that mean Ralphie Mercken playing a trick.”
Tatiana pulled away. She stared at her sister with huge chocolate-colored eyes.
“Olivia, I’m scared. Something bad is happening. Things are changing ever since Steven came here.”
Olivia clicked her tongue. “That’s ridiculous, Tati. How could Steven make things change?”
“Mommy’s never been so mean,” Tatiana said. She looked up at her sister again. “What was our other mommy like?”
“I don’t remember her,” Olivia admitted. “You were just a baby and I was only two when she left.”
“Maybe she’s nice,” Tatiana said. “Maybe, if she knew what nice girls she left, she’d come back.”
Olivia stood up. “Tati, that’s just crazy talk. You know Rachel is our mother now. Anyway, I came up to tell you she wants you to move all your things out of here and into my room.”
“What?” Tatiana was shocked.
“This is going to be Steven’s room,” Olivia said with an apologetic shrug.
“But he isn’t staying!” Tatiana cried. “They said it would only be for a few days!”
“I guess he’ll be here longer,” Olivia said. “I have to go now. Katherine and Michelle are waiting to play.”
She closed the door as she left the room. Tatiana grabbed the nearest stuffed animal and threw it with all her might. The toy dog hit the wall with a soft but satisfying thud, then fell in a twisted heap to the floor. Tatiana jumped from the bed and ran to pick it up.
“Bear!” she cried. She picked up the floppy dog and hugged it close. “Did I hurt you?”