“Tell me you’re all right.”
“I am. I’m fine. Just helping out a friend. Talk to you again when I can.” Dave ended the call.
Emily shook her head. “That went well.”
“Could have gone a lot worse.”
True.
They drove in silence.
The familiar roads and landmarks whipped by, Emily giving Dave directions. Soon they were in San Jose. Then merging onto 280. Seeing the exits close to the area in which she’d grown up had always raised a lump in Emily’s throat. Those streets stood for good memories, a happy childhood. Now they just looked menacing and dark, even in the daylight.
Dave’s cell phone rang again, Aunt Margie’s number in the ID. Emily snatched it up. “Mom?”
“I’m here. Almost to Edgewood exit.”
“We’re not far behind. Must have driven faster than you.”
“Where are we?” Grand’s distant voice trickled over the line. “Isn’t this close to home?”
“Just a minute, Mom,” Emily’s mother told her.
“I want to go home!”
“Just . . . I’m trying to talk to Emily.”
Emily winced. Her grandmother sounded so confused. “So what—”
“Hannah, I have to go to the bathroom.” Grand’s voice again.
“Okay, in a minute. Let me talk to Emily.”
“I have to go now!”
“All ri—”
“Right now!”
“Mom,” Emily said, “you’d better take her.”
“I know, but where? I can’t go into any store in this area.”
“Hannah!” Grand was downright wailing.
Emily gritted her teeth. This was never going to work with Grand along. She should have stayed with Aunt Margie. “Let’s meet up somewhere. I can take her inside.”
“Okay.” Emily’s mother sounded so tired. Like she’d never be able to make decisions. “Where can we go?”
“How about Sequoia Hospital?” No one would take a second look at a confused, elderly woman there.
“Okay.”
“Hannah!” Grand yelled.
“I know, I know.” Mom’s voice shook. “We’re going to take care of you right away.”
The tension between them flowed over the phone. Just hearing it pulled Emily’s muscles into knots. They still had much to get through, and Grand could be so . . . crazy.
“Okay,” Emily said, “here’s where we meet.” She chose an area in the hospital parking lot. “What kind of car are you in?”
“A light blue Camry.”
“We’re in a black Nissan. See you soon.”
They ended the call.
Emily let her head fall back against the seat. This would never work.
“Where are we going?” Dave asked.
She told him the way. “Just drop me off and leave. Get home to Tania. Some day I’ll make this up to you, Dave. Some day.”
When would she even see him again? What if she and her mother failed, and the electricity went off for a long time? Did their building even have a backup generator? If so, how long would it last? And meanwhile they still wouldn’t have Internet, right? So what would be the point of going to work?
Dave shot her a look. “Will you be okay?”
No. “Sure.”
A few minutes later they pulled into Sequoia Hospital parking. Mom and Grand were already there. Emily’s throat tightened when she saw them. She grabbed her laptop bag, gave Dave a hug and final thank-you, and jumped out of his car.
Ow. That hurt her knee.
Emily flung open the backseat of the Camry and threw her bag inside. Her mom slid out of the car. She looked terrible, old makeup smeared and clothes a mess, her hair uncombed and fear in her eyes. She looked down at Emily’s knee and gasped. “What happened to you?”
“That fake FBI agent, that’s what.”
Her mom’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. Emily could see the guilt on her face. “Mom, I’m fine. It’s not your fault.”
Her mother’s eyes teared up. Emily hugged her hard. For a moment they just stood there, feeling each other shake.
“Emily!” Grand called.
“Coming.” Emily broke away from her mom and helped Grand out of the car. Her grandmother’s hair was smashed on one side, the lines in her face deeper. She wore crazy clothes, mismatched blue and green, all wrinkled.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you!” Grand reached out her arms.
“Good to see you too.” Emily hugged her, feeling the boney back, the slight frame. Had her grandmother ever felt so frail? “Let’s take you inside to a bathroom.” She clasped Grand’s fingers and pulled her toward the building.