Page 85 of Strangers She Knows

They went out on the front porch and looked for her.

Luna went with them, sat beside Kellen, thumped her tail hard on the boards and growled softly.

Kellen smoothed Luna’s head. “You can’t go out there. You’ll hurt your paws.”

The dog strained, looking out as if she knew something they did not.

Kellen had to ask. “Do you think Rae found Jamie?”

Max swiveled to face Kellen. “What a horrible thought.”

“That would scar her for life. I was surprised she wanted to leave the house. Do you think she went looking for her?” Kellen ran through all her concerns, her fears. “Is there a chance Jamie is alive?”

Max shook his head. “Dylan is too frightened.”

Max and Kellen waited thirty-five minutes, then forty. At forty-five, Luna launched herself off the porch. As she raced across the lawn, nose to the ground, she ignored their calls, and in moments she had disappeared into the tall grasses.

“She’s following Rae’s scent,” Kellen said.

“Right. You follow her, I’ll circle wide.”

They set out in opposite directions, riding their bikes, searching, shouting. They were united in their task, but alone in their searches.

After two hours, the wind had increased in strength and volume. The grasses rolled and tossed seeds into the air. The oaks moaned. Sea gulls screamed. Foxes and falcons huddled close to their dens and nests. The first tendrils of rain clouds sent brief gray curtains of rain across the ocean and across the island, drenching Kellen.

She had been riding without fear, without considering the speed she used to race down the island paths. Now she stopped, straddled her bike, and wished she and Max had some form of communication with each other. Tin cans, walkie-talkies—anything.

At last, she heard it—a dog’s wild barking carried on the wind. She fought her way toward the source of the commotion, and found Rae staggering around in ever decreasing circles, muttering to herself.

She caught Rae and placed her on the ground, looked into her eyes and saw the wide pupils and the manic terror.

Rae seemed unaware of Kellen, of her surroundings. Over and over again, she said, “I liked her. I wanted her to know. Why would she hurt me? I don’t take drugs. This isn’t right. I need to get home.” Her voice rose to a shriek.“Don’t stop me.”Then again, and softer, “Why would she hurt me?”

Kellen knew then. She knew for sure.

Mara is back. Mara is here. Mara has tried to kill my child.

Kellen left her bike in the middle of the waving grasses and the ever increasing wind. She coaxed Rae up and with her arm around her, helped her walk toward the mansion.

Luna limped along beside them, whining softly, her eyes wide with doggy fear.

Desperately Kellen prayed,Come on, Max. Come and find us.

As if he’d heard her call, he arrived when they reached the lawn. He took one look at his daughter and swept her into his arms. He carried her toward the house…and suddenly switched directions and ran toward the helicopter.

Kellen followed on his heels, so desperately afraid they would be too late to save her baby—and when Max stopped, she stopped, too. Stopped and gaped at the helicopter.

The windshield had been shot out, the door had been sabotaged, one of the propellers had been riddled with bullets. The radio was destroyed.

The helicopter, their lifeline to the mainland, was useless.

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Kellen stepped up next to Max. “I will find Mara, I swear, kill her and save Rae.”

She turned away.

But Rae grabbed a lock of Kellen’s hair with abnormal strength. “No. Mommy, no! Help me. I need you. Why did she hurt me? I liked her…” Her eyes rolled back, her head fell like a flower on a broken stem.

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