Page 11 of Look for Me

“You didn’t.” Corinne laughed nervously.

Erika glanced in her rearview mirror, and then eased into the light traffic. “So who are those two men back there?”

“Old friends from the past.”

“They giving you any trouble?”

Corinne shook her head.

Not yet.

“You must be tired, but we need to drive around a bit so that those men don’t follow us,” Erika suggested.

“Yeah? Okay. I’m not expected home for a few more hours anyway.”

“Tell me about that man who was in the store earlier—the one who made you swoon.” Erika chuckled.

“I didn’tswoon. I felt lightheaded, is all.”

“Could’ve fooled me. Is he the boyfriend you left behind somewhere out there?”

“Prying, aren’t you?” Corinne knew she could trust Erika, but now wasn’t the time to ask about Martin.

She was referring to Martin, wasn’t she?

The boyfriend I left behind.

“Well, it seems that he has caught up to me.” Corinne looked out the window and said no more.

Chapter Five

“Mommy! Mommy!” Dahlia burst out of the front door of the small weather-worn house, ran down the stone path in her bare feet, and lifted her arms high in the air.

Corinne closed the small gate behind her, and scooped up her daughter in her arms. “Sweetheart, have you been a good girl today?”

Dahlia nodded. “I good.”

Corinne glanced behind her, spotting Erika driving away.

“Let’s see your arms.” Corinne inspected her daughter’s arms. Up and down her arms, the red welts and bite marks were subsiding.

Thank God they look better now.

“Itchy, Mommy.” Tears pooled in Dahlia’s eyes.

“I know, baby. I know.” Corinne hugged her daughter tightly.

“Aunt V helped me put mack-sin.”

Medicine. “Good. Did you thank her?”

“Yes, Mommy.”

Corinne carried Dahlia to the door, where Wanda stood with her walking stick. “Thank you, Wanda.”

“You’re early today.” Wanda hobbled to one side to let them in. “Did they fire you or did you quit?”

Corinne chuckled. “Neither. I…uh…”

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