Page 89 of Our Little Secret

She wasn’t.

Nor was she in the bathroom.

“Marilee!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

The only response was the sound of footsteps clamoring up the stairs and the dog barking. She ran into the hallway again as the door to Leah’s room flew open.

Brooke’s sister, bleary-eyed, fingers clutching her robe together, glared at her. “What in God’s name is going on? It’s the middle of the frickin’ night!”

Neal rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, Shep on his heels.

“Marilee. I can’t find her! She’s not in her room!” Brooke said, panicked.

“What?” In three long strides Neal was at the open door to their daughter’s bedroom, as if he could find her.

“She’s not here!” Brooke cried.

Leah shook her head. “Maybe she’s downstairs.”

“Neal was just downstairs.”

“Marilee!” Neal yelled, his voice booming through the house as he followed Brooke’s earlier path inspecting the upstairs rooms, including the closets. Nothing. Next he made a thorough search of the main level as Brooke and Leah went into the kitchen.

Neal hurried down to the laundry room and then the garage. Brooke heard him calling for their daughter and the garage door roll up. She went onto the deck and yelled her daughter’s name, then hurried inside, located her purse, pulled out her phone, and noticed it was about out of juice.

No text from Marilee.

Brooke dialed her daughter’s number.

The call went straight to voicemail.

“Hey—you missed me. Leave me a message or text,” in Marilee’s voice.

“It’s Mom. Call me!”

Then she texted a similar message:

Where are you? Call me ASAP!

“You think she snuck out?” Leah asked. “Or—?” Her face paled as she finally caught onto Brooke’s fear.

“I don’t know what she did!” Brooke snapped just as she heard Neal coming up the stairs, taking them two at a time. She looked up expectantly as he rounded the corner, but he shook his head. “Nothing. Except that . . .” Worry cut deep grooves into his forehead.

“What?”

“The gate was open.”

“The gate,” she whispered.

“To the alley.”

Her heart sank. Tears formed in her eyes.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” he reminded her. “I searched the backyard and there’s nothing! Shep was with me. I think he would’ve run to her if she were out there. But I’ve texted her and called and left a message. She’ll get back to me.”

“I did too.” She was shivering inside. “Maybe we should call her friends? Zuri or Tammi?”

He glanced at his watch. “It’s three twenty in the morning. Let’s give it a little time.”

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