Page 85 of Isabella and the Slipper

By habit, she reached into her back pocket before realizing her mother’s photo was no longer there. She closed her eyes and tried to picture what her mother looked like. Panic flamed in her until she could see her clearly in her mind’s eye. She wondered how long it would take before the image would fade.

A tear slid out the corner of her eye and traveled down her temple to her hairline. She thought she’d cried them all. Guess there were still a few left. She wondered where Chase was right now. Was he sleeping? Or was he thinking about her?

A faint sound came from below, and she tried to pinpoint it. There had been no sounds coming through the floorboards. No quiet hum of the central air system. Nothing but aggravating silence. This new sound, though faint, reminded her of something.

She sat up straight, her heart pounding. Music. It was “Yesterday,” by the Beatles.

Chase was downstairs!

She ran to the door and pounded, screaming as loud as she could. “Chase! I’m up here!”

The faint sound of the music continued, and she stopped yelling. If she could hear the music, it had to be very loud. He wouldn’t hear her. She waited until the song ended, then began pounding again. “I’m up here!” she screamed.

She continued to pummel the door and yell as loud as she could until her voice grew hoarse. No one came. She collapsed back onto the blanket, her heart racing.

Maybe Chase couldn’t come rescue her, but he knew she was here. He had to. The song was for her.

She lay back down on the blanket, a new sense of hope rising in her chest.

Chapter 27

Delilah made a face. “It’s a little loud, isn’t it?” she yelled over the music.

Chase pulled her closer. “I like it loud,” he shouted in her ear.

As he swayed to the music, Delilah seemed to accept his explanation and kept quiet. They danced through the song, and when it ended, Chase hugged Delilah to him.

“That was—”

“Shh,” he said, putting his finger to his lips. “Let’s not talk. Let’s feel the moment.” Delilah fell silent, and Chase strained to hear anything that might signal Isabella was locked up in the attic and had heard his song.

He listened to his own heart beating in his ears as the seconds ticked by on the clock. Nothing. Disappointment grew heavy in his limbs. Maybe she wasn’t being held up there after all. He pulled back and smiled at Delilah.

“That was nice,” he said.

She grinned at him. “That’s your favorite song? Seems kind of depressing, don’t you think?”

“It’s The Beatles. It’s a classic.” He pocketed his phone, unsure of what else to do. If Isabella wasn’t in the house, he hated to think what else might have happened to her.

Delilah shoved him toward the couch. “Let’s watch a movie.”

He inwardly sighed. Now he was stuck there with Delilah. Ugh.

“Okay.”

He put his arm around her after she turned on some lame chick flick. Halfway through the movie, Elenore came home with Ava. They had arms full of shopping bags, and Ava gave Delilah an impish grin before they disappeared into the other room.

The movie lasted another hour, and when the credits started to roll he stood and stretched his arms. “I’d better get going.”

Delilah hopped up. “So soon? Can you come over tomorrow?”

With no evidence of Isabella in the house, he had no reason to come back. And luckily, he had a great excuse. “Sorry, I have a social event for my upcoming film I have to attend.” He’d promised his mother he’d go, even though he didn’t want to act for a living. It was a party for the cast, and even with a small part, he was invited.

“Maybe Sunday, then?”

He moved toward the door. “Maybe,” he said, giving her a smile.

Or maybe he’d skip town.

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