Page 10 of The Hanging Dolls
“How long will it take?” he said, a hint of impatience in his voice.
“It’s a missing kid. I’ll make sure this gets priority,” she said. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach at the anticipation. They had traced who had pulled Lily away from her sister and this person obviously hadn’t come forward.
Maybe this was the abductor they were looking for.
Or the killer.
FIVE
“We are back and I’m joined by Regina Warner, a former schoolteacher and businesswoman, now running for mayor of Harborwood.” The journalist with dirty blonde hair and a squeaky, high-pitched voice beamed at Regina. “Ms. Warner, you have no experience in politics or being in public office, so what makes you a better candidate than Mayor Hicks?”
Regina snapped back her shoulders, her lips spreading in that easy, confident smile that she had spent weeks mastering in front of the mirror every morning. “Sometimes you need someone on the outside to stick their neck in and get the job done. I think Mayor Hicks has been too cushy in his job and far too removed from the daily lives of voters.” Her fierce gaze never wavered as she looked directly into the camera. “ButIam one of them. I know what it is like to be a hardworking citizen in this town. I understand the frustrations and anxieties of the people who live here because these are my frustrations and anxieties too.”
Behind the journalist stood a short man in a sharp suit, with a chalky, pale complexion and slick, black hair. He gave Regina a thumbs-up. There were too many cameras around her to gloat at her delivery—slick and effective.
“Is the disappearance of Lily Baker a cause of distress for you?”
Regina looked down briefly before spotting a missing person poster—under the stack of papers on the table. Her lungs deflated, expelling all the air from them. The corners of her lips quivered and turned downward. Lily Baker—a little girl with a mischievous grin, unaware of what this world could do to her. Below her photo were the haunting words:Have you seen me?
“Y-yes… Lily.” Regina’s voice softened around the edges. “It infuriates me. The fact that this has happened is unacceptable. If our kids aren’t safe in this town, then we are doomed.”
The journalist nodded solemnly and then turned to the camera. “We’ll be back after a short break.” As soon as the cameraman confirmed that they weren’t rolling, she sat back and sighed dramatically. “Someone get me water! I’m parched!”
Regina turned around with a sharp jerk of her head and pulled him aside. Her house was full of people, from the local news crew with all their sprawling equipment to her small team of makeup artists and interns. She pinched the side of her waist, flustered.
“That was epic!” The man gripped her shoulders, his energy almost infectious. “You’re doing great.”
She clenched her teeth. “Connor, what was that?”
“What do you mean?” He dropped his arms.
“You said all the questions were planted. Did you know she was going to ask about Lily Baker?” Regina said, glaring at him.
His eyes twitched and he lowered his voice. “I did but?—”
“What?” Her voice piqued and Connor took her by the elbow and guided her toward the kitchen away from prying eyes and ears.
“Like I mentioned before, you’re not polling well with a certain demographic. Hicks is attacking you for failing to represent family values because you’re single and childless?—”
Regina rolled her eyes and blew a frustrated grunt. It wasn’t the first time this was held against her. Like she was somehow incapable of empathy and basic decency without a husband and a child. “This is the twenty-first century?—”
“I know.” He raised his hands in surrender. “But get real, Regina. You need those conservative votes, too.”
She wavered. “You could have given me a heads-up.”
“I needed a genuine reaction. And you gave one. You looked positively disturbed. That will resonate with the voters.”
“Weren’tyoudisturbed exploiting that for votes?”
Connor shoved his hands in his pockets, a mask of indifference on his young face. “Anything to get you elected. That’s my priority. That and not wasting my time on children I don’t know.”
Connor brushed past her to discuss more questions with the journalist, who had been eyeing him with interest. Regina blinked at his harsh words ringing in her head. She didn’t realize that the piece of paper with the missing girl information was crumpled in her fist. She smoothened it out, the sight of Lily like a slap across her face.
On. Off. On. Off. On. Off.
Zoe flicked the lamp on her bedside table. The motel room smelled funny. Not quite like something had died there, but she was convinced someone had left food behind which was rotting. She was planning on switching rooms first thing in the morning. Tonight, somehow, she was going to survive and hope that no bed bugs surprised her.
Aiden was staying somewhere in this motel too. She wondered how his room was. It probably smelled better or hehad brought scented candles with him. She remembered how polished his office always was—gleaming surfaces devoid of water rings or even a fleck of dust, curtains with perfectly spaced pleats, and pens in holders arranged in ROYGBIV order. Zoe chuckled at the time she had made the grave mistake of not using a coaster and how his eyes had popped out in horror as he scribbled furiously in his notepad.
