Page 19 of Ten Years Later
Mia’s blood pressure hit the roof. “He is a stranger. We know nothing about him. Emily, we have talked about this. There are people out there who will hurt children. Bad people—men and women—who take advantage of kids. They abuse them. They kidnap them. They trade them to other bad people.” Mia grabbed Emily’s shoulders. “This is serious. You cannot trust so easily. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.” Mia hugged her hard.
Emily spent the rest of the morning in her room. Mia did not want her going to the painting studio if Zane was on the schedule.
Mia called Sharon. “Emily’s not feeling well. Will you be shorthanded if she doesn’t come?”
“Not at all. I’ve got Zane.”
A beat went by. “What do you know about him?” Mia tactfully asked.
“He has a painting business with his brother. They’re doing a job in the neighborhood next to yours. He’s great with kids. He also has a daughter around Emily’s age.” Sharon paused. “Why? Is there a problem?”
“Just curious.”
“Okay, well tell Emily I said to feel better.”
“Will do.”
Mia hung up.
Around noon, Emily still remained in her room.
Gently, Mia knocked on her door. “Emily, can I come in?”
“Yeah.”
Mia stepped into the mess of her daughter’s area. Emily sprawled on her stomach across the throw rug sketching a family—a mom, dad, and child—building a sand castle on the beach. Emily always did this when her mood dipped. She’d draw that exact family doing all kinds of things—eating dinner, hiking, biking, laughing, playing. Emily used to ask about her mom and dad all the time, but not anymore. Just when Mia thought the curiosity had faded she’d find Emily sketching that family, proof that her inquisitiveness was alive and well.
Mia sat beside her on the rug. “I told Sharon you’re not coming in today, that you’re not feeling well.”
Emily made no response, just kept sketching.
“Are you mad at me?” Mia asked.
“No.”
“We didn’t do our usual Saturday beach walk. Want to go?”
“No, thank you.”
Mia stayed for several moments, watching Emily sketch, debating what to do about her daughter’s new friendship with Zane Young.
In the end Mia decided to do nothing. Because she’d thought long and hard about the unexpected email she’d received and had finally made a decision. In one short week, this whole place would be a distant memory.
13 /CURRENT DAY
Keaton dialed Tessa Gray,a private investigator he’d used before. He told her everything about Mia and Emily Ferguson, including the hair he took from Emily’s comb. He also gave Tessa the name, Dana Zielchrist.
Tessa said, “It’ll be five hundred dollars up front.”
Keaton did not have five hundred dollars. “Will that include the paternity test?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’ll get back to you.” He hung up and dialed Zane.
