My Sister is Missing Read online

  ‘Mm-hmm. That I do know,’ said make-up girl. ‘She lives in Bare Border, right in the center of town. That old house across from the bingo hall, you know it?’

  I do. I nodded and thanked them both, eager to escape the stale rush of air-conditioning in the store, and the cold chill running down my spine all of a sudden.

  My sister wouldn’t leave her kids and miss work for no reason. Either something had happened, and she’d had to leave town, or someone took her against her will. Something is seriously wrong. It must be.

  My thoughts darkened. What if John did something to her after all? Things like that happened every day in the news. When a woman goes missing, it’s almost always the husband or boyfriend. I didn’t know him very well, but what I did know wasn’t good. He was grumpy and impatient, and he was unfaithful.

  The first thing I wanted to do when I climbed back in the Honda was race to Starla’s house and confront my sister’s soon-to-be ex-husband. But that seemed a little rash. What if John and Madi fought over custody when they got divorced? If she showed up in a day or two, he could use this incident to claim she’s irresponsible…

  Again, I realized that I’d been watching too much court TV. I didn’t want to reach out to John yet, but I had to do something…

  I debated my next move as I pulled into the parking lot at Sam’s. Like a blur, I drifted up and down the aisles, picking out two car seats for Shelley and Ben – I wasn’t even sure if they were the right size – and picking up some basic food items I wasn’t sure my sister needed: eggs, milk, bread, bacon. In the fresh meats section, I tried to conjure up some sort of plan for dinner. But finally, I took my few items and the seats up to the check out, then loaded them into my trunk.

  I called and ordered a pizza from Rosita’s, and I sat in my car in their parking lot waiting for them to finish cooking it, while my brain raced with ideas. We did have distant cousins, but they didn’t live anywhere nearby. Most of our family was in Montana or Tennessee. Even if something was wrong with an extended family member, my sister wouldn’t just pick up and leave, and she wouldn’t leave her kids like that. Would she?

  My mind was still fuzzy as I roared up Star Mountain. I was eager to get back to Shelley and Ben. Some illogical part of me was wondering if they’d be gone too when I got back…

  But when I pulled up to the driveway at the Bare Border Inn, I could see them chasing one another in the field. Mr Tennors was smoking, white puffy clouds circling his head as he laughed at the children’s game of tag.

  I ran the milk and other items inside but left the car seats in the trunk. They were expensive. When Madeline got back, I’d make her pay me back. Or better yet, I’d save my receipt and return them on my way out of town.

  The pizza box was steaming, and it burned the tips of my fingers through the cardboard as I sloshed through the field, carrying it out in front of me like a present.

  ‘Pizza!’ Ben and Shelley squealed in unison.

  They followed the pizza into Mr Tennors’ cottage like two kittens chasing laser lights.

  Mr Tennors was surprised I wanted to eat with him, but he looked happy to have the company. His cheeks were downright rosy as he took down plates from the cupboard and laid them on the scarred kitchen table.

  ‘I only have three plates,’ he told us, setting out a plate for everyone except himself. ‘I don’t get much company these days.’

  I offered to eat my pizza off a napkin, but he insisted I take a plate. We huddled around the small dinette table, quietly sharing our hot, gooey pizza.

  Finally, Mr Tennors wiped his mouth and said, ‘Any luck finding your sister?’

  I could see Ben watching me from the corner of my eye, but I focused on my slice of pizza, worry bubbling up inside my chest like a hot tea kettle. I shook my head at Mr Tennors. ‘I’m sure she’ll be back soon though.’

  The pizza was tasteless now, my thoughts rushing with what could have happened to Madi. If it was just Madi to consider, this wouldn’t be so troublesome. But those kids needed her, and I wasn’t fit to care for them myself…

  A few minutes later, with the pizza all gone and the kids back outside chasing an old tomcat in the yard, Mr Tennors said quietly: ‘Have you considered calling the police, Emily? Leaving those kids … especially that boy of hers, well, that’s just not something your sister would do.’

  I was inclined to agree. But contacting the police, like contacting John, seemed like a big move. My sister would kill me if she showed up tomorrow and I’d turned her whole world upside down.

  ‘Maybe I will. If she doesn’t come home soon, I will.’ I said it more to myself than to him, watching Ben fall to his knees, and then bounce back up as he chased the cat. Shelley was running with her palms outstretched, dead set on petting the animal. They looked so joyous, so innocent.

  I’d never considered having children myself. Well, I had considered it, but it wasn’t in the cards for me. Standing here now, though, in my sister’s shoes – literally and figuratively – I could see why she liked being a mother. Sure, her husband was a douchebag, but these kids were kind and good, minus the tantrums. My chest ached with worry for them. If it felt this good to be an aunt, I couldn’t imagine how it felt to be their mother. My sister adored them. There was no way in hell she would just take off and leave like that – not for any reason, not for anyone.

  ‘I’ll call the police department this evening after the kids go to bed,’ I said, firmly.

  Mr Tennors nodded, tucking his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. Like me, he was watching the children, a strained look on his face. ‘Will you let me know how it turns out? And if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to come ask.’

  I thanked him again for watching the kids for me, then I prompted the kids to thank him too. We walked back across the spongy field, still wet from last night’s rain, and headed back to the Bare Border Inn.

  I gave the children baths again, this time taking more care to actually clean them. I washed Shelley’s hair and then Ben’s, my hands slippery and unsure. Shelley seemed to like the sudsy bubbles on her head, but Ben screamed. The sound of his shouting was so loud my ears were throbbing, but I forced myself to stay calm. I have to stay in control until Madi gets back.

  ‘It’s okay, Ben. Almost done, baby. Almost done,’ I soothed, rushing to wash the soap out with a big plastic cup. Shelley was sitting in the back of the tub, and she stroked Ben’s back until I was done, and until he had calmed down completely.

  The nighttime routine was exhausting – bathing and brushing, then getting both children dressed and ready for bed. Shelley, again, seemed to like the brushing, and she pulled her pajama bottoms on with ease. Ben was more work, yelling in frustration as his pants got caught around his feet and ankles, and then once the pajamas were on, we had to take them back off because the tags were rubbing against his skin.

  By the time I climbed in bed beside him, I was ready for sleep myself. It was barely even nine o’clock, but it felt like it was way past midnight.

  ‘Let me go find a book,’ I offered.

  ‘No, wait.’ Ben grasped my hand and I could feel his own shaking in mine.

  ‘Can we just talk tonight?’

  ‘Sure.’ I gave his hand a little squeeze, worry fluttering in my chest.

  ‘When is my mommy coming home?’

  ‘I don’t know, Ben.’

  ‘School starts in two days. She wouldn’t leave before school starts. She knows I need her, and Shelley needs her too.’

  My heart skipped a beat at the mention of school. I knew summer was ending, but did the kids really go back this early? It was the beginning of August for god’s sake. It seemed too soon. But Madi did mention that school was starting…

  ‘Are you sure it starts in two days?’ I grimaced.

  ‘It starts on the ninth. I’m sure.’ He let go of my hand and started chewing on his fingers, nervously. This nervous act reminded me of myself, and for some reason, I had to fight off the urge
to cry. He was so scared, and so was I – but I didn’t know what to do.

  I took a deep breath. ‘Even if she’s not back by the time school starts, I want you to try not to worry. You know how DNA works right?’

  Ben gave me a strange, sideways look. I must admit, I didn’t even know where I was headed with this line of thought.

  ‘I know you rely on your mommy for a lot of things. You guys are very close. But, if you think about it, I’m the next best thing because I’m your mommy’s sister. We share very similar DNA, which means me and her are a lot alike. If your mom can help you, then so can I. She left you in my care for a reason. You trust her, don’t you?’

  Ben nodded, his eyes lighting up. ‘So, you all have the same blood inside your bones, right?’

  ‘Right. Well, sort of. It’s not in the bones exactly, and it’s not just the same, but we are a lot alike. If your mom couldn’t be here, then at least you have her sister, right?’

  Ben nodded again, the trace of a smile teasing up the corners of his lips. Suddenly, he rolled onto his side, away from me, and shut his eyes. His hair was so soft as I rubbed it, and he smelled just like Madi with that shampoo. When I leaned down to kiss him, I realized he was already asleep, snoring softly.

  Shelley was asleep too. I went in her room and turned off the TV, then pulled her blanket up to her chin. With her eyes closed and mouth open, softly purring, she reminded me so much of Madeline when she was young.

  It was so strange to be back home, but it wasn’t the same anymore. It was an evolved version of it, and my sister and I were no longer the children of summer.

  Thankful to have them both to sleep, I could have curled up and went to bed myself. But it was time to do what I’d promised Mr Tennors I would. I had to contact the police and report my sister as missing.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Water rolled down in hot soothing waves, but I couldn’t stay in the shower for long. I washed my hair and scrubbed the dirt from my face, then toweled off quickly. By the time I’d slipped into my thin cotton pajamas, there was nothing left to do but call.

  I sat down on the couch, my hands shaking, and tried to call Madeline one more time. Her phone was still going straight to voicemail.

  ‘Damn you for making me do this, Madi.’ I didn’t have the Bare Border police on speed dial – why would I? So, I pulled it up on Google and found the number in under a minute.

  My hands were shaking as the phone started to ring.

  ‘Bare Border Sheriff’s department,’ said a croaky female voice on the other end.

  I cleared my throat, nervously. ‘Um. Hi. I’m calling from 316 Myrtle … basically, I’m at the Bare Border Inn. You know where that is, right?’

  ‘Sure do. Are you having some sort of trouble out there, Madeline?’

  I shook my head. I don’t know why I was surprised they knew exactly where I was calling from and who lived here. ‘Actually, this isn’t Madeline. It’s her sister, Emily. Emily Ashburn. Everything is okay … well, no it’s not. My sister has gone missing. Can you send an officer out? I’d like to make a formal report.’

  ‘What do you mean by missing?’ the woman asked, a suspicious tone to her voice. And before I could answer, she added, ‘I heard about her and John splitting up.’

  I sighed so loudly that I’m sure she heard it on the other end. ‘This has nothing to do with John. At least I don’t think it does … my sister asked me to come, she wanted to talk to me about something. Less than twenty-four hours after getting here, she disappeared without a trace. I went up to her work today, and it turns out she was scheduled to work and didn’t come in. My sister wouldn’t just leave her kids and forfeit her job. I’m afraid something bad has happened to her, possibly something violent…’ Those last words surprised even me. Do I really believe that? It sounded so ridiculous, hearing myself say it out aloud.

  ‘Okay. I’m sending an officer over to the inn now. He’ll take it from there.’

  I thanked the woman repeatedly and hung up, pacing back and forth in the living room. My heart was racing. Unsure what to do with this energy, I checked on the kids again. Ben and Shelley were still sound asleep, snuggly and purring in their beds.

  My heart steadied at the sight of them.

  In the bathroom, I brushed my teeth so hard that my gums bled. When I caught sight of myself in the mirror, my head still damp, and in my pajamas, I decided to walk back down to the guest bedroom and put on jeans and a button-down shirt. After changing, I finger-combed my hair as I went outside on the front porch to wait.

  The last thing I wanted was for the kids to wake up and see me talking to a police officer. Then they would be even more worried than they already were…

  The third step on the front porch still creaked. I sat down on it, the wind whistling through my damp hair and making me shiver. In the dark, the gravel driveway was long and endless, like a tunnel to another world. Off to the left was Mr Tennors’ cottage, the lights all out; the only sign of life was the smoke trickling out of his chimney.

  The trees to my right danced in the wind, and I got the strangest feeling that they were mocking me somehow. I kept watching the trees for shadows, but everything melted together in the dark.

  Finally, two headlights rose in the distance, like two yellow cat’s eyes growing bigger and wider…

  The police cruiser was moving slowly, almost too slowly…

  Getting to my feet, I wrung my hands together, my heart pounding in my ears. What was I so worried about? It wasn’t like I’d committed a crime.

  The cruiser ground to a halt behind my rented Civic. The headlights popped off, the door swung open, and a familiar face stepped out into the soft moonlight. My breath was sucked from my chest. Oh my god.

  The last person I expected to see at this moment was Paul Templeton. When he stepped out of the cruiser, I recognized him immediately. He was taller, and his shoulders were broader, but he still had that chiseled jaw and off-center nose he’d had ten years ago. His bold blue eyes connected with mine, and a rush of electricity ran right through me, from my head to my toes.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ I sputtered, astounded. Paul Templeton was many things – my first boyfriend, my first kiss, my first date – but he was also my first heart break, and the one boy I’d never truly been able to get over. Sure, I’d dated guys in Charleston, but none of them had ever felt as passionate, as electric as Paul. Sometimes, although I’d never admit this to anyone, when I fantasized about men, it was his face I saw.

  ‘I heard you were in town.’ His eyes were wide, just as shell-shocked as me. Of course, he’d already heard. There were no secrets in this town.

  ‘You’re a cop now?’ It was hard to believe that the same Paul I knew – the one who drove too fast on dirt roads in his dad’s truck, threw kegger parties when he was underage, and was known to smoke the occasional joint behind the old concession stands – could possibly work as a police officer. Why didn’t Madi warn me? Surely, she knew.

  ‘I am.’ Paul stood up straighter and stuck his chin out defiantly. ‘I’m not the same guy I once was.’

  ‘You’re a man now, right?’ It came out nastier than I intended and instantly, there was a rush of heat to my cheeks.

  ‘I’m sorry for being such an asshole when we were younger.’ Paul moved closer, reaching out. ‘It’s so good to see you again. When I heard you were back…’ The tips of his fingers grazed my elbow. Immediately, I pulled away from him, studying his face. His eyes were the same – sparkling, and still a hint of that mischievous, joker-like smile. A memory flooded my brain – me standing on the front porch in my violet prom dress, shaking from the cold as I waited for him to pick me up. I kept closing my eyes and counting to ten, hoping each time that when I opened them, I’d get a different result, that I’d see his dad’s truck pulling up the drive … but he never came. He never did.

  Still an asshole, I decided.

  ‘I didn’t call you here to catch up on old times. My sister is mi
ssing, and I need your help.’

  ‘Okay, then let me help. Tell me exactly what happened.’ His face was serious now as he crossed his arms over his uniformed chest. I still felt dizzy from seeing him after all these years…

  I cleared my throat and started from the beginning. When I got to the part about me going up to Bed and More to see if Madi was working, his eyes grew wide.

  ‘Wait. Are you telling me you left the kids with Albert Tennors today?’

  I raised my eyebrows at him.

  ‘Yeah. Is that okay with you? I didn’t have car seats for them. I guess you’d prefer I ride them around town illegally?’

  Paul rubbed his chin, glancing nervously across the field.

  ‘What is it?’ I asked, my stomach clenching.

  ‘I just thought you knew. I thought everyone in Bare Border knew…’

  ‘Knew what?’ I was starting to feel nauseous now.

  ‘Albert Tennors is on the sex offender registry. I mean, he’s basically harmless, but still I wouldn’t—’

  ‘Harmless?!’ I screamed. Bending over at the waist, I held my breath, fighting off the urge to vomit on my sister’s shoes.

  My sister was going to kill me when she found out. What if he did something to them while they were in his care?! Would the kids even tell me if he did?

  The day played back in my mind. The kids were outside when I left and when I got back … but he could have taken them inside. He could have hurt them or taken advantage of them…

  But this was Mr Tennors we were talking about. If he was a creep, I would have known that. Wouldn’t I?

  ‘Oh, god…’ I moaned. I couldn’t fight the urge any longer. Vomit sprung from my mouth and Paul jumped back in surprise.

  ‘It’s okay, Emily. You didn’t know.’

  ‘Wait. Did my sister know this? Did my mother and father know?’ The memory tape in my mind rolled back farther – my mom let us play outside, sometimes in the field, but never once did we go inside Mr Tennors’ house or up to his door. An image of my mother on the porch, watching us run up and down the drive, her face cautious…