Mind Games - Page 217

“I heard her banging around in there for a while. And oh, Thea, I was so mad at her for sassing me that way. I got busy with Curtis Lee and my housework, and when he finally went down for a nap, I lay down with him for just a little bit. I was so tired.”

“It’s all right.”

“But no. No. When I woke up, the house was so quiet, and I felt a draft because the front door was open. She wasn’t in her room, or in the house. I went out looking for her, but I couldn’t find her. She took her coat, and the little backpack I got her so she’d feel like it was school when we had our lessons.”

Her hand shook as she set the cup aside. “Please help me. Please find her for me. She’s lost, and maybe she’s hurt. I called and called all the way down to Miss Lucy’s, but she never answered.”

Nadine rummaged in the diaper bag and pulled out a worn pink stuffed bear. “Her granny made this for her right after she was born. She still sleeps with it every night.”

“This is fine. This is good.” As she took the bear, Thea blocked out the sound of the baby babbling, the keys rattling.

“Nadine, you can help me by staying calm, showing you trust me.”

“I do trust you. I do, I do. But—”

“Calm, and you just close your eyes and picture Adalaide back home. Safe and warm, your arms around her. You picture that, and that’ll help me make it true.”

“I’ll try.”

Thea stroked the pink bear, felt the little girl cuddling it, soothing herself, talking to it, telling it her secrets. Holding it close, Thea opened.

So angry. Mama sleeping with Curtis Lee because she loved him more.

So defiant. She would walk to school. She would live with Granny and Paw. She’d make paper flowers and play with friends and have a real teacher.

She walked, and she walked. Along the road at first, but then turned off, onto a trail.

“The road seems too long,” Thea murmured. “Mama walks on the trail going down and down, and once we saw a bear, but it didn’t bother us any. Tired, though. Stop and rest, then walk. Tired now. Thirsty. Wants Mama now.

“Shh,” Thea cautioned when Nadine began to cry again.

“Tired, and sad and hungry, too. Mama has to come. She got a scratch from the brambles, and Mama has to come fix it, kiss it better.

“Rest again. Curl up. Cold.”

Thea rubbed the bear, rubbed her hand, then breathed out.

“There you are. I know where you are.”

“Where is she? Oh, Thea, where’s my little girl?”

“She’s just a couple hundred yards from Katie Roster’s house, sleeping under an oak tree. You sit!” Thea snapped as Nadine started to leap to her feet. “Do you have Katie’s number?”

“No, I—”

“I do, in my office. I’m going to call her, and she’ll go get Adalaide, get her inside and warm a lot quicker.”

When Thea walked away, Nadine hurried after her. And Curtis Lee toddled behind her calling, “Mama, Mama, Mama.”

Nadine scooped him up as Thea made the call. And Rem walked in the front door.

As he gave Ty a long, hard look, Ty lifted a hand. “If you want to punch me, save it for later. We’re in the middle of a crisis. A missing kid. Thea found her. She just … found her.”

“Whose kid? Nadine?” He rushed back. “Adalaide? Sit down, Nadine.”

“I’ve been sitting. Please, Thea. Did she find my baby? Did Katie find her?”

“Katie’s girl’s home, and she’s already going out to get her.”