The Right Call (10 page)

Brill stood at the window in her office, her hands clasped behind her back. Below, on the well-manicured grounds of city hall, a boy in a red shirt threw a Frisbee to a sleek Irish setter that leaped in the air to catch it. Two young women walked side by side on the sidewalk, pushing babies in their strollers. Through the trees she could see beyond the hazy foothills to the Great Smoky Mountains silhouetted in the distance.

A knock at the door startled her and she turned around.

“Come in, Trent.”

“We finished reviewing the phone records and the past month’s emails of each of the victims. There were no red flags except for this, and I’m not sure it’s even related to the shootings.” Trent walked over to her and handed her a folder. “Look at these emails between Natalie Benchfield and someone who refers to himself as Vincent.”

Brill read several of the exchanges and glanced up at Trent. “Natalie was emailing back and forth with a man she met in a chat room?”

“Sure was. Some of it’s provocative. Her parents don’t seem to know anything about it. Said they trusted her and didn’t put any parental controls on her computer. This Vincent character said they should set up a time to meet.”

Brill sighed. “And did they?”

“She gave him her cell number the day before she left home. Her phone records show that she got a five-minute call from an untraceable number—a prepaid cell phone—on Thursday afternoon just after school let out. It’s the last call she got before her dad took her phone away.”

Brill shook her head. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Yeah. It’s possible Natalie had already arranged to meet Vincent
before
she got into the fight with her dad.”

“Then it’s possible she provoked the fight to give her an easy way to leave the house.” Brill read another page of the email dialogue. “Clearly, Vincent whoever-he-really-is was looking for more than friendship. It’s hard to say from their back-and-forth just how naive Natalie was or wasn’t.”

“I’m guessing
wasn’t.
On page five she gives him a detailed description of the undergarments she was wearing.”

“She was thirteen, for heaven’s sake.” Brill shook her head and handed the file to Trent. “Have you told her parents?”

“That’s my next stop.”

“All right, let’s pursue this as a possible child molestation case. Talk to the medical examiner and let’s see if we can get a DNA match to someone in our sex-offender database.” Brill looked out through the blinds on the glass wall to the busy detective bureau. “This girl might have been the victim of two separate crimes.”

Late Sunday evening, Ethan stood on the porch at Drew’s and gave his mother an extra-long hug, the flowery fragrance of her hair reminding him of Vanessa’s.

“If you two need anything,” Lisa Langley whispered, “and I mean
anything,
you call us.”

“We will, Mom.”

Lisa turned to Drew and cupped his face in her hands. “Are you sure we can’t talk you into coming to Maryville with us for a few days?”

“Thanks, Aunt Lisa. But I’ve got a final on Tuesday. You’d just have to run me back over here.”

Tom Langley shook Drew’s hand and then pulled him into a bear hug. “Lots of people are praying for you, Drew. You’re going to get through this.”

“Thanks, Uncle T. I know I will.”

A second later, the four of them converged, and it was hard to tell who was hugging whom.

“You and Mom be careful on the road,” Ethan said. “As soon as we can, Vanessa and I will drive over to see you.”

“That’ll be great,” Tom said. “Okay, Mama, let’s get out of here and let these young men wind down. Drew, I hope you do great on your final. And Ethan, I hope you get off to a good start on the job. I told Ralph if he doesn’t treat you right, he’ll have to answer to me.”

So why doesn’t he answer to you for not treating Drew right?

Ethan walked out on the porch, the sky overhead a blazing mantle of lava pink, and stood with Drew as his parents walked to their car, waving as they drove off.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he said to Drew.

“Not at all. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed them. Thanks for giving them a heads-up about my not wanting to talk about the shooting.”

“They weren’t looking for details,” Ethan said. “I think they just wanted to see for themselves that you were all right.”

“So did I pass inspection?”

Ethan turned and followed Drew inside and flopped on the couch next to him.

“Yeah, I think they can drive back to Maryville now and stop worrying about the two of us fending for ourselves.”

“Good. It was nice getting together with them, but I feel guilty taking you away from Vanessa the evening before you start your job.”

“Somebody had to do it. I’d never leave her on my own.” Ethan smiled. “I did enjoy going to church with her family and having lunch with them. But it was great seeing my parents, too. And now I need to go call her and get to bed early so I don’t sleep through my alarm in the morning.”

“You seem pumped about working for Uncle Ralph.”

“Yeah, it’ll be okay.”

“It’ll be better than okay, Ethan. I’m glad that you two get along great.”

“Well, it bugs me that you don’t have a relationship with him.”

“It’s nothing new. Why is it bothering you all of a sudden?”

Ethan shrugged. “Maybe because you’re hurting. You’re his brother’s son, Drew. The same as me. How can he ignore you?”

“Because he and Dad parted ways a long time ago. I’ve accepted it.”

“I guess I haven’t.” Ethan put his hand on Drew’s knee. “You going to be okay alone all day tomorrow?”

Drew nodded. “Yeah, don’t worry about me. I’ve got some serious studying to do. I doubt I’d open the door even if the president himself rang the bell.”

Chapter 11

Ethan
parked in front of Langley Concrete Company and took the keys out of the ignition, then sat for a few moments, savoring the fiery streaks of hot pink and purple that painted Monday morning’s sky. When was the last time he was up before the sun?

The air was still cool, but the forecast called for sunny skies and temperatures in the mid eighties.

He grabbed a big bottle of water and his lunch pack off the passenger’s seat and got out of the car, proud of himself for making two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches the night before. He’d thrown in a bag of chips, a package of Oreos, and a couple of granola bars for snacks.

He heard a motor and saw a black truck pull into the parking lot. The young bearded driver waved at him, then pulled into the space next to him and got out.

“Hey, Ethan. Good to see you, man.”

The voice was familiar and unmistakable.

“Stedman! The beard threw me for a minute. I like it.” Ethan walked around the front of the car and shook Stedman Reeves’s hand. “What’ve you been up to?”

“Oh, working mostly. Same old.”

“Still dating that cute gal with the Mustang convertible?”

Stedman laughed. “Actually I’m free of entanglements at the moment. I hear you’re going to be working with us again all summer.”

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

“Ralph mentioned that you stayed in touch with Vanessa while you were away at school.”

“I did. Saw her and Carter every chance I got. We’re going to see how things go over the summer. So where do we start this morning?”

“Misty Meadows—get used to the name. We’ve got foundations and driveways to pour for the entire housing development. We’ll be working there all summer. First we need to get your paperwork done. Come inside. Tonya’s got it ready.”

“Who’s Tonya?”

“She keeps the office running smoothly and takes care of the scheduling. She tries to be a tiger, but she’s really a pussycat.”

Ethan followed Stedman inside and was hit with the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee. A fifty-something woman sat at the reception desk, working at a computer. Her bleached-blonde hair was chin length and straight, her roots dark, her mascara heavy. She looked at Ethan over the top of her glasses, the name
Tonya
displayed in glittery letters across the front of her T-shirt.

“You must be Ralph’s nephew Ethan.” Her voice was deep and husky. “I’m Tonya Mason.”

“Nice to meet you.” Ethan shook her hand and noticed that her nails were long and painted pink and she had multiple jeweled rings on her fingers.

“I’ve got all the paperwork you need to fill out. We’re only doing the legal stuff. We can bypass the personal information and job history. Would you like a cup of coffee while you sit down and take care of this?”

“Uh, sure. Where’s the pot and I’ll help myself?”

Tonya removed her glasses, which hung from a gold chain around her neck, and handed him a clipboard with some papers attached. “Here, you get started on this and I’ll bring you a cup. How do you like it?”

“Cream and sugar please.”

She walked over to a built-in cabinet against the wall, where Ethan spotted the coffeepot. He noticed she was wearing designer jeans and high heels.

“Uncle Ralph has made some improvements to the office since I was here last summer. Looks nice. I like the wood floor.”

“I’m crazy about it,” Tonya said. “It’s the same red oak laminate Nick used down at the Grill. Doesn’t show a thing and easy to clean. That old carpet was nasty with stains. You boys aren’t exactly neat, if you know what I mean.”

Ethan looked around the room. Three metal desks, three computers. Light wood paneling on the walls. Plaid curtains on the windows. His uncle’s photographs of the Great Smoky Mountains hung in all the right places. Nice.

“Ralph said you boys are going to be up to your elbows in the Misty Meadows project.”

Ethan rubbed his hands together. “Yeah, I’m ready to get dirty. That’s what he’s paying me for. My paychecks will all get recycled to the University of Memphis. I’m just grateful for the job.”

Tonya handed him an insulated cup filled with coffee. “Ralph’s so proud of you he’s busting his buttons. Don’t let it go to your head. Now hurry up and get that paperwork signed. I need you two out of my hair. I’ve got work to do.”

“Yes, Ms. Tonya,” Stedman said with mock reverence in his voice. “May I please use the bathroom? I promise to put the lid down.”

“See that you do. And you”—she turned her gaze on Ethan—“sit over there. Press hard so the ink will show up on the copies.”

Ethan set his clipboard on an empty desk and sat in the swivel chair. He looked over at Tonya, who was obviously enjoying this. “It’s clear who’s boss around here. Just curious … what happens if Stedman forgets to put the lid down?”

She set her glasses on her nose, the corners of her mouth twitching. “I’ll shoot him, and then dispose of the body.”

Vanessa sat at the kitchen table and sipped a cup of coffee, listening to the sound of Emily playing with Carter out on the screened-in porch. Through the bay window she could see the foothills half-lit with the first rays of dawn.

Brill breezed into the kitchen, dressed in her uniform, her red hair still wet and straight as a pin. “Oh good, I’m glad to have a few minutes alone to talk to you.” She poured a cup of coffee and sat across from Vanessa, wearing a toothy grin much like Emily’s when she had a secret she was dying to tell. “Your dad and I had a discussion last night, and we think you should forget about working a summer job and enjoy the time with Carter. You need a break.”

“Not having to study is a break, Mom. I want to contribute. It’s not cheap having the two of us here.”

“We’re doing fine.” Brill took a sip of coffee. “Wouldn’t you like a chance just to unwind and be with Carter whenever you want?”

“Sure. But I knew the sacrifices I’d need to make when I chose to raise him as a single mom.”

“Of course you did. But your deciding to take online classes has left a surplus in the college fund. We want you to keep using that money all summer to cover living expenses for you and Carter. You’ve worked really hard. We want you to unwind and be ready to tackle your senior year.”

“That’s very generous of you and Dad.” Vanessa studied her mother’s face. What
wasn’t
she saying? “Hmm … I suppose that would also give me more time to spend with Ethan.”

Brill covered her smile with her hand. “Okay, so we have an ulterior motive. We like Ethan. We want you to have the chance to see where the relationship’s going.”

“That’s right.” Kurt came into the kitchen and stood behind Brill, his hands on her shoulders. “If you wait tables all day, you’re going to be exhausted. You’ll be torn between giving Carter the attention he needs and Ethan the attention he wants. Both are important. And we don’t want you neglecting yourself.”

Vanessa’s eyes brimmed with tears. Could they have given her anything that would have meant more? “I can’t believe you. This is so generous.”

“Your father and I are proud of you, honey. We honestly weren’t sure how you’d do, trying to balance your studying and taking care of Carter. You’ve amazed us. We want you to take the summer and enjoy the two men in your life.”

Vanessa snatched a napkin out of the holder and dabbed her eyes. “Well, if you’re serious, you won’t have to ask twice. I’ll call the restaurant and tell them I don’t need the job after all. They had a list of applicants a mile long. I won’t be hard to replace.”

Vanessa lay on her side atop the powder blue comforter on her bed and caressed Carter’s back. She could tell by his breathing that he was in a deep sleep.

She smiled. Her energetic baby boy was exhausted from crawling all over the house and pulling himself up on the furniture. He would probably be walking by the end of the summer. How would she keep up with him?

Her thoughts drifted to Ty Nicholson, and she wondered what name he was using now. Did he ever wonder about his son? What she’d named him? What he looked like?

Sometimes she was so full of love for Carter that she longed for someone to share the joy of parenting with. Ty was not that person. If she’d listened to him, Carter would never have been born.

She stroked the baby’s hair and was transported back to the delivery room, to the night of July twenty-third …

“Vanessa, he’s beautiful! He’s beautiful!” Emily had sounded breathless as she repeated the words over and over.

Someone wearing green scrubs placed the baby on Vanessa’s abdomen. There he was: the son she had carried for nine months and whose every move she had felt. The child she had wondered about and fretted over and considered giving up for adoption but couldn’t bear to part with. The child she was committed to raising as a single parent. He had been born, still connected to her by the umbilical cord and breathing on his own. The moment was surreal—magical—and she had captured it in her heart so she could revisit it again and again.

Something else that was forever embedded in her memory was Emily’s presence during labor and delivery. Every reservation she’d had about a ten-year-old being present for the birth was dispelled by her sister’s jubilant reaction.

“He looks like
you
.
”
Emily’s bright blue eyes were almost as wide as her smile. “I didn’t know he would be so cute. I thought babies were all wrinkly and red.”

“I did too. But his coloring is perfect.
He’s
perfect.” Vanessa exchanged glances with Emily, who looked adorable in her much-too-large green scrubs. “You did really great as my labor coach. I’m proud of you. So do you still want to be an obstetrician after all that?”

“More than ever.” Emily’s face beamed. “I couldn’t believe how cool it was when Carter was born. I got all tingly and I cried and laughed at the same time. I never did that before.”

Hadn’t Emily surprised even the doctors and the nurses with her level of energy and exuberance throughout the process? They were patient with her continual chatter and questions and just detailed enough with their responses.

Vanessa figured they broke every rule in the book to accommodate Emily, who never once seemed out of place. Could the bond the two sisters now shared ever be broken—or fully understood by anyone else?

What happened after that was a blur. But she remembered the nurses cleaned up the baby, measured and weighed him, then wrapped him in a receiving blanket. Vanessa held Carter while the nurse put a little blue cap on his head.

“There you go, darlin’,” the nurse said. “He’s all yours.”

All yours
. The thought sent her heart racing and her mind reeling. She was at the same time delighted and terrified—as if a part of her had reached a mountaintop while another part had plunged into the depths of the sea.

Had she ever been more afraid in her life than when they wheeled her out of the hospital, her newborn son in her arms, their future uncertain? By then her mother and father were nearly as giddy as Emily over the prospect of having a baby in the house …

Carter breathed in, his exhale a sigh, bringing Vanessa back to the present.

She snuggled closer to him and pressed her lips to his warm, soft cheek. Could she ever love anyone or anything more than she loved this child?

Thank You, Lord, for my son. For Emily. For parents who love me and their grandson. Thank You for loving me and providing for me, even though I did this all wrong.

Vanessa rolled over on her back, her hands behind her head, and watched the ceiling fan go round and round. Was Ethan having a good first day on the job? Would Drew be okay by himself? Maybe she should take Carter for a stroll before lunch and check on him.