Deceit

Baxter Jackson caught, I hadn’t asked for a scarifying Hooded Man to leap in front of my car. I just wanted it all to go away.

But something told me it had barely started.

“Why would somebody be in your house, Joanne?”

“I don’t…the door slammed. In the garage. I thought it was locked.”

“Have you checked out there?”

“No, I just now grabbed a flashlight.”

“Well, go. I’ll hang on the line.”

I know what she thought. It’s the wind. Just like she thought Baxter could be innocent. My generous sister— never wanting to believe the worst.

“Okay.” I set the phone down on the table, aimed the beam toward the garage, and opened the door. Light split across to the far wall and its window. I moved the flashlight around. Saw no one.

With one foot I forced down the door stop. Stretched to the table to pick up my phone. “Okay. I’m going into the garage.” I stepped over the threshold. The air chilled considerably. Heat didn’t run out there. The walls seemed so thin, as if they were mere cardboard against the storm.

I aimed the flashlight at my car. No one there. I searched the achingly empty other side, where Tom’s car used to sit. Ran the beam over the furnace and water heater, the garbage cans. No Hooded Man. No Baxter. Just suspicious-minded me, unable to imagine the length of this night.

“Joanne?”

“The garage looks fine. Checking the door.”

I edged over to it, shone the beam on its knob. Unlocked. I checked the bolt. Also unlocked.

I had not left the door that way. I hadn’t. It had been pouring when I left the house for Dineen’s. Why would I go outside?

“Is it open?” Dineen asked.

“Unlocked, if that’s what you mean. Both the knob and the bolt.”

“See? The wind probably just slammed it.”

Of course. No doubt.

I clicked both locks into place.

“You want to spend the night here, Joanne? It might take the power company awhile to fix broken lines in this storm. Maybe a whole grid’s out.”

What I wanted was to know if my house was the only one without electricity.

“Maybe. I’ll call you back.”

“Well, do it soon, okay? I’m ready to go to sleep.”

How easy for her.

My mouth opened to spill the whole story. Hooded Man on the road, his stunning words about Baxter. I was Dineen’s older, always-stable sister, for heaven’s sake. Didn’t it occur to her I might have a reason to be paranoid?

The words stuck in my throat.

“Sure. Thanks.”

I clicked off the phone, shivering. Too cold out here. Too close to the rain. I turned to head back into the kitchen, call 411 for the power company’s number. The flashlight beam raked over the width of the garage, bouncing against the double doors on the other side, hitting my car. The concrete floor nearby glistened beneath the light.

My hand halted. I aimed the beam downward.

Water droplets lit up like tiny stars.

I stared, moving the flashlight toward the front of the car…to the back. Water lined the floor. I jerked the ray down farther, tracing the concrete from the car to where I stood. More dribbled water. I jumped aside, checked by the door. Wet.

That last part was to be expected. If the door had blown open, rain surely whooshed in. But the trail leading across the garage…

I eased toward the door to the kitchen, heart thudding. Followed the telltale path with the light once more, from rear door to car. That dripped water couldn’t have come from me when I arrived home. The trail I’d left then, not yet dried, went from my car to the kitchen door. I hadn’t gone anywhere near the backyard door.

Someone had been here. Had come through that rear door. Which I’d left locked.

What did he want in my car? Did he think I’d leave my purse in there?

Maybe I’d surprised him when I came into the garage. That was it. He’d run behind the SUV to hide.

Which meant he was crouching there right now.

I whirled and jumped through the threshold into the kitchen. Kicked up the bronze stop and shoved the door closed. Locked it.

Panic peeled away the layers of my mind. What to do? Reason had fled. Like a trapped animal, I pressed against the wall, trying to think. I couldn’t jump in my car to flee to my sister’s. But what if he wasn’t out there; what if he was in here? I’d just barricaded myself in a dark house with an intruder.

Palms sweating, I aimed the flashlight at my cell phone and dialed 911.

TEN

JUNE 2004

Baxter walked into the Vonita True Life Church like he owned the place.

The sanctuary had two long rows of pews with one central aisle. Purple and red carpet. A large cross on the back wall. A podium on the stage, and off to the side, instruments. A drum set, guitars, a keyboard. Melissa eyed them in surprise.

After crossing the threshold Melissa hung back behind Linda, suddenly shy and hating herself for it. What was the big deal? She could take care of herself just fine. Hadn’t she done that all her life? No need to care what the people in this church thought of her. As long as the Jacksons believed she was okay, she’d keep that beautiful big roof over her head.

“Come on, Melissa, it’ll be fine.” Linda extended an arm, ushering her inside the door. Her crooked smile mixed sadness and purpose, as if with this one church service she was determined to erase all the hurts of Melissa’s sixteen years.

Lots of luck.

“Barry. Steve.” Baxter shook hands with two men, then walked farther down the church aisle toward others. They all responded with overlarge nods and smiles, followed by gazes wandering toward Melissa. Linda placed a gentle hand against Melissa’s back and guided her toward the wives. “Sarah, Eileen, Sandy—this is Melissa.”

Melissa’s mouth curved up like some puppet who’d had its string pulled.

The women all made a big deal over her, smiling and saying how pretty she was, complimenting her on the clothes. “Linda’s been so looking forward to having you,” the one named Sarah said. She was a tall woman with short brown hair and small green eyes. Her eyes crinkled when she smiled.

“Oh. Yeah,” Melissa managed.

“You enjoying living in that amazing house with these amazing people?” one of the other women asked. Eileen, maybe.

“Yes.”

They all surveyed her, as if waiting for more.

The third woman smiled grandly. “Well, that’s great. I know you’ll enjoy it there. And in this town too. Everybody knows Baxter and Linda. Won’t take long before you see just how fortunate you are.”

More people came through the door, men and women and kids, everybody wanting to meet Melissa. Three of the girls Linda had mentioned—Heather, Belle, and Nicole—arrived together, chatting away as if they’d just come from some party. Melissa’s mouth went dry. Linda waved them over. Melissa straightened her back and watched them approach with a cool expression. Heather was blonde, with a sweet, round face. She shot Melissa a sparkling