Silenced

“But they got out-or maybe they weren’t here.”

“Then why burn it down?” Genie asked. “As a warning?”

“We should talk to the neighbors.”

“I’ll take left and right, you go across the street,” Genie said.

The first house Lucy approached was a white, two-story, clapboard-style home with an inviting covered porch. She knocked and an elderly woman answered the door. After identifying herself, she learned that Mrs. Patricia Neel was a retired federal employee. She was shriveled with age, but had all her faculties.

Lucy said, “I’m looking for the young women who lived in the house.” She gestured toward the remains across the street.

“A tragedy,” Mrs. Neel said. “What happened?”

“The arson investigator is looking into it, but we think they may be in danger. They haven’t come forward since the fire.”

“Of course they’re in danger, their house burned down. That was no accident.”

“You know for a fact it wasn’t an accident?”

“I didn’t see anyone toss a match on the place, if that’s what you mean. But houses just don’t burn down like that. There was an explosion, everyone on the street heard it, and my hearing isn’t what it used to be.”

“What time was that?”

“Just after four in the morning, it woke me up and I looked at my clock. It wasn’t a big explosion, and I think there were two, and I heard the second. You know how that is, where you think you hear something, but aren’t quite sure. I thought they all died in the house.”

“The fire department said there were no fatalities.”

“I know, but it burned so fast, and when I went out on the street I didn’t see any of the girls. I told the fire chief the same thing, and they inspected the building, didn’t find anyone inside.”

The girls had to have been at the fire-the CSU had found clothing that reeked of smoke. Maybe they had some kind of a warning and got out quickly. Or they had been involved. But why would Ivy or any of the other girls burn down a rental house?

Unless they wanted someone to think they were dead.

“Do you know the girls?”

“Some of them. They’re very quiet, keep to themselves. But I went over there a couple of times-kept my eye on the place, you know. Karen Schwartz-she and her husband moved to Florida when they retired-asked me to let her know if there were any problems. They were good girls. All in college. Except for Mina.”

College? “Who’s Mina?”

“Sweetest girl. Very sad, though. Her sister was upset she kept coming over here to talk to me, but Mina was lonely, and with her sister and the other girls taking night classes, she was scared being alone in the house. She’d come over for tea after dinner and we’d chat or watch television. Nothing important-she was very quiet, just liked company.”

“Do you know her sister?”

“Ivy.”

“Does Ivy have a last name?”

“Hmm, Harris, I think.” Lucy made a note, and Mrs. Neel continued. “After the second or third time Ivy found Mina here, she told me that their parents were killed in an accident, and she was taking care of Mina, but that she worried that social services would separate them because Ivy was only eighteen. At least she was eighteen then. It’s been nearly two years. I told her as long as Ivy was as responsible as she seemed, there didn’t seem to be any reason to notify anyone. Mina loved her sister. I think they had a very rough childhood.”

“Do you know how old she was?”

“Oh, I don’t know-she’s been here for nearly two years, I think she was thirteen when they moved in. Beautiful young woman. Ivy agreed to let Mina visit me when she wanted, but I haven’t seen them much the last few weeks.”

“How many girls were living there?”

“They came and went, no more than eight, I don’t think. I didn’t keep tabs on them. They probably had changes in roommates with each semester.”

Lucy wondered whether that was true or not, or if Mrs. Neel didn’t want to seem to be a busybody.

“They probably liked that someone in the neighborhood was looking out for them, especially if they were from out of the area and not familiar with DC.”

Mrs. Neel smiled. “I try. I love this little street.”

“Do you know how many girls lived in the house right before the fire?”

“Six or seven.” She thought. “Ivy, Mina, I didn’t know the others. There was a new girl-young, I couldn’t imagine she was in college, but my eyes aren’t what they used to be.”

“New girl? How new?”

Mrs. Neel closed her eyes, counted silently, her lips moving. “About a week before the fire. It was a Wednesday, garbage day, and I had forgotten to take mine out. I got up early, and couldn’t go back to sleep. Saw a car drive up, a girl and a man get out. I assume her father. They went in, and a while later the man drove off.”

Mrs. Neel sat down on the porch swing. “Please excuse me, I’m getting old.” She sighed as she relaxed. “They really kept to themselves, and I don’t think Ivy would have spoken to me if her sister hadn’t wanted to visit. It must have been hard on them, but I’ll admit, I liked seeing how they looked out for each other. Families get torn apart these days, living everywhere around the world. I have three children, all of them more than a day’s drive!” She shook her head.

Lucy took a chance. She pulled Jocelyn’s driver’s license photo on her phone and said, “Have you seen this woman around lately?”

Mrs. Neel put on her glasses and looked closely. “Yes, yes I have. She’s been over several times. I haven’t met her.”

“Do you recall the last time?”

Mrs. Neel thought. “I can’t say, really. But it’s been awhile. More than a month, maybe two.”

That surprised Lucy. “Thank you.” She handed Mrs. Neel Noah’s card, but wrote her cell phone number on the back. “If Ivy or Mina or any of the girls contact you, please let me or Agent Armstrong know.”

“Is something wrong?”

“We’re worried about them. Since the fire, no one has spoken to any of them.”

“But they weren’t hurt, right? The firemen said no one was inside. I told you that, right?”

“No one was hurt in the fire, but we need to talk to them.” Then Lucy had another idea. She pulled up the unidentified girl from the Hotel Potomac. “Is this one of the girls?”

She squinted, put on her glasses again, and smiled. “Yes, yes, the new girl. Doesn’t she look young to be in college?”

Lucy didn’t respond to the rhetorical question, thanked Mrs. Neel for her time, and made sure she remembered she’d put Noah’s card-with Lucy’s cell phone written on the back-in her pocket.

Ivy didn’t want anything bad to happen to Pastor Marti North, but she didn’t know what else to do.

“If you can just keep Mina awhile longer,” Ivy said.

“As long as necessary,” Marti said.

Marti was pastor of His Grace Church. She was a forty-five-year-old former Army chaplain who ran the church and preschool for lost souls. At least, that’s how Ivy viewed it. She’d been coming to services ever since moving to the house on Hawthorne. She listened to the message of forgiveness, redemption, and love, but didn’t truly believe she deserved it.

Not when she harbored dark feelings of murder.

“Please be careful,” Ivy begged. “I’ll come for her as soon as I can.”

“Ivy.”

She turned to the pastor. “Once I get my sister safe, I’ll be back.”

“There are people who can help.”

“Like Jocelyn?” Ivy paced, her voice rising. “She’s dead. So is her husband. I’m worried about what could happen to you if you help me.”