Page 58 of The Overnight Guest

From behind them came the sound of footsteps. They turned to see Margo Allen coming toward them.

Matthew was surprised. After what had happened the day before, he wasn’t expecting Margo to come back to the house, but he understood it. This was where her daughter was last seen. When she dropped Becky off, she had been healthy, happy, safe. And now she was gone.

He reached out his hand to her, but she let it hang in the air.

Despite the heat, Margo wore an oversized sweatshirt and jeans. Her eyes were puffy and her skin mottled from crying. Josie wondered if she looked like that. As if one wrong word, one wrong look would shatter her into a million pieces.

“I just wanted to talk to Josie for a minute,” Margo said, her lips trembling. “Will that be okay? If we just talk for a minute?”

“I don’t know.” Matthew hesitated, looking around for someone to tell him what to do.

“I just want to know what happened,” Margo said. “The police won’t tell me anything.” She turned to Josie, took her hand in her own. Josie wanted to pull free, but Margo held tight. “I just want to know how you were able to get away and Becky wasn’t.”

Josie looked to her grandfather. “Now, Mrs. Allen,” he began.

Margo focused her attention on Josie. “No, no, it’s okay. I’m glad you’re safe. You got outside, right? They said you were outside, but where was Becky? Was she in the house?” Margo’s voice rose. “Did you leave her in the house with him or did she get out too? I’m just not sure why they won’t tell me anything. But you’ll tell me, won’t you? You’ll tell me what happened.”

“I’m so sorry about Becky,” Matthew said. “Everyone’s doing all they can to help find her.”

“Not everyone,” Margo said shrilly. “Not me. They said I shouldn’t. They said it would be better if I stayed home and waited. But I can’t wait. I need to know what happened.”

Matthew looked around desperately for someone to help him comfort the poor woman, but there was no one.

“They think that maybe Becky had a crush on Ethan,” Margo said, squeezing Josie’s hand even more tightly. “Do you think he might have taken her?”

“No!” Josie exclaimed. “He wouldn’t,” she said, trying to wrench her hand free.

“She’s only thirteen,” Margo said plaintively. “Why would he be interested in a thirteen-year-old? She’s just a baby,” Margo said, her face pale and desperate with grief.

“Hey, now,” Matthew said sharply. “Ethan didn’t do anything. He’s missing too. Let her go,” he said, peeling Margo’s fingers from Josie’s. Margo finally released them, leaving behind half-moon indentations on Josie’s skin.

“I just want to know where my daughter is!” Margo cried out. “We’re getting calls,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “Did you know that? We’re getting calls from someone saying he’s Ethan and that he has Becky. Do you know what that’s like? Do you?”

“My grandson would never do that,” Matthew said, his voice choked with emotion. “It’s someone else. Now, I have to ask you to leave. I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t be here.”

The raised voices carried, and the deputy and Caroline came hurrying from the house. “Ma’am,” the deputy said, “Step over here and we’ll talk.”

“I want to know where my daughter is,” Margo begged. “Please.” Her eyes searched Josie’s. “Please, they won’t tell us anything. Please, Josie, you’re Becky’s best friend, don’t you want to help her?”

Josie couldn’t answer. Caroline held her arms out as if trying to be a barrier between Josie and Margo. The deputy gently tried to lead Margo away.

Margo stepped around Caroline and gripped the wrist of her injured arm. Josie cried out in pain. “Your brother did this, didn’t he?” Margo said between clenched teeth. “Why? Why would he take my baby?”

The deputy stepped in then and pried Margo’s fingers from Josie’s wrist. “Stop. You’re hurting her,” he said in a low, firm voice.

“I just want to talk to Josie for a minute. Please,” Margo said. “I need her to tell me what happened.”

The deputy who was posted at the top of the lane came trotting toward them. “Ma’am, you can’t be here.” He stepped between Margo and Josie while the other deputy whisked Josie quickly away. The next thing she knew, she was sitting in the back of a deputy’s vehicle parked next to the tent.

“You’ll be fine in here,” the deputy said, turning on the car and cranking the air-conditioning so that lukewarm air puffed from the vents. “She doesn’t mean anything by it,” he said. “She just wants to find their daughter.”

Josie knew this was true. She wanted to find Becky and her brother too, despite the suspicions that kept creeping into her thoughts.

Josie watched as the deputies spoke with Margo and her grandmother, their voices growing louder, more frustrated.

Finally, Margo threw her hand up in the air and rushed toward the deputy’s car.

“Josie, where is Becky?” she called out as she tried unsuccessfully to wrench open the car door. She pressed her hands against the window. “Open the door, Josie,” she ordered.

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