Page 19 of Good and Gone

Her words feel raw and visceral. Dangerous. He’s probably listening, and you don't want to piss him off. I don’t answer because what is there to say? But suddenly, I don't feel bad at all that he knocked the shit out of her.

Now, I get it. What she doesn't understand is he's no dummy. And neither is anyone else in this operation. The license plates on the SUV that we used in her abduction were covered—that or removed. I don't know. That part wasn't my job. And besides, even if they hadn't been removed, that vehicle was either taken to a chop shop or was already halfway to Mexico by now.

“They’re looking for me,” she cries. “And they’ll find me.”

She's clearly out of her depth. She can't control her eye spasming when she lies. Amateur. “We’ll see,” I tell her with a shrug.

She doesn’t speak after that, just glares at me defiantly. I consider all the ways I might knock that look right off her pretty little face. Well, it’s not so pretty now, but maybe in time. There are a lot of ways to punish a person. More than you would think.

It’s still early yet, but I get the feeling she’s going to find out just how many. Sometimes these girls…they're more trouble than they're worth. When I bring this up during her second checkup, I'm not expecting such a hostile response.

“She's worth everything,” he says, looking her over like a prized horse. “And more.”

I can't help but scoff at that. Internally, of course. More thanwhat, exactly? More than the other girls I've taken? More than the ones who are screaming and crying in the other rooms?

He doesn't bother to hide his anger when he speaks again. It’s almost like he’s read my mind. He does that sometimes, so you have to be careful. “She's worth exactly what I can get for her.”

“I’m guessing that's quite a lot,” I say, feigning ignorance.

“That part,” he snaps, “is none of your fucking business. Just do your job.” And that is that.

12

Tyler

“I'm sure Mrs. Levitt will have seen something,” I say to Jeannie as we make our way up the walkway toward Mitzi Levitt’s front door. Bob stays at the house just in case Hailey shows up or calls, but Jeannie insisted on coming with me to talk to Mrs. Levitt.

Mitzi Levitt is by far the nosiest person in the neighborhood, so, if anyone knows anything, it'll be her.

We knock on the door, and after a few moments, she answers. “Yes?” she says, looking at us questioningly.

“Hello, Mrs. Levitt,” I say. “Have you seen Hailey by chance? This morning?”

“Hailey?” She looks from me to Jeannie and back. “Your wife?”

“That’s right.” I speak slowly. With Mitzi, sometimes you have to.

Jeannie steps in front of me. “We were wondering if you'd seen anything...unusuallately.”

“Unusual?” she repeats, her eyebrows furrowing together. “What do you mean by unusual?”

“I mean anything out of the ordinary,” Jeannie says before I can answer. “Anything that would suggest Hailey might be in danger.”

Mrs. Levitt's eyes widen slightly at the mention of Hailey's name, and again she looks from Jeannie to me. “What makes you think Hailey is in danger?”

Without answering directly, we tell her about Hailey's disappearance. At first, she seems skeptical, but then, as we describe the events of the morning in more detail, her face grows more and more concerned. “It’s not like her not to be home in time to take the kids to school,” I say.

“Who are you?” Mitzi says to Jeannie as though she’s seeing her for the first time, as though she’s just appeared out of thin air.

“I’m Hailey’s mother,” Jeannie tells her righteously.

“I figured,” Mitzi says. “You favor her.”

Jeannie looks pleased. I’m pretty sure she blushes.

Mitzi shakes her head as though she’s brushing away a thought. “I just can’t imagine it. Hailey? In danger?”

I take a deep breath, knowing that whatever we tell Mitzi, she'll spread the word like wildfire, likely adding a little personal flair. I’ve never been much of a fan of that side of her, but Hailey has always been kind. Either way, we have to let her know what's going on. Especially since she's such an important part of the community.

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