Page 104 of Engulfing Emma

“She has a point,” I say.

“Fine,” Emma says. “But we’re going to the hotel first. We can drop off our luggage and freshen up. I haven’t peed in anything but a teeny-tiny bathroom since yesterday, and I’d really like a quick shower and some real food.”

“Your mom’s right,” I say. “Let’s check in, change our clothes, and get a quick bite. Then we can go find your dad.”

“My father,” she mumbles from the back seat.

“What was that?” I ask.

“I said he’s my father, not my dad. There’s a difference.”

I lock eyes with Evie in the rearview mirror. I can’t put my finger on it, but I could swear her motives for being here are not exactly the motives Emma believes to be true. Maybe Evie wants to find out where she came from. Maybe meet her grandparents. Emma thinks Evie has delusions of grandeur. She thinks Evie has a fantasy about Stefan seeing her and them becoming one big happy family. I think Emma is wrong. In fact, I’d bet on it.

We pull into the hotel parking lot.

“The Hilton?” Evie says. “Seriously, guys, are we going to doanythinghere that doesn’t reek of America?”

I drop the girls and luggage off and find a place to park. When I return, Emma’s at the front desk, checking in. I’m helped by another woman behind the counter. I’m amazed by how many people speak English here. The airport workers, the guy at the rental car place, everyone at the hotel.

“What floor are we on, Mom?” Evie asks when we reach the elevator.

“Fourteen.”

Evie turns to me. “What floor are you on?”

“Same.”

Emma gives me a look. “Is that so?”

I shrug.

Emma spends the ride up eyeing me suspiciously. It keeps her mind off where she is.

We get off the elevator and I follow them to their room. “Where’s yours?” Emma asks.

“Oh, look.” I gesture to the door adjacent to theirs. “I’m right next door.”

“How convenient,” she says dryly.

I disappear into my room. Ten seconds later, I knock on the connecting door. Emma opens the door a little too abruptly. “Connecting rooms, Brett? Really?”

“I thought you’d be happy about it. Remember how you went on and on about two girls being here alone and needing protection?”

She shakes her head, clearly unable to rebuff my comment.

“Be careful what you wish for, Emma,” I say and close the door.

~ ~ ~

We pull up to an old house in a village outside Munich.

Emma takes off her seatbelt and looks into the back seat. “Evelyn, this house belongs to a woman who is the sister of one of the Stefan Schmidts we found.” Emma looks at me warily. “She’s his next of kin. Do you know what that means?”

Evie looks down. “It means he’s dead.” She glances at the house. “It’s not going to be him, I know it.”

Emma lets out a deep sigh. “Please don’t get your hopes up.”

“I’m not,” she says. “I just know it’s not him.”

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