Page 35 of Protecting Vidalia
“I didn’t want you to worry about it,” he finally admitted. “Knowing in advance would keep you on edge and upset.”
“You’re right about that,” she agreed with a heavy sigh. “Make the call, Jake, I’d like to meet them too. I wanted to go to the funeral and pay my respects, but my boss said it wouldn’t be a good idea. Now is my chance to tell her how sorry I am that she lost her child,” she added gruffly.
Jake couldn’t have been prouder of his girl as he picked up the phone.
***
VIDALIA TOOK A DEEPbreath after Jake helped her out of the truck and just stood there staring at the suburban home that belonged to the family of Dani Owens.
“You ready?” Jake asked, taking her hand.
She stared up at the man who had made this possible and nodded. Her eyes were glued on the front door as they slowly walked up the sidewalk towards the ranch-style home of tanned brick and partial wood.
It was neatly landscaped with spring daffodils and crocus peeking their heads through a redwood mulch in front of the concrete porch. The lawn was neatly trimmed and the spacious subdivision property had some large trees in the back yard that stretched high into the sky.
It was a typical family home in an influential neighborhood complete with a fenced-in backyard and a cat on the front steps. Brightly colored cushions adorned the rattan patio bench setting in front of the window with a wrought-iron white drink table to add to the ambience. Even a couple of beautiful Adirondack chairs set on either side of the bench, their sandalwood coloring blending in. It looked inviting and warm.
Vidalia’s insides were feeling wobbly as Jake rang the doorbell. She held her breath when the door opened and she came face to face with Dani’s mother. Almost sick to her stomach, she waited for Barbara Owen’s reaction, praying that she wouldn’t suddenly lay into her with horrible accusations, or worse yet, a silent hatred in her eyes.
“Vidalia?” The soft-spoken woman opened the outer door, her big blue eyes so like her daughters, filling with tears. “I’m glad you came. Please, come inside.”
She reached forward and grabbed Vidalia’s hands while Jake grabbed the screen door and held it so they could step up and into the house. Vidalia’s own eyes watered when Barbara engulfed her in a gentle hug, her slender body trembling and warm against her. It should have been an awkward moment, but Barbara wouldn’t allow it to be.
“Come in and meet my husband, Clay.”
“We’re happy you agreed to see us, Vidalia,” Clay said gruffly, putting his arm around his wife. He nodded at Jake. “Thank you for bringing her to see us.”
Vidalia was almost overcome with emotion. “I-I wanted to tell you how sorry I was about Dani before this, but...”
“I know, dear,” Barbara replied, taking her hand and finishing her sentence. “It was inappropriate. They told me the same thing.”
Vidalia nodded mutely, a lump in her throat.
“I want to show you something,” Barbara said gently. She led them both through the spacious living room and into a separate dining room with a sunny, patio window where there were some photographs laid out on the table. She sat down in one of the cushioned dining chairs and pulled Vidalia down into the one next to her. Jake and Clay sat down on the ends of the table and leaned forward.
Clay cleared his throat, then spoke. “After the police returned my cell phone, I was able to dry it out and get the pictures off it that Dani took.”
Barbara nodded. “My little girl loved animals. We were going to get her a camera for her birthday so she could take all the photographs she wanted. Every time we went camping, she always wanted to use our cell phone and take random pictures of anything that took her fancy, but mostly she loved animals,” she explained, her voice cracking slightly.
Clay chimed in again. “We believe we figured out why Dani wandered away,” he said gruffly. He pointed to some photographs directly in front of me. “Look closely at those pictures. Can you see them?”
Vidalia bent over the photographs, studying them intently. There were photos of what looked like animal tracks, a bird in the bushes, some spring mountain flowers peeking up and some pretty rocks. But when she gazed closely at the two in the middle, she suddenly gasped. “Those are bears near the ridge,” she blurted out. “Look, Jake, it’s the mama bear and her cub!”
Jake leaned in and took one of the photographs. “You’re right,” he exclaimed. Even with the camera zoomed in as far as it will go, it’s still a distant shot, but it’s certainly bears.”
“Do you think it could be our bears?” she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.
“Your bears?”
“What bears?”
Barbara and her husband both chimed in at the same time.
“I’m amazed that she was able to spot them,” Jake replied. “Dani has a good eye for photography.
“I saw bears on my hike to Victoria Falls, Vidalia replied in answer to their questions. See?” She showed them the pictures of the mama and cub that she had taken on her phone camera. “I bet you’re right about why Dani kept getting further away from camp, she was trying to get better shots. She must have been thrilled and excited.”
Barbara nodded, her eyes tearing up again. “There is one more thing. For some reason, the cell phone call had been set to record during her call to 911. Probably because Dani was fascinated with that aspect of the phone. She was smart and loved electronics. For only being eight years old, she had an amazing understanding of how to work all sorts of things. She could work the TV remote better than I could,” she said fondly, sniffling.
