Page 36 of Ten Years Later
“You hungry?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“How about PB and J?”
“Yes, please. Two of them if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all.” He went to the refrigerator and pulled out strawberry jelly and white bread. From the cabinet he got chunky peanut butter. He glanced over at her, noting she stood awkwardly in the kitchen looking around the organized mess.
She walked over to the refrigerator, leaning in to look at the photo of the two of them making pancakes. “Oh, wow.” She took it from the magnet. “Look at us. I’m so little.”
“You can have that if you want.”
With a smile, she held it to her chest. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Why don’t you explore the place? I’ll get this ready.”
They now sat across from each other at the kitchen island. He drank coffee while she inhaled the first of two sandwiches.
“I like your house,” she said around a full mouth. “You’re not afraid of color.”
Keaton loved the observation. Every room contained a different shade scheme with mismatched furniture he and Cora found at yard sales. It used to be their Saturday thing—cruising the neighborhoods, searching for unique pieces.
Emily wiped her mouth and started on the next sandwich, slowing down a bit as she did. “I saw what I assume used to be my room. You taped one of my sketches to the door.”
“I did. I took it that day I came to your house. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind.” She took a drink of the orange juice he’d served her.
“Tell me what happened with Mia.”
“The school called her to verify I was home ‘sick.’ She called my cell. When I got home from seeing you, she asked me where I’d been. I told her just out walking around. She told me to go to my room. Then she came in and told me to pack everything. That’s when I crawled out the window and came here.”
“So, she might not know you’re here?”
“Maybe.”
He heard a key being fit into his front door.
Keaton jumped up. “Grab your bag and go to your room. Hide in the closet”
Quickly, she did.
Thankfully, Keaton already closed the curtains covering the front windows. He poured her juice out and raced over to the door right as Zane came in.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
“Where is who?”
“Don’t play stupid. The cops were just at my house. They said Mia Ferguson reported her daughter, who’d recently befriendeda man named Zane Young, missing. They searched my whole house. Now where is she?”
Mia called the cops, huh? Not what Keaton expected.
“Where is she?” Zane repeated.
“Not here.” Keaton stepped aside. “Look around.”
Zane did, marching through the living room and kitchen, before searching Keaton’s room and bathroom. Zane came to a stop at Vivian’s door.
