The answering machine had picked up by the time she walked through the kitchen to her antique desk in the front room. Angry red numbers flashed seven messages unheard. She hadn’t taken the time to listen to the four that had been there the night before. She had been tired and had gone straight to her room for a bath, bed, and a chapter of Sense and Sensibility.

The first message was from her assistant at the center, Tuesday, 10:34 A.M.

“Hi, Jane. Sorry to bother you, but Quinn, Morgan and Associates called to say that Karly Vickers was a no-show this morning. Today was supposed to be her first day on the job. I thought you’d want to know.”

Second message: Tuesday at 3:23 P.M.

“Miss Thomas, this is Boyd Ellery from The Nature Conservancy. Could you please give me a call when you have a chance. I want to run something past you with regards to the benefit.”

Third message: Tuesday, 5:14 P.M.

“Jane, it’s me again. I’ve been trying to contact Karly, and she doesn’t answer her phone. I’m going to drop by her house on my way home and make sure she’s all right.”

Fourth message: Tuesday, 7:11 P.M. “It’s me again. I’m at Karly’s. She’s not here. I don’t know what to think.”

Fifth message: Wednesday, 7:27 A.M. Her assistant again. She sounded tired and nervous.

“Jane, I don’t know what time you got in last night. Did you see the news? Call me.”

Sixth message: Wednesday, 7:39 A.M.

“Jane, it’s Mom. We haven’t heard from you in a couple of days. We just saw the news. Please call and let us know you’re all right.”

The news. What news? Why wouldn’t she be all right?

Seventh message: Wednesday, 7:52 A.M. Her assistant again.

“Jane, there’s been a murder. Answer your damn phone. I have a terrible feeling it might be Karly.”

Chapter 11

11

Tommy hadn’t slept very much at all. Every time he had started to fall asleep, he had jerked himself awake, afraid of the dreams he knew would come. But every time his father or mother would come to check on him—which they did several times—he would pretend to be sound asleep.

He had gotten up as soon as it started getting light outside and started the homework he hadn’t done the night before. He didn’t know what the day would bring. Maybe he would be taken to a doctor or a psychiatrist, or maybe the police would take him in for questioning. The thing he most wanted to do was go to school and carry on as if the day before had never happened. As if.