BooksBarbecue
Back The Newcomer
Chapters (71)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgments
  69. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

She pulled out her phone and checked for email or messages. Nothing. She sipped at her second cup of convenience-store coffee. Bad plan to add more fire to the acid pit building up in her belly, but without the caffeine she’d be sleepwalking for sure.

“You there?” DeCurtis’s disembodied voice drifted from the smart watch on her wrist.

“Where else? How’s it going over there? How freaked out are Letty and Maya?”

“Maya’s pretty calm now that she’s got her Happy Meal,” Joe said. “Letty’s getting there. How’s it look where you are?”

“Surreal,” Vikki said. “This Tampa airport is like a Disney invention. So clean. No crowds, no Port Authority buses spewing fumes. I checked in with our field agent, Garcia. He’s inside, wandering back and forth between the gates. No sign of Wingfield. Good, right? I hate surprises.”

“Agreed. Check ya later.”

Shauna clipped the video camera to the tabletop tripod. “All set,” she said. “Maya? Are you ready?”

The little girl nodded shyly, tucking her chin into her chest. Letty touched her elbow. “Don’t be afraid, ladybug. Okay? I’m right here. Mr. Joe is going to ask you some questions. You’re not in trouble, right? You just look at him and tell him what happened. Can you do that?”

Maya picked up her milkshake and sucked at the straw. “Uh-huh.”

“Say yes or no, please,” Letty reminded her.

Joe scooted his chair next to Maya’s and nodded for Shauna to start recording.

“This is Detective Joe DeCurtis of the Treasure Island Police Department. The date is March 28, 2020. Time is nine twenty A.M. Place of interview is the Murmuring Surf Motel. Subject is a minor female, Maya Wingfield, age four. Subject’s guardian, Letty Carnahan, has given written permission for this interview and is present as a witness, as is Officer Shauna Arthur.”

He looked down at his notes, then back at Maya, giving her an encouraging smile.

“Maya, can you tell me what happened to you this morning? After you woke up?”

Maya nodded.

“Remember? Say yes or no when he asks you a question,” Letty prompted.

“Okay. Can you tell us what you saw when you went out on the patio this morning?”

“I saw Midnight! She was carrying one of her kittens in her mouth. She put the kitten under the tree. She was hiding them.”

“And what did you do then?” he asked.

“Midnight went away. I wanted to see the kitties. I heard them. They went meeewww meeeewwww.” Maya looked over at Letty. “They were missing their mommy. Like I miss my mommy sometimes.”

“What happened next?” Joe asked.

Maya glanced at Letty for reassurance. Letty nodded, and the child took a deep breath.

“I petted the kitty on the nose, and it kissed my finger. And then…”

Her face began to crumple. “And then … the bad man got me.”

“Did he say anything to you?”