Mind Games

“She doesn’t know what time it is. She’s not sure what day it is.”

“We’re going to find her. Thanks to you, we’re going to get her back to her family. We’re going to get him, and he won’t hurt another girl.”

“She could’ve been me if things had been different, if there’d never been a Riggs. You knew that. You used that.”

“I did.”

She opened her purse, took out a pad and a pencil. “I’m not as good as the police artist,” she said as she began to sketch. “Brown hair, short, neat, stylish, I guess, on the conservative side. Brown eyes, wide set. He’s good-looking, like the house on the outside. A nice smile. Ears close to the head. Some stubble—stylish again.”

She handed the pad to Howard.

“This is good. It’s damn good.” He took a picture of it with his phone. “Can I have it?”

“I don’t want it. I’d really like to get on the road.”

“We’ll take your things down. Musk.”

Still holding the phone, Musk turned. “Lawrence James Heberman, 1331 Laurel Lane. He owns a 2010 green four-door Chevy. And he fits the profile like a fucking glove, Chuck.”

He walked to Thea. “I’ve got a little girl. She’s five.”

“Yes, you remarried, had a daughter. Congratulations.”

“Howard has a daughter, too. They’ll both be fifteen one day. If you ever need anything. Hell, you want somebody to pick up your dry cleaning, paint your house, mow your lawn, you just call. I swear to God, I’ll be there.

“We need to get to the airport. Your friend the fed’s getting us on a plane.”

“Let’s get Thea’s things in her car, get her headed home.”

* * *

She stopped halfway there to buy something for the headache that wouldn’t quite fade, and a ginger ale to try to stem the queasiness.

And saw the text on her phone from Howard.

Shiloh’s safe, and her family’s with her. Heberman’s in custody. I wanted you to know you saved another life. I sincerely wish you everything good in yours.

Thea sat in the car a moment, read the text again.

And realized the headache had faded after all.

* * *

However three years of college had changed her life, the farm remained constant. Small changes here with a fresh coat of paint, her grandmother’s new truck in the driveway.

And, to her surprise, two floppy-eared puppies who raced around the house well ahead of the slower-moving Goose and Cocoa.

“Oh my God!” The little girl popped right out of her as she pushed out of the car and crouched down for puppy greetings, then the enthusiastic welcome by the older dogs.

All but buried in dogs, she looked over as Lucy came out of the house. And to her eye, no one had ever looked more wonderful.

Tall and slim in jeans and a red shirt rolled to the elbow, with her hair bundled up, she seemed simply ageless, as constant as the farm.

“There’s that girl!”

As Lucy came down from the porch, Thea detached herself from the dogs to hurry toward her. “Grammie.”

The first embrace wrapped her in strong arms, in the scent of rosemary and fresh bread. In scents of home.