Jeffery Deaver - The Bodies Left Behind

“I did, yes.” He gave her a distracted smile. He was clearly shaken-who wouldn’t be?-having seen and experienced what he had tonight.

“Let’s get home. I called Anna but they’ll want to see you. Joey didn’t take this whole thing too well.” He was going to say something else, she sensed. But didn’t.

Then another State Police car pulled up and a trooper and a short woman in a suit, Latina, climbed out. She was from Child Protective Services.

Brynn joined them, introduced herself and explained what had happened. The trooper, who was solid, square-jawed and looked like an ex-soldier, registered some shock at the news. The social worker, her face calm and observant, apparently had heard it all before. She nodded matter-of-factly and jotted some notes. “My office has lined up an emergency foster couple. They’re good people. I know them well. We’ll stop by the doctor, get her checked out and I’ll take her over there now.”

Brynn whispered, “Can you imagine? Meth cookers for parents. And they had her helping them? And look at her neck.” She’d noticed sausage red marks from where her mother or Gandy-or maybe that disgusting Rudy-had grabbed Amy by her throat, a threat or punishment. They didn’t seem serious but Brynn still shivered with anger. And for a troubling moment felt a dark satisfaction that Hart had killed them.

They joined Michelle, whose face was as pale as the cloudy dawn sky overhead. She was clutching Amy possessively. The girl was now awake.

The social worker nodded at Michelle and then crouched down. “Hi, Amy. I’m Consuela. You can call me Connie, if you want.”

The girl blinked.

“We’re going to take you for a ride to see some nice people.”

“Where’s Mommy?”

“These are some very nice people. You’ll like them.”

“I don’t like Mommy’s friends.”

“No, they’re not friends of hers.”

“Where’s Chester?”

“We’ll get Chester for you,” Brynn said. “That’s a promise.”

The social worker put her arm around Amy and helped her to her feet, then wrapped the blanket tighter around the girl. “Let’s go for a ride.”

The girl gazed absently at Michelle and nodded.

The young woman watched her go with such a look of affection that one might have thought she was the girl’s mother.

There was silence for a moment.

“I know all you’ve been through. But I have something else to ask.”

Michelle glanced at her.

“It’ll be a couple of hours before your brother gets here?”

“I guess.”

“I know this is hard. I know you don’t want to. But will you come back to my house for a little while? We’re not too far away. I can get you a change of clothes, something to eat and drink.”

“Brynn,” Graham said. He was shaking his head. “No.”

She glanced his way but continued speaking to the young woman. “I need you to tell me everything you can remember about Hart. Anything he mentioned or any mannerisms. Or anything Emma might’ve said about her case. While it’s fresh in your mind.”

“Absolutely.”

“She needs rest,” Graham said, nodding at Michelle.

“She has to wait somewhere.”

“No, it’s okay, really,” Michelle said to Graham. “I don’t want him to hurt anybody else. I’m not sure what I can do. But I’ll help.” Her voice was firm.

The medical examiner’s van headed off, the two bodies in the back. Brynn noted that it was her husband who seemed the most upset of any of them as they watched the departure of the boxy vehicle, sickly yellow-green. The sky was now light, the color of diluted egg yolk, and the traffic was thicker, easing through the one open lane, gawkers taking in the overturned SUV, the dark puddles on the highway.

Brynn explained to Tom Dahl about interviewing Michelle. “She can wait at my house until her brother arrives. Anna’ll look after her while I’m at the state lab.”

The sheriff nodded. Then said, “And we’ll need to talk to you, Graham, about what happened with Eric. Can you come down to the station?”

Graham looked at his watch. “I should get Joey to his English tutor.”

Brynn said, “He can stay home today. We’ll both be too busy.”

“I think he should go.”

“Not today,” Brynn said.

Graham shrugged then turned to the sheriff and said that he’d call the station and arrange a time.

Dahl then extended his hand to her. She blinked at the solemn gesture. She took it awkwardly. “I owe you more than a half day, Brynn. A lot more.”

“Sure.” She took Michelle’s arm and they followed Graham to his truck.

“MOM. LIKE, WHEREwere you? Shit. What happened to your face?”

“Just an accident. Watch your language.”

“My God!” Anna cried.

“It’s all right.”

“It’s not all right. It’s all black and blue. And yellow. And I can’t even see what’s under the bandage.”

Brynn recalled that she’d have to make an appointment for a new molar. She touched the gap with her tongue. The pain had vanished. Her mouth just felt weird.

“What happened, Mom?” Joey was wide-eyed.

“I fell.” Brynn hugged her son. “Tripped. You know how clumsy I am.”

Her mother eyed the bandage and said no more.

Michelle walked into the living room. The tape on her ankle-and the painkillers-had done the trick. She was no longer limping.

“Mom, this is Michelle,” Brynn said.

“Hello, dear.”

The young woman nodded politely.

“Joey, you go upstairs. I’ll call your tutor. Graham and I’ll be busy today. You’re staying home.”

Graham said, “Really. I can drop him off.”

“Please, honey, it’ll be better.”

“You two are a mess,” Anna announced. “What happened?”

Brynn glanced at the TV, off at the moment. Her mother would find out soon enough but she was glad the local news wasn’t on. “I’ll tell you in a bit. Joey, you’ve had breakfast?”

“Yeah.”

“Upstairs. Work on your history project.”

“All right.”

The boy trooped off, with a glance back at Michelle. Graham went into the kitchen.

In her deputy voice, her calm voice, Brynn said, “Mom, Michelle’s friends were killed. That was the case I was on tonight.”

“Oh, no.” Shocked, Anna stepped close and took Michelle’s hand. “I’m so sorry, dear.”

“Thank you.”

“Her brother’s on his way. She’ll be here for a little while until he gets here.”

“You come over here and sit down.” Anna indicated the green couch in the family room, where Graham and Brynn sat together in the evenings if TV was on the agenda. It was perpendicular to Anna’s rocker.

Michelle said, “I’d really like to take a shower, if I could.”

“Of course. There’s a bathroom down that hall. There.” Brynn pointed. “I’ll bring you some clothes. Unless you’d rather not.” Thinking of the woman’s earlier aversion to wearing Emma Feldman’s boots.

Michelle was smiling. “I’d love some. Thanks. Anything you’ve got.”

“I’ll hang them on the door,” Brynn said, thinking that at last she’d have a use for her skinny-girl jeans, which she hadn’t worn in two years but hadn’t quite been able to throw out.

Anna said, “There’re bath towels in the closet. I’ve got coffee. Do you want tea? I’ll make you some food.”

“Thanks. If it’s not too much trouble.”

Brynn noted that the woman’s last complaint about her blood sugar had been eons ago.

Anna led her to the bathroom and returned.

“I’ll give you the details later, Mom. They tried to kill her too. She found the bodies.”

“No!” Anna’s hand went to her mouth. “No…What’s the poor thing going to do? Should I call Reverend Jack? He could be here in ten minutes.”