Mariah Stewart - Cry Mercy

“But didn't you think it odd that you didn't hear from her after the trip to Philadelphia?”

“I did hear from her.”

“You did?” Emme almost lifted off her chair in surprise. Nick opened his mouth but Emme clamped a hand over it and shook her head. “When?”

“I got an email from her a day or so later.”

“What did she say? Did she say where she was?”

“No. All she said was that it was fun to get together with everyone on Saturday, and that she was really busy with school and was taking a break.”

“That's all she said?”

“In the email, yes, I think so. Which didn't surprise me, since on Saturday, she'd been talking about how she was going to be really busy with rush at her sorority once the new semester started. Besides, she was trying to find-” Ali stopped in what seemed to be midsentence.

“Trying to find out who Donor 1735 was,” Emme finished the sentence for her. “I know.”

There was silence on the other end of the line, and for a minute, Emme was afraid the girl had hung up.

“Ali?” she asked.

“I'm here.”

“I know that she thought she was close to finding him. Did she tell you how close?”

“No. She just sort of hinted.” Ali started to cry. “All I know for certain is that Aaron, this kid who found his donor mostly through the Internet, was helping her.”

“Do you know how to get in touch with Aaron?”

“I have his email address somewhere.”

“Would you mind looking for it? I'd like to contact him.”

“Why?”

“I'm calling anyone who Belle had been in touch with. We're trying to figure out where and when she was last heard from.”

“Like I said, the day in Philly was the last I saw her.”

“At the art museum,” Emme said, just to be sure.

“Right.”

“I understand there was a young man in the museum restaurant who was paying a lot of attention to Belle that day.”

“Yeah. The jerk.”

“He was a jerk?”

“He looked like a jerk. Acted like a jerk. I mean, he was totally cute, don't get me wrong, but there was something about him that was just… not cool.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Okay, this guy was just totally focused on Belle. And like, because he was so hot, and knew he was hot, he took it for granted that she was focused on him, too. Not cool.”

“What did Belle think of him?”

“Same. Totally not cool. She turned her back on him at lunch and acted like he wasn't there.”

“Was that the end of it?”

“Are you kidding? I wish. He followed us into the photography exhibit. Which was the main thing I was interested in seeing that day.”

“Do you know if he spoke to her?”

“He tried to, but she just ignored him. Belle is totally cool. Way too cool for a guy like that.”

“Did she say anything at all about him?”

“At first she thought she might know him, but then realized she didn't.”

“He looked familiar to her?”

“I guess sort of, but then she said no, he wasn't and we just finished looking at the photographs.”

“Did you notice if he followed her outside?”

“No, I didn't. We all met up out on the steps so I could take a picture and I really wasn't paying attention.”

“You have a picture from that day?”

“I have a couple of them, yeah.”

“Can you scan them and send them to me?”

“Why?” Ali seemed wary at the request.

“For one thing, so I can see what Belle was wearing that day. Can you do that now, while we're on the phone, so you can identify everyone in the picture for me?”

“Tell me again why you're looking for Belle?” “Her uncle, Nick Perone, with whom she lived, is her only relative.” Emme paused, then hastened to add, “On her mother's side. He's been looking for her since January, Ali. He's asked us to help find her, because the police have pretty much given up.” “Belle told me all about her uncle Nick.” “What did she say?” Emme and Nick were both all ears. Nick whispered, “If she calls me a pervert-” “She said he was her mom's younger brother and he was a really good guy. That he took her in after her mother died and that she went through this stage where she did everything she could to make him angry and make him not like her, but he kept her anyway. She said she didn't know what made her do the things she did and she was sorry, and that after a while she just cut it out and they got to be good friends. She said she cared a lot about him, that he was, like, her best bud. Oh, and she said he was really into cars and had the coolest Vette on the planet.”

Emme glanced over at Nick. He made no attempt to hide that his eyes brimmed with tears. She reached over and gave his hand a squeeze, telling herself that years of comforting victims had made such gestures come naturally. He held on to her, and she let him. “So you wouldn't think she'd run away?” “Belle? Uh-uh. She was a really happy, sweet, fun girl. Probably my favorite out of all the sibs, but don't tell the rest of them that.” “Your secret is safe with me.”

“What do you think happened to her?” Ali's voice dropped.

“We don't know. We're trying to track her movements after she left the museum that day. We'll be speaking with all the kids, by the way, to see if anyone's heard from her.”

“Some of them might not talk to you.”

“I guess they'll just have to tell me that themselves. I'm going to try anyway.”

“Give me your email address,” Ali said, “and I'll scan these photos in.”

Emme did as she'd been requested.

“You have the photos handy?”

“They're right here on my desk. Hold on… this will just take a couple of minutes. Don't go away.”

“I'll be here,” Emme assured her. “Good of her to do this,” Emme said, putting her hand over the speaker.

Nick nodded. Clearly, he was still slightly shaken after having heard how much Belle thought of him. Had she never told him? Emme wondered. Probably not. Kids sometimes don't think to tell the adults in their lives how they feel about them.

Chloe, on the other hand, at four, never hesitated to speak her mind about who she loved and how much. Just last evening, after Emme had finished the meal Trula had saved for her and they were leaving for the hotel for the night, Chloe had thrown her arms around Trula's neck, hugged her, and declared, “I love you, Trula. I wish you were my grandma.” Trula had been this close to puddling up-there'd been no mistaking that look.

Would the day come when Chloe's heart would no longer be as open? Emme hoped not…

“Okay, the pictures should be there any minute now.” Ali was back on the line.

“Hold on, let me check.” Emme turned the laptop in her direction and hit a few keys to access her mail. “Yes, they're here.”

She opened the email.

“Tell me who's who,” she said.

Nick pushed back his chair and stood behind Emme's, leaning over her shoulder to get a closer look at the photos.

“On the top one, from left to right, there's Hayley, me, Lori, Henry, and Belle.”

Hayley, clearly the youngest, wore an orange stadium coat with fur around the hood. Ali was tall and had very short blond hair and looked nothing like any of the other kids in the photo. Lori and Henry favored Hayley slightly, and bore a strong resemblance to each other. Belle wore a red peacoat over jeans and had a paper bag tucked under one arm. All five faced the camera with happy-go-lucky smiles.

Emme twisted in her seat to look up at Nick. He touched the back of her neck ever so slightly, the gesture catching her off guard. She looked back at the screen and kept her attention focused there. Or tried to.

“Who took the pictures?”

“A really nice lady who was taking some pictures out front offered to take them for me.”