Mariah Stewart - Cry Mercy

When Emme didn't respond in any way, Trula sat in the chair. “Don't you think he's a good-looking boy?”

“Very.” Emme pretended to read her email.

“Nice, too. Polite. Chloe sure likes him a lot. She told me all about the trip to the zoo. I'll bet she didn't leave out one second of the day. Said he took you both out to dinner on the way back and promised to take her to one of those amusement parks where they have all the wild animals roaming around.” Trula smiled. “She also said he came back to your room and-”

“He came back to the hotel with us so he could carry Chloe upstairs. She fell asleep over dinner.”

“No need to be so defensive, Emme.”

“I just wouldn't want you to think that…”

“Why? You're a lovely young woman, and he's… well, we've already established what he is. And Chloe likes him. What's the problem?”

“The problem is that Chloe likes him.” Emme gave up. When Trula wanted to talk about something, damn it, you were going to talk . “Look, since I adopted Chloe, I've made it a point to not get involved with anyone.”

“Are you telling me you haven't had a date in four years?” Both of Trula's eyebrows rose almost to her hairline.

“No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying I haven't gotten involved with anyone in particular because I didn't want her to get attached to someone who wasn't going to be around.”

“Don't go so fast. You haven't met anyone you liked in four years?”

“I've met a couple of guys that I liked over the past few years, yes.”

“But you didn't give any of them a chance because you were afraid your daughter might like them?”

“Not that she might like them, but that she might get used to having someone around, and then when they weren't, it would be hard for her.”

“Why did you assume none of these men would care enough about you to stay?”

When Emme didn't answer, Trula said, “That's the real issue, kiddo. At least as I see it.”

Emme's throat constricted, and she wanted nothing more than for Trula to leave, but the woman made no move toward the door. Choosing her words carefully, Emme said, “I didn't have a very stable childhood. I want better for Chloe.”

“Understandable. Admirable, even. But don't assume that everyone is going to leave you, Emme.” Trula stood and brushed a tiny bit of flour from her sleeve. “There are people in this world who will love you, who will care about you, who will stand by you and who will not let you down, no matter what. I think that's something Chloe already knows. It seems to me that you could learn a little something from her.”

When Emme finally composed herself enough to turn around, Trula was gone, and her phone was ringing.

“Oh, shit,” she muttered as she wiped her eyes. Clearing her throat, she answered the call.

“Is this Miss Caldwell?” a young woman's voice asked.

“Yes. Who's this?”

“This is Ava, Miss Caldwell.”

“Ava…”

“Yes. I've been away at school and really tied up with work at the end of the semester. I read your emails-I know you're looking for Belle. I was so sorry to hear that she's been missing.”

“Unfortunately, she's not the only one.”

“Hayley called me. She told me about Henry, Ali, and Lori disappearing. I know it has something to do with our donor, with Donor 1735. I know Belle figured out his identity,” Ava said, her voice choked with emotion. “I never should have let her contact him on her own. I should have followed my instincts and-”

“Wait, Ava. Are you saying that Belle was in contact with Congressman Gardner?”

“You know it's him, then?”

“Yes. Are you telling me that Belle contacted him?”

“She did. And now she's missing. And Henry is dead and Lori and Ali are who knows where.” She sobbed. “I can never forgive myself for not being more involved in this. I really didn't think these kids would be able to figure out who he was. If only I'd…”

“Why do you think you could have changed things?”

“Because I'm older, and supposed to be wiser. I should have just taken this on myself. I would have approached him in a different way. I would have done a lot of things differently, and my sisters wouldn't be missing. Henry wouldn't be dead.”

“You know, the police investigating Henry's death don't believe it's connected to any of this. They don't believe that Lori's disappearance has anything to do with Belle being gone.”

“Really?” Ava paused. “I would have thought they'd want to investigate the similarities. Especially with Ali being gone now.”

“It makes no sense to me, either.”

“The reason I called is I'm going to go talk to Congressman Gardner. I was wondering if maybe you'd come with me.”

“I already met with him, Ava. He denies knowing about the donor siblings and he made it quite clear he had very little interest in meeting any of you. I'm sorry, I know that isn't what you want to hear.”

“I don't think it matters to me whether he's interested in meeting us or not. I need to see him. I need to ask him about Belle.”

“Why are you so certain that she contacted him?”

“Because the night of that art museum get-together, she drove down to his house to talk to him.”

“How do you know that?”

“She told me she was going. I wasn't able to make it to Philadelphia that day, so I called her later in the afternoon. She was in her car, on her way to Maryland. She told me she had his address and was going to his house to talk to him.”

“Was he expecting her?”

“No, I think she was going to surprise him.”

“So you don't know if she actually spoke with him.”

“No, but I'm going to find out.”

“Ava, if you've known this all this time, why didn't you tell someone?”

“Because, like I said, I was off the board most of this year because of school. I'm working on a doctorate in education, and most of the time, my head is spinning, there's so much work to do. I wasn't aware that Belle was missing until recently.”

“If you knew Donor 1735's identity, why didn't you follow up with Belle to find out if she met with him?”

“For one thing, I didn't really care about him. I have a father, Miss Caldwell. I come from a very happy and secure home. I had no interest in this man just because he happened to donate sperm to my mother. I feel no connection to him whatsoever. I don't feel that I have any right to intrude in his life and I don't want him in mine.”

“So why are you going to speak with him now?”

“Because three of my sisters are missing, and one of my brothers is dead.”

“You feel a connection to them even though you feel no such connection to him.”

“Yes,” Ava said, after a moment's hesitation.

“Ava, Congressman Gardner has assured me that he knew nothing about the children who were born as a result of his sperm donation.”

“I would like him to look me in the eye and tell me that.”

“He's agreed to see you?”

“Yes.”

Emme sighed. “When are you planning on meeting with him?”

“In about three hours. I'm on my way there now.”

“That's about how long it would take me to get there.” Emme looked at the clock. It was already one.

“I know it's an imposition, but I'd just feel safer if you were there. It would be more official, since you're investigating Belle's disappearance, and since you're a cop or something and you probably carry a gun.”

“Ava, I'm a private investigator, not a cop. I don't carry a gun, and even if I did, I wouldn't go into the home of a state congressman with a concealed weapon. If you're worried about him, why not call the police?”

Ava laughed. “Miss Caldwell, he's a congressman, and I'm a grad student from Boston. Besides, what would I say that wouldn't backfire on the other kids if he really doesn't know anything about Belle, and the others really want to meet with him?”