Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (134 page)

The
woman
seemed
hesitant
to
divulge
any
information,
but
upon
learning
that
he
was
using
it
to
establish
her
whereabouts
in
connection
to
the
kidnapping
of
a
child,
the
hotel
manager
became
eager
to
help.
While
she
researched
hotel
charges
for
room
service,
and
other
amenities,
he
listened
to
her
question
several
employees
about
having
seen
her
on
each
of
the
days.
From
his
end,
it
seemed
as
if
she
made
herself
as
memorable
as
ever.

“Well,
thank
you
for
your
help.”
It
hadn’t
been
helpful
at
doing
anything
but
clearing
the
woman,
but
that
wasn’t
the
manager’s
fault.
“I
suppose
you’ll
see
her
next
February
,
unless
she
decides
that
January
is
her
new
favorite
time
of
the
year.”

T
he
woman
in
Curacao
chattered
about
Geraldine
Stuart’s
plans,
and
William’s
eyes
grew
wide
,
his
pen
scratching
information
as
quickly
as
he
could
get
it
onto
the
paper.
“Thank
you
again.
You’ve
been
a
great
help.”

Megan
stepped
into
the
station
in
time
to
see
him
drop
the
phone
in
its
cradle
and
stab
the
paper
on
his
desk
with
his
pen.
“Gotcha.”

“Got
what?”

“Geraldine
Stuart
had
her
trip
scheduled
for
February
eighth
through
the
twentieth.
She
rescheduled
this
on
the
ninth.”

“Of
this
month?
Why
is
that
date
familiar?”

William
grinned.
“That
is
the
date
that
the
restraining
order
expired.”

Aggie says:
Are you there?

Milliken says:
Yes.

Aggie says:
Mom?

Milliken says:
No, it’s Dad. Mom’s sleeping. I had to give her a sedative. She’s a bit overwrought.

Milliken says:
Any news?

Aggie says:
Maybe. William is sure it’s Geraldine Stuart.

Milliken says:
But you said the guy looked like Luke.

Aggie says:
Something about hiring someone… he’s plowing through financials looking for any regular withdrawals in the past year—particularly since the restraining order.

Milliken says:
Well, as much as I’d like it to be her at this point, it seems a bit far-fetched.

Aggie says:
He seems to have some kind of support, but he’s not telling me what.

Aggie says:
Dad, the kids are falling apart. Tavish is scaring me, Vannie takes it all very personally, and the little girls are convinced that the TV crew will be taking them next. Cari even blames herself.

Milliken says:
Cari blames herself?

Aggie says:
Yep. She says if she wasn’t so “bad” that Ellie would be here. I know, it makes no sense, but to her it does.

Milliken says:
That’s endearing in a sad little way.

Aggie says:
Kenzie informed her that everything isn’t about her. According to Laird, she (Kenzie) was quoting him.

Milliken:
We need to come, don’t we.

Aggie says:
If we don’t find her tomorrow or the next day, yes.

Aggie says:
I’m sorry, Dad. I’d say come now, but Mom…

Milliken says:
We’ll be on our way first thing in the morning.

Aggie says:
You don’t think the kids will think that means she’s not coming back, do you?

Milliken says:
We’ll cross that bridge when I get there.

Aggie says:
I’m sorry. I can’t help but think this was preventable, but with the Luke look-a-like and the same truck… I think it would have happened no matter what we did. Same thing, different place.

Milliken says:
That’s probably true. Keep praying, Aggie. It’ll be ok.

Aggie says:
It doesn’t feel like it. I should go. I think Tavish is  crying again. Night.

Milliken says:
Night.

Tips of the Trade

Thursday,
January
22
^nd

After
several
days
of
no
school,
no
structure,
and
minimal
supervision,
the
children
were
more
than
a
little
restless.
Aggie’s
nerves,
stretched
to
the
point
of
snapping,
seemed
to
dictate
the
tone
of
the
house—something
she
was
not
particularly
happy
to
realize.
The
latest
victim
of
her
impatience,
Kenzie,
crumpled
into
Libby’s
arms,
wailing
that
Aunt
Aggie
hated
her
now,
making
Aggie
feel
like
the
world’s
most
unfit
aunt-
mother.