A piece of paper on the table in front of her, a pen resting diagonally across. Belโs typed-up statement.
โIf youโve read it all through and youโre happy you got everything, you can sign there on the bottom,โย Dave Winter said, across the interview room from her, his peaked cap on the table. He ran his hands through his thinning hair too much to wear it, a nervous habit. If he was nervous, how did he think Bel felt?
โWhere is she now?โย Belโs eyes trailed down the page, the story of Rachel Priceโs return as sheโd witnessed it, moment by moment, hours and a whole lifetime ago.
โYour mom?โย Dave said, sitting down again.ย โSheโs in with the feds now. Working out if she was kept out of state, whether this is a federal case or not. Attorney generalโs o๏ฌce will want to speak to her next.โ
Bel nodded.
โSign when youโre ready.โ
Should she bring it up now? The moment might be slipping away from her. But this man wasnโt a friend, he was the one who went after her dad, took him away from her. Bel couldnโt trust him, shouldnโt. But they were all in a di๏ฌerent world now, tremors and shakes. Rachel was back, alive, every detail in a changed light, alliances shifting, new sides drawn across the
board. Maybe it had pushed her and the chief of police onto the same one, after hating him all these years.
Maybe she didnโt need to mention it; maybe there was another way.ย โShe really walked all the way from Lancaster?โย Bel asked, keeping her
voiceย ๏ฌat, like it didnโt really matter.ย โThat would take like eight hours, right?โ
Dave whistled.ย โLong way to walk. Sheโs a brave woman. I understand why she wouldnโt want to get in anybody elseโs car after what she lived through.โ
โIs there proof?โย Bel pushed a little harder.ย โProof of what?โ
โThat she walked all the way from Lancaster, like she said?โ
Dave studied her. Bel blinked, putting up the walls behind her eyes.
โWe havenโt had a chance to check for footage yet, to verify. But a couple of police departments had calls in this morning, concerned about a dirty woman walking along the highway. So yeah. She really walked all that way to get home to you.โ
โHave you sent someone to the road where she was left?โย Bel sat forward.ย โYou must be able toย ๏ฌnd the one. Is there a tote bag there? The bag she had over her head? Rachel says she took it o๏ฌ. It should still be there.โย If it was, it meant that Rachel must be telling the truth, that the thing with the engine was just that: a mistake. Bel only needed proof, for her and the knot in her gut.ย โDid youย ๏ฌnd the tote bag?โ
โNot yet,โย Dave said.ย โAll the evidence will be processed, though, donโt worry. Her clothes, the crime scene where she was dropped o๏ฌโwhen we locate itโtire tracks. Weโll get security footage, tra๏ฌc cameras, anything we can get our hands on, to track the man who took her. Bring him to justice. Weโllย ๏ฌnd him, thatโs my job. Donโt you worry.โ
That wasnโt what Bel was worried about. Not yet. She just wanted proof that Rachel was telling the truth, so it would stop nagging at her, feeding the knot.
Bel glanced down at her statement, ran herย ๏ฌnger across the dried ink, coming away clean.
โThereโs something I should tell you,โย she said, studying theย ๏ฌnger.ย โWhatโs that?โ
โItโs small, probably doesnโt mean anything.โย Daveโs chair creaked as he shifted his weight.
โThere was something,โย Bel continued,ย โa slight discrepancy I guess, in the story Rachel told me, and the one she told my dad. Itโs in my statement, I donโt know if you noticed.โ
Dave Winter couldnโt be relied on for his noticing; heโd never cared to notice that Charlie Price was innocent all along.
โWhat was it?โย he asked, sharpening his tired, dried-out eyes.
โThe engine,โย she said.ย โRachel told me that the man left the engine running when he left her on that road. But she later told my dad that heโd turned the car o๏ฌ ๏ฌrst. Just a small thing, really.โย She feigned a shrug.ย โJust a mistake, right?โ
โYes, of course.โย Dave shifted back, like it wasnโt worth his notice.ย โYour mom has been through hell. Hell. The worst a person can live through. Think how exhausted she was, the heightened emotion of seeing her husband and her daughter again after all this time. Trying to give an explanation in that delirious state. Thatโs not the time for giving accurate statements, of course sheโd make mistakes, get something wrong. We have the full, complete story from her, now sheโs had time to rest and process, donโt worry.โ
See? She could believe it, now someone else had said it. Just a mistake, it didnโt mean anything more.
โI know this is a huge readjustment for you,โย Dave said, trying to be kind, thinking her silence meant something else.ย โNone of us saw this coming. No one. It doesnโt feel real yet. But soon this will feel like your new normal. Your family back together, a happy ending. And I know it must be scary, knowing that the man who took your mom, who did this to your family, is still out there. But we will catch him, I promise. He will come to justice.โ
Was that Daveโs mottoโcome to justice? Did he use it in bed with his wife?
โA huge readjustment for you too,โย Bel said, about to bite, chewing the head o๏ฌย his kindness.ย โGod, you must feel just terrible, knowing you were so wrong about my dad. You thought he was a killer, tried to put him behind bars. But he didnโt kill Rachel, because no one did. Itโs almost the worst part, wouldnโt you agree?โ
Dave sighed and his head fell, hanging between his shoulders.ย โIโm sorry, Annabel. Truly. A woman was missing, and I was only trying to do my job, toย ๏ฌnd the truth. Iโve already spoken to your dad today, after our interview, apologized for my part.โ
โOh, you said sorry?โย Bel said, a cheap, plastic smile, sharp enough to cut.ย โWell, that totally makes up for the sixteen years of hell. Thank you for your service, O๏ฌcer.โย She bowed.
โRight, OK,โย he said, pulling his head back up.ย โReady to sign?โ
Bel picked up the pen. Pressed it to the bottom of the page in a looping scribble, signing her name away. Which wasย ๏ฌne, because it was just a tiny mistake, she could stop thinking about it.
โSoโฆwhat happens now?โย she asked, handing the signed statement over. She hesitated as hisย ๏ฌngers closed around it, the paper pulling taut before she gave it up and released her grip.
โNow I take you through to the tech team, who are going to do a cheek swab. With your permission, of course.โ
Bel stared at him, the question clear in her eyes.
โDNA test,โย he explained.ย โWeโve taken one from Rachel too. To prove who she is.โ
โSheโฆmight not be Rachel Price?โย Bel said. And maybe that was it, the thing that felt wrong. Because if it was really her mom, wouldnโt Bel feelโ
โNo, no, of course she is.โย Dave almost laughed, getting to his feet.ย โThat woman is de๏ฌnitely your mom, thereโs no doubt. No doubt at all. This is just procedure, you know.โ
He headed toward the door.
As soon as his back was turned, Bel cradled her hands over the pen, swiping it up her sleeve and standing in oneย ๏ฌuid movement.
โAnd then?โย she asked.
Dave turned, his hand ready on the doorknob.
โWell, there will be lots going on with our investigative teams. Jurisdiction toย ๏ฌgure out. And weโll need to start prepping for the press conference. Monday morning is looking most likely for that. Everything changes when the media gets hold of this, so we want to be on top of that.โ
โNo, I mean what happens right now. Like tonight. Later.โย Dave narrowed his eyes.
โWhere does she go?โย Bel asked.ย โWh-where does Rachel go?โ
โYour mom?โย he said, eyes softening, a quiet smile in them, crinkling at the edges.ย โAnnabel, she gets to come home with you.โ
โOh.โ
