Chapter no 36

Want to Know a Secret?

I wait until the cop car is out of sight. But I don’t want to wait too long, because I don’t know how long Sean will be out of the house. And also, I’ve got to pick up Bobby from school in an hour and a half. I’ve never been late before, and today won’t be the first time.

I cut across Maria’s front lawn from my own, to reduce the chances anyone will see me. Of course, nobody will think anything of it if they do see me. What are they going to think—I’m breaking into my neighbors’ house? Unthinkable.

I keep my fingers crossed as I look under the potted plant by the front door. I know Sean gave Maria a hard time about keeping the spare key there, so it’s very likely it’s not there anymore. But to my relief, when I move the plant, the key is exactly where it was before. I pick it up and fit it into the lock.

Maria’s living room is just as it always is. Clean, but slightly cluttered with Owen’s toys. Photos all over the walls of the family. My eyes fall on one photo over the fireplace—a Christmas photo based on the sweaters they’re wearing. They look so happy. You would never guess Maria wasn’t Owen’s biological mother—they look so much alike.

That’s when it hits me. What has always bothered me about this living room. There are no photos of Owen’s mother.

Not that Maria is obligated to have a photograph of Sean’s first wife in her home. But you would think if the poor woman was the mother of her son and died tragically, they would want some memory of her to be in their home. Especially considering how many photos there are. Why isn’t there even one of Owen’s biological mother?

I wonder how Sean’s first wife died. People that age don’t just drop dead. Something terrible must have happened to her.

Well, I’m not going to let anything terrible happen to me.

I’ve got to find that burner phone. I’m convinced it’s the key to everything. She probably used the phone to communicate with Brianna. And now the detective is claiming people saw a white SUV in Brianna’s

neighborhood. Except Maria’s car is almost identical to mine. Maybe that wasn’t unintentional. Maybe her plan all along was to set me up.

I noticed that when I cut across the lawn, I got mud all over my shoes. It won’t do to leave my muddy footprints all over their house. So I slip off my flats and walk across the living room in my bare feet. It will be quieter this way.

I check the obvious places. The desk in the living room. I search around the kitchen, trying to be as thorough as I can without making a mess. After twenty minutes of frantic searching, I’ve come up with nothing. My best bet is to look upstairs. Of course, if somebody came in while I’m on the first floor, I would hear the door and be able to slip out through the back. If I go upstairs, I’ll be trapped up there.

But I won’t be up there long. Twenty minutes at the most.

I walk up the stairs quickly. They creak a lot compared with our stairs. Mrs. Kirkland lived here forever, and she probably never got them repaired when they needed it. They creaked back then too.

I know exactly where the master bedroom is after last time. I step inside, quickly scanning the room for hiding places. There are about six dresser drawers. A drawer in the nightstand. And then there’s the closet. This could take a long time.

I look down at my watch. I still have an hour before I have to get Bobby. I’m going to find that phone if it’s here.

I pull open one of the dresser drawers. It’s full of Sean’s large T-shirts. I run my fingers over one of them. I still don’t understand how Maria ended up with a guy like him. He could do so much better. He doesn’t even seem to realize it. Maria was there at the right time and the right place after his wife died. Almost like she planned it.

That’s when I hear the noise from downstairs. The lock turning. Oh no. No no no no…

In my surprise, I stumble backward and knock into the dresser. A hardcover that was balanced on top of the dresser slips off and lands on the ground with a resounding thump.

This just got so much worse.

“Sean?” It’s Maria’s voice from downstairs. “Is that you?” I freeze, not sure what to do.

“Sean?” she calls again.

And then she’s quiet for a moment. I don’t hear footsteps though. I would know if she was coming up the stairs. She’s just standing there. What is she doing?

Then I remember.

My shoes. I left them by the front door.

I stand there, trying to be as quiet as I can, wondering if I should attempt to hide. The closet is wide open and there’s enough room for me to slip inside. She can’t be here for long.

And then I hear my phone buzz inside my pocket.

My hand is shaking so badly, I almost drop the phone before I take it out. Once I get it safely in my hand, I look at the words taunting me from the screen: