Silver Falls - Anne Stuart [50]
Rachel flung the phone across the car, not even bothering to hang up, and backed out into the street without looking, narrowly missing an oncoming car. Her tires skidded as she sped across town, hydroplaning as she reached the mountain, and she had no choice but to slow down when she started up the narrow road that led up to Caleb’s half-finished house.
It took her fifteen miserable minutes to make it up there, her tires spinning, her hands cold with sweat, and when she pulled up at his place she just clipped the fender of his rented Toyota.
The stairs were slick with rain, but she pulled herself together enough to climb them carefully, avoiding the weak one, and she forced her breathing to slow. She was going to kill someone, preferably Caleb, but she didn’t need to panic Sophie.
The house had no locks, and she shoved the door open so hard it banged against the wall, shaking the entire structure. Caleb was sitting on the floor by the wood fire, his long legs stretched out, a beer in one hand, as he looked up at her.
“Where the fuck is my daughter?”
“Ma!” Sophie moved into view. She’d been sitting across the room from Caleb, a can of Diet Coke in her hand. “Chill!”
Caleb raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, Ma,” he said. “Chill. I told her to call you.”
“She did.” Rachel came down the short flight of steps to the room. Caleb had thrown something over the bloodstain in the middle of the room, thank God, and Sophie looked both relaxed and indignant, if such a thing were possible.
Sophie had risen, a graceful fluid movement, her long hair swinging. “Are you all right?”
Don’t kill them both, Rachel told herself, struggling for calm. Even if they deserve it. “Girls have been murdered in Silver Falls, Sophie. I was worried.”
Sophie immediately looked stricken. “I’m sorry I scared you. You hadn’t said anything about picking me up and it was raining so hard I thought I’d call Caleb and see if he wanted to. Besides, I wanted to get to know him better.”
Caleb drew himself together and rose in a leisurely manner. “Can I get you a beer, Rachel? If I remember, you like my beer.”
“You’ve been here before, Ma?” Sophie looked at her, an odd expression in her eyes.
“Caleb gave me a ride down the mountain yesterday,” she said, controlling her anger. “Sweetie, would you do me a favor and go out and wait in the car? I need to talk to Caleb about something.”
“Now you’re in trouble. She’s hardcore when she talks like that.” She gave Rachel a swift kiss on the cheek. “Don’t be too hard on him, Ma. He was just doing me a favor.”
She waited until Sophie had left, closing the door behind her, before she turned to face Caleb. “You leave her the hell alone,” she said fiercely. “Don’t talk to her, don’t go near her.”
“Why?”
For a moment she was stopped. “Why?”
“Yes, why? Do you think I’m a pervert who molests little girls? Do you think I’m a murderer who strangles women and throws their bodies into the falls? Do you think I’m more dangerous than—” He stopped midsentence. “Exactly what do you think, Rachel?”
“I think that I’m barely holding things together and until they find out who killed those girls then I’m not going to let my daughter out of my sight unless she’s at school.”
“You’re an idiot. You should get the hell out of town.”
“Listen, if you’re so worried about us why don’t you set my mind at ease and keep your distance? Sophie might not like it but I’d appreciate it.”
For a moment he said nothing, and she could see the frustration and anger practically vibrating through his body. “Do me one favor,” he said finally. “Don’t let Sophie wear anything in her hair.”
“What do you mean?”
“No barrettes, ribbons, ponytail holders. Not even a bobby pin.”
He must have flipped out completely. “I don’t even know if they still have bobby pins. And she needs barrettes—otherwise her hair falls in her face.”
“Let it. Even better, get her hair cut.”
“Why?”
“When the women have been found