The Courage Tree - Diane Chamberlain [50]
“But no one’s called,” Joe said. “Wouldn’t they have called by now?”
“Not if they wanted to get far away before they do.”
“Could they be after money from the other girl’s family?” Janine’s father asked.
“Not likely,” Loomis said. “He’s a grocery clerk with a slew of kids.”
“It sounds like you think Alison might have taken them,” Joe said. “The Scout leader.”
“Well, on the one hand, that would fit, since everyone knows she drove off with them.” Loomis stretched out his long legs, wincing when the chair made a barely perceptible cracking sound. “But we checked her background, and even though people say she’s a little…nutty, I guess the right word would be…she has no record of doing anything outside the law. She was a straight-A student in college. And the really interesting thing is that she’s getting married next Saturday.”
“What?” Janine said.
“Yeah, not a lot of people knew, apparently. But I’ve spoken with her roommate, Charlotte, and her fiancé, Garret, and they said it’s supposed to be a quiet little ceremony at Meadowlark Gardens. Just a few friends and Garret’s family. Alison’s mother is in Ohio, and she has a back injury and can’t make it. The wedding’s been planned for six months or so, and Alison was excited about it. Seems like a funny time to kidnap a couple of kids, doesn’t it?”
“I’m so confused,” Janine said. “None of this makes any sense.”
“I know.” Sergeant Loomis had genuine sympathy in his voice. “But it will in time. These things don’t stay mysteries forever.”
“We don’t have time, though,” Janine said quietly. “Like I told you…like I said at the press conference…Sophie needs…” She felt the eyes of her family on her. Her mother seemed to hate her, her father was disappointed in her, and although Joe certainly shared her frustration, he did not give a hoot if Sophie ever received another IV of Herbalina. “She was supposed to get a medical treatment today,” Janine finished.
Her mother scoffed. “She needs treatment, all right, but not that one.”
“We know, Mrs. Donohue,” Loomis said to Janine. “We’re all very aware that Sophie has a life-threatening illness.” He turned to her mother. “I know that Joe, here, doesn’t agree with the treatment Sophie’s getting,” he said. “It sounds like you don’t either, am I hearing that right?”
“None of us do,” Janine’s father said. “We think putting Sophie in that study was a mistake. But—”
“You would have rather seen her suffer some more?” Janine said, her voice rising.
“Of course not,” her mother said. “But we wanted to give her a chance to live. All her doctors, every one of them, said that herbal…stuff…would just give her temporary relief. You gave up on Sophie ever getting better. All you cared about was that she died with a smile on her face.”
“Mom,” Joe said. “Now’s the wrong time for this.”
“It’s the perfect time,” Donna said. “Sophie was always—”
Loomis suddenly stood up, silencing her with the sheer mass of his presence. “Joe’s right,” he said. “We need unity here, not a lot of tearing each other apart.” He spoke in a neutral, peace-keeping tone, and Janine wondered if he’d been trained to do that when family tempers flared. “And we know this is an urgent situation, Janine. What you said at the press conference today will help spread the word. That way, if it’s a kidnap situation and the kidnapper gets that information, he or she might decide it’s not worth the risk they’re taking and get the girl back to safety.” He started walking to the door, and everyone else got to their feet.
“I’ll be in touch,” he said, as Joe opened the door for him. “Meantime, I want you all to be good to each other.”
Joe walked with him out the front door, and Janine quickly followed. She didn’t dare stay behind with her parents.
Dusk was settling over Ayr Creek as they stood under the portico and watched Loomis walk down the path to the driveway, where his car was parked. The broad front lawn was dotted with fireflies.
Janine brushed a mosquito