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“Okay, Piglet, back to the subject books, please. Daddy’s going outside.”
“Okay,” Mary says, but her pout is anything but agreeable. One look from her and my annoyance at her father melts away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Lulu
School doesn’t last very long. Both Mary and I get distracted the minute I finish the repair. She insists on changing, which then turns into me changing. After all, I did promise.
Her subject books lay abandoned on the table as we sneak to the front door.
Ajax is busy placing plant pots a few feet away.
Weird.
I glance at Mary, but she just shrugs.
“Okay, thirty minutes playing near the stream and then back to math,” I whisper.
Piglet nods her agreement.
Deal.
At the door, Ajax spots us immediately but feigns ignorance. I jump out of the RV over the steps, andMary quickly copies my actions. Straightening, we walk briskly toward the water, our backs ramrod straight. I hold in my smile as her little arms swing like she’s marching.
She’s so cute.
“Okay, Piglet, shoes and socks off. What are we hunting for first?”
“Fairies,” Mary says in a tone that tells me she thinks that I’m a moron for asking.
We tuck our socks into our sneakers and step onto the large rocks. The shallow stream flows calmly.
Her laughter rings out, and I quickly lose track of time. The heat of her father’s gaze fades the longer we’re out here. He slowly goes back to what he was doing, then settles in a chair with his laptop on his knees.
Happy. I feel happy for the first time in a very long time. I push all thoughts of murder and Cromwell Town away and enjoy the moment.
“Girls! Mary, Lulu!”
I look around when I hear Ajax’s frantic tone calling for us, but all I see are trees.Shit, how did that happen?
“We need to go back, Mary,” I rush, offering my hand.
Please don’t be too mad.
We hurry back to the stream. A worried Ajax stands on the other side. His face relaxes in relief.
“I’m sorry, we were playing,” I explain lamely.
“I know”—he nods—“but it’s time to come in.” He waves at us to cross.
With Mary’s hand still in mine, I reach out a foot for the first stone, only to panic. It’s not there. I twist my head to make sure this is where we crossed earlier, and the same knobby tree is rooted behind us.
So where are the rocks?
Ajax’s eyes drop to my bare foot still frozen above the flowing water. “Where are your shoes?”
I point at the two sets of sneakers close to him. “We used the large rocks to come over, but now they’re gone.”
