Tess’s hopes crashed. She almost burst into tears. Marian Bell was behind this and had sent a go-between this time. The bait was Marian’s money. And the “in confidence” part of the bargain was, no doubt, to go behind Gabe’s back. Why couldn’t people believe she was telling the truth about not recalling her childhood trauma?

“Please tell Ms. Bell,” Tess said, “that I would love to sell but not with strings attached, especially ones tied in knots. I do not recall my abduction details, my captivity or my captor. As you put it, I sympathize and empathize, but I cannot help her as she wishes, even for a bribe I would love to take.”

Erika’s back stiffened. “A bribe? Hardly that! Marian is kind enough to help me buy this house, that’s all.”

“Then, until either of you buys it straight-out with no hidden agenda,” Tess said, standing, “tell her I’m so sorry about Amanda, but that’s all I can offer her.”

Erika didn’t even put her jacket back on, grabbing it from the back of her chair and walking out. Had Gabe gotten a restraining order against Marian for bothering Tess so she had to send her friend? God forgive her, but it had entered Tess’s mind that a few lies to Marian could help Tess have her dream and get out of here for good, but think how much damage that would do. No, she had to stay here longer to help Gabe, maybe even help find Amanda, Jill and Sandy.

As Erika’s car roared off down the road—how could that small thing make so much noise?—Tess saw a vehicle she did recognize. The old white square truck marked CC Library Bookmobile pulled into her drive.

Though she was wiping away tears of disappointment, Tess almost smiled. It looked as if Miss Etta Falls had been stalking her book club competition.

“Miss Etta,” she called, going out to meet her. “Do you know who that was?”

“By her license plate, CLBQN,” she said with a nod and a sniff.

“What’s that stand for?”

“Club Queen. Oh, I’ve had more than one discussion with that woman when she came in to see if we had the latest books—without a library card of her own. Not always the latest, but the greatest books, I told her.”

“She was considering buying the house, but I turned down her offer.”

“Good for you. You see I haven’t changed the bookmobile one bit, don’t you? Does it bring back memories of reading with your mother and sisters? Your father, I think, was interested in other things,” she said with another sniff.

“Yes, I have those memories, at least.”

“Well, I came by with several books I thought you might like. Can’t say ‘enjoy,’ but they might help you. Not to recall the past, but just to cope with the present.”

She pulled a book bag from the back of the van, slammed its door and started for the house. Tess, touched but hesitant to take on any books, followed. No one ever crossed Miss Etta, in the library or out.

“Now, these are books you can skim-read until something strikes you as helpful or personal,” Miss Etta was saying as Tess held the door open for her. “Oh, my, bare bones in here, so you will have time to read—no need to be fussing with other things. And a rocking chair is the perfect place, right by a window.”

Tess sat, feeling she was the preschool child and Miss Etta the teacher. The woman hauled out three books and gave a little summary of each, and as she spoke, Tess became more interested. One was Too Scared to Cry, another Psychic Trauma in Childhood, both by a woman psychiatrist. The third was Unchained Memories: True Stories of Traumatic Memories Lost and Found.

“If any of these help you—bounce something loose in that sharp brain of yours—you let me know. I’ve read all of these, just out of interest. So, if you need advice, I could talk you through some things, maybe go with you to the sheriff. You are working with him, aren’t you?”

“I’d like to but I really can’t help much.”

“Well, don’t fret. That specialist he has here from the BCI will find the girls, if they are to be found. And steer clear of Dane Thompson,” she added as she got to her feet and picked up the now empty book bag. “He reads true crime,” she said in a whisper. “And that cemetery of his is an abomination. Oh, here in the bottom of the bag—your temporary library card. I know you don’t intend to stay long, so just bring that back with the books. I am sure you’ll be more amenable to thinking about your situation than your cousin Lee and his wife were about theirs,” she added with a shake of her head.

Tess waved to her from the front porch as the spry woman climbed up into the van, honked and drove away. One of the taillights on the old vehicle was out. She wondered if Gabe would ever dare to pull Miss Etta over for that.

At least some things never changed around here—good things—Tess thought. Maybe she’d take a look at those books. And Miss Etta’s mentioning Lee and Gracie made her remember she still hadn’t taken their kids the gifts she’d brought. First thing in the morning she was heading for the Hear Ye Commune. Seeing her cousin’s family would cheer her up, after getting her hopes dashed for the sale of the house. And she’d have to tell Gabe about that.

* * *

Tess was surprised she had to wait in an anteroom at the Hear Ye compound to see if Gracie, Lee or the children were available. After about a quarter of an hour—she was getting bad vibes about this place—Gracie came in with Kelsey and Ethan. Four-year-old Kelsey, her blond braid bobbing, ran to give Tess a hug, but Ethan hung back until Gracie brought him over for hugs all around. It was only after chatting with the kids and reaching for the gift sack that Tess saw another woman had come in behind them and stood by the door. She was tall and big-boned. Her arms were crossed over her breasts.

“Oh, hello,” Tess said, wondering if the woman could be a preschool teacher here. If so, she had a much too serious expression to encourage kids.

“Forgot to tell you,” Gracie said. “This is Naomi, a friend. Since you mentioned you have personal presents for Kelsey and Ethan, she’ll help distribute them.”

“To whom? I brought gifts for them.”

“To the others—their friends. I’m sure you teach your pupils to share, and we’re real big on that here. You know, Give unto others.”

“I suppose the LEGOs could go far, but a doll—”

“A doll is wonderful,” Naomi cut in, “to teach all the young sisters to care for others.”

To Tess’s further amazement and unease, even before she could lift the gifts from the sack, Gracie took it and handed it to Naomi.

“The children have to head back to school now,” Gracie said, twisting the bottom of her denim jacket in her hands. Except for that, she wore the same style of dress as Naomi, though they were in different dark colors.

“Back to school? Preschool? But I just got here,” Tess insisted. “Well, can I see their schoolroom, then?”

“Sorry,” Gracie said, and rolled her eyes, either in an effort to subtly criticize Naomi and this place, or—was that some sort of warning? But about what? To agree to this? To back off?

Tess kneeled again to hug the children goodbye. It wasn’t her imagination that Kelsey clung to her. The little girl no doubt recalled earlier gifts, the phone calls and recent visit for Mom’s funeral. Maybe she’d even been told about or seen photos of the earlier visits to Michigan before Lee got completely swept up by all this.

“Don’t worry about us—or think about us anymore. We’re fine. Just fine,” Gracie whispered, and, pulling Ethan along, followed the others out. Hurt and shocked, Tess stood there with tears in her eyes. They had left the door open as if she was to find her own way out.

As she strode from the room, down the hall she’d come in, she almost felt as if Kelsey and little Ethan—even Gracie—had been abducted. Her sadness mingled with sharp anger. Was that what the families of the victims of the Cold Creek kidnapper felt too? She could not recall her emotions when she was taken besides feeling so very lost.