An hour later she left the house, glancing around before she climbed into her mother’s car. I followed at a distance.
I tailed her to a subdivision and noticed her car slowing down, her brake lights flashing like she was going to stop soon. I didn’t want to get too close, so I parked on the side of the road and hoofed it up the hill. I spotted her car in front of a big house with elaborate landscaping that had to cost a fortune. It also looked like there was a pool in the backyard and that the property overlooked the ocean. It had to be Shauna’s place. Then I realized Kim was still sitting in her car—at the last second I caught the glow of her face, lit by a cell phone. I ducked behind some bushes, close enough to see the car. She was texting someone. A moment later, Shauna came out of the house and got into the passenger seat. Kim rolled down the window, lit another cigarette.
They talked for a while. I couldn’t see much, just Kim’s profile, puffs of smoke. After about ten minutes Shauna got out of the car and leaned through the window, said something. She walked away, but Kim stayed in her car for a couple more minutes, blowing smoke out the window as she stared back at the house. Finally she drove off.
I got back in my truck. Partway down the road, I recognized a girl standing in the shadows on the shoulder. Ashley. How long had she been watching? When she saw me slowing down, she tried to turn her face away. I stopped beside her and rolled down the window.
“What are you doing, Ashley?”
“Same thing as you.” She pointed toward the house. “Watching my mom talk to Kim. I was just coming home when I saw her get in the car, and thought it was weird.”
Now I noticed the video camera in her hand. The red light on.
“What the hell, Ashley? Are you recording me?”
“I was recording them.” She flicked the light off. “I didn’t see your truck until later.”
“I’d feel a lot better if you gave me the memory card.”
“It’s on the hard drive—I can’t take it out. And I have other stuff on here.”
This wasn’t good, but I didn’t want to piss the kid off. She could really screw things up for me and Ryan. “If that got in the wrong hands and my truck was seen near your mom’s place, I’m going back to prison. Do you understand?”
“I won’t show it to anyone.”
“Ashley, this is my life on the line.”
She looked up the road toward her house, gnawing her lip. Finally she did something on the camera, showing me the delete button as she pressed it.
“It’s gone, but I’m just trying to help you.”
“This has nothing to do with you.”
“Yes, it does, she’s my mother.” She looked angry, but not at me.
This time I looked back at the house, wondered what it must be like to grow up with a mother like Shauna. I still didn’t know if Ashley was just trying to get at the truth or get back at her mom for something.
“If you want to help me, just stay out of it. I don’t want anyone else caught up in this mess.”
An outside light went on at the house beside us, casting light onto the road. I put my truck in gear and tore off, watching Ashley in my rearview mirror as she walked toward her house, head down, like she was deep in thought.
*
The next day I drove to the hospital early, hoping to catch Rachel coming in from the parking lot, or leaving—I didn’t want to go to her house because I knew she had a family. I had a feeling it was going to be a long wait and brought some snacks and water, but after a few hours in my truck I’d gone through all my supplies. I was hungry and desperate for a pee when I finally saw Rachel leave with a group of nurses around lunchtime. Shit. I’d been hoping she’d be alone. I decided to wait and see what happened.
The group sat at a picnic table under a maple tree, laughing as they ate their sandwiches and salads. I thought of my girls back at Rockland and wondered if I’d ever find that camaraderie again with people on the outside. I’d come close, at the restaurant and the shelter, but that had been ripped away from me too. I felt another hot jolt of anger, reminding me that I had to settle this once and for all.
After they were finished, the other nurses went inside, leaving Rachel while she flipped open her cell phone, texting someone. I got out of my truck and headed in her direction. Intent on her phone, she didn’t notice me.
“Hi, Rachel.”
She glanced up, a confused smile on her face that vanished as soon as she recognized me. She stood up, grabbing at her things. “Get away from me.”
“I have some information you need.”
“There’s nothing I need from you.” She was looking around like she was about to scream for help. I worried about staff security. I had to get her attention.
“It’s about Shauna, what she’s going to do to you.”
“Shauna’s not going to do anything.” But she still didn’t walk away. Same as with Kim, there was something in her that wanted to hear what I had to say.
“You have a family now—kids.”