“Yes. Of course. I know the protocol.”
“Because you didn’t lock it earlier today when I came home.”
“Mom.”
“Okay, okay.”
“If Celia comes back or wants to find you, she knows your cell number. You don’t have to keep a landline listed for her.”
Jenna moved across the kitchen and continued with her cleaning. “I know it isn’t logical, okay? None of it is. I just want to make sure there are multiple ways for her to find me. I think you can understand that.”
“I get it. Really, I do.” He gave her a little smile, an expression of sympathy. Most of the time, he tolerated his strange mother very well.
“You should get out of those wet things,” she said. “It’s cold.”
“Yeah.”
But he didn’t move. He lingered in the doorway of the kitchen while Jenna rinsed glasses and plates and put them in the dishwasher.
“Aren’t you going to say anything about Tabitha?” he asked.
Jenna stopped what she was doing, dried her hands on a relatively clean towel. “I am sorry I walked in on you two. You know I try to respect your privacy. Like I said, I was a little frazzled today.” She watched his face. He seemed curious, his eyes intently watching her. “They thought they found a body out in an old barn.” She shook her head at the mad emotional rush the whole thing had brought down on her. How had she given in to it so easily? “I went out there for nothing. It was a deer skeleton. They found the leg bone and thought it was a person. Then they dug around and found antlers and everything else. So I let myself get worked up. When I came home and the door was open and I thought you weren’t here, I freaked a little. Sally came over tonight and calmed me down.”
“That’s messed up.”
“It is. Better yet, I cursed on camera, and they ran it on CNN tonight.”
Jared’s face brightened. “Really? What did you say?”
Jenna warmed to the conversation with her son, realizing that they could bond over this. After all, who would appreciate someone cursing on national TV more than a teenager?
“I dropped an f-bomb. And I used the Lord’s name in vain. A daily double.”
Jared laughed, but his eyes remained serious. Something was bothering him, and she waited to see if he’d share it.
“Can I ask you something?” he said.
“Sure.” Jenna tossed the towel aside. “Do you want to change first?”
“No.” He seemed to be choosing his words, trying to think of the best way to say what he had to say. “Did Grandpa ever kiss you?”
“Kiss me? You mean like a peck on the cheek?”
“I was thinking on the lips,” Jared said.
“You remember Grandpa, right? He wasn’t the warmest guy. I don’t think he ever kissed Grandma on the lips. Why are you asking me about that?”
He seemed to be working up to another question, his eyes trained on the floor. But then he shook his head. “Forget it. I haven’t done any of my homework.”
“Wait.” Even as she spoke, Jenna knew she was violating her own rules. She was pushing the conversation, pushing at her son. She hated when she acted that way, maybe all mothers did, but she couldn’t stop herself because she thought something might be wrong. “Is there something about Tabitha?”
Jared stood still for a moment, wavering between walking away and staying. “It’s nothing, Mom. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s just that there was something about her. She looked familiar to me, and I couldn’t figure out where I’d seen her before. But I’ve been thinking about it, and here you are, having some kind of issue.”
“There’s no issue,” he said, his voice getting louder.
“Maybe I know her dad. Maybe that’s why she looked familiar. What I’m saying is I might be able to help with whatever’s going on.”
“Mom, stop.” He held his hands in the air, chest high, in exasperation. “Just . . . I never should have brought it up. I’m going to change and do my homework.”
“Jared, wait.”
She wanted to tell him about the earring, about the man in custody, but she’d blown it. She’d really blown it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Tabitha didn’t come to homeroom. Jared sat in his seat, a row behind hers, and waited, trying not to appear eager or concerned. His friend Syd, slightly overweight with thick glasses, a kid he’d known since first grade, sat on his left and wanted to talk about a college basketball game he’d watched the night before. He knew Jared didn’t watch much basketball, but he kept bringing it up, even nudging Jared in the side to keep his attention.
“Isn’t it time you got excited about following the Wildcats?” Syd said for the third time. “What if they go all the way, and you didn’t pay attention?”
“Yeah, I’ll watch,” Jared said, but he didn’t even know what he was agreeing to.
“What’s the matter? Is your girl sick?”