Linda pursed her lips. ‘Dr Alderman, isn’t it true that you propositioned her for the second time?’
‘No, I never propositioned her, either time. I heard Anna calling from the bathroom, so I went in and she said the toilet was running.’ Noah told it exactly the way he had told it at the PFA hearing. ‘I bent over, took the lid off the tank, and looked inside, but everything seemed fine. I heard my wife coming down the stairs, and when I turned around, Anna was against the wall, and her bra strap was out. She called out, “Mom, help!” then ran out of the bathroom.’
‘So according to you, Anna is lying about this entire incident?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why would Anna make up such a lie about you?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Wouldn’t Anna have every motive to say nice things about you, in gratitude for your giving her a home, isn’t that right?’
‘Yes.’
‘So why would Anna make up such a lie when it would also cause her to end up in court for a PFA, which you could see she was plainly uncomfortable testifying about?’
‘I have no idea.’ Noah knew Anna wasn’t uncomfortable at the PFA hearing. She had acted uncomfortable, but she wasn’t.
‘So even you have no idea what her motive would be for making up such a lie, is that correct?’
‘Yes.’ Noah realized that the only answer to the question was yes, but it made it look like an admission.
Suddenly in the back of the courtroom, the deputy stood aside, and the door opened. A woman in a jeans jacket left the courtroom. It was Maggie, and she was gone.
Chapter Forty-two
Maggie, Before
Maggie sealed the leftover Indian food into the Tupperware tub, and Noah was upstairs practicing target words with Caleb. Anna had missed dinner, not answering any texts. In the meantime, Maggie had told Noah about the notes, and he’d agreed to let Maggie do the talking when they spoke to Anna about it, tonight.
‘Anna?’ Maggie heard the front door opening and went to the family room, where a beaming Anna was setting down her book bag, her hair flowing loose to her shoulders.
‘Hi, Mom. Sorry I’m late, but guess what, I think I made a friend!’
‘That’s great!’ Maggie hated to rain on her parade, first thing.
‘Her name is Samantha Silas, and she’s in the Poetry Club. And guess what else? They said I could join Phrases! I’m in!’
‘Wonderful, honey.’ Maggie got to the point. ‘But why did you miss dinner? I made vegetarian.’
‘Sorry.’ Anna puckered her lower lip. ‘I got caught up with Samantha. She gave me a ride home. I should’ve called.’
‘Yes, but lesson learned, right? Next time, you will.’ Maggie let it go. They had bigger fish to fry tonight.
‘We ate at a pizza place called Morrone’s. Samantha took me, and the food is awesome. And the kids are so much nicer here!’
‘Really?’ Maggie sat down, gesturing to the chair. ‘Tell me everything.’
‘Okay, sure.’ Anna’s face lit up, and she plopped on the chair, crossing her legs in the long dress. ‘The Poetry Club is so much better. Anybody can join. You don’t have to submit. Samantha was showing me some of her poetry, and it’s really amazing.’
‘That’s wonderful.’ Maggie worried about the Island of Misfit Toys. ‘Is she one of the girls in the cafeteria yesterday?’
‘Yes, she’s a badass. She has sleeves.’
‘Doesn’t everybody?’ Maggie asked, confused.
‘No, tattoo sleeves.’ Anna giggled. ‘She knows a really authentic Japanese artist.’
‘You’re not going to get a tattoo, are you? Please don’t.’
‘Don’t worry.’ Anna grinned.
‘Thank God,’ Maggie blurted out, and they both laughed.
‘I’m really sorry I missed dinner.’ Anna’s expression softened. ‘You made vegetarian?’
‘Yes, Indian, but even Ralph didn’t beg for it.’ Maggie felt the ease between them return. ‘Did Samantha miss dinner, too?’
‘No, she gets her own dinner. Her parents are divorced, and her mother is never home. Samantha doesn’t have, like, any rules.’
Terrific, Maggie thought, but didn’t say, and Noah started down the stairs.
‘Hi, Anna!’ he called out, cheery. ‘How was the first day of school?’
‘Great.’ Anna looked up at him. ‘Sorry I missed dinner.’
‘Sure, next time just give us a call.’ Noah crossed to the couch and sat down beside Maggie, loosening his tie. ‘Anna, listen, I’m really sorry about last night. I behaved terribly. I was out of sorts and I took it out on you and your mother.’
‘Thank you, I appreciate that.’ Anna smiled shakily. ‘And I’m sorry that I didn’t ask before I bought the car.’
‘That’s great, thanks. And if you need a driving refresher, I’d like to take you. It’ll be fun.’
‘Okay, great.’ Anna smiled, happily.
‘Then it’s settled. First lesson is when?’
‘Thursday night?’
‘You got it.’ Noah nodded, smiling back.
‘Great!’ Maggie felt they’d cleared one hurdle, but had one more. ‘Anna, there’s something else we wanted to talk to you about. It’s about your friend Jamie Covington at Congreve.’
‘Sure, what?’ Anna cocked her head.
‘I think you told me that she left school, right?’
Anna hesitated. ‘Yes, why?’
‘I don’t know if “left school” means ran away, but if she ran away I’m sure her parents are worried about her, don’t you think? I’m just wondering if you know where she is. Do you?’
‘No.’ Anna’s smile began to fade.
‘Are you sure about that, honey?’ Maggie tried to soften her tone, but Anna reacted almost instantly, with a frown.
‘What are you trying to say?’
‘If you know where she is, then we have to tell her parents. She’s a runaway. Anything could happen to her. It’s dangerous.’
‘I don’t know where she is. I told you we weren’t that good friends.’
‘Are you sure about that?’
‘What are you saying? Where’s this coming from?’ Anna looked bewildered, her gaze shifting to Noah. ‘Is this from you?’
‘No, not him,’ Maggie rushed to answer. ‘I’ll tell you what happened. I was showing your room to Kathy –’
‘Why?’
‘I wanted to show her your bed and everything. We were going to talk about wall colors. She’s my best friend. Kathy, your godmother. Remember I told you about her last night?’
‘Okay,’ Anna said slowly.
‘I picked up one of your textbooks, and this fell out.’ Maggie pulled from her pocket the note about Jamie leaving school and PG and Connie buying her a bus ticket. ‘From the note, it seems like you know where Jamie went, or PG and Connie do, because they bought –’
‘You read that note?’ Anna frowned deeply. ‘That’s my personal property.’
‘I’m sorry. I only found it by accident, but there is an overarching concern here, honey. Jamie’s safety.’
‘Are you saying I’m lying, Mom?’
Maggie felt her gut twist. ‘Anna, if you, PG, or Connie know where Jamie went, then her parents have a right to know that. I wouldn’t feel good withholding that information from them, and you shouldn’t either.’
‘I don’t know where she went.’ Anna’s fair skin mottled with emotion. ‘Jamie said she wasn’t going to tell me because she knew her parents would ask us all and she didn’t want to put me in a bad position. I’m a bad liar. I get nervous when I lie and it always shows.’
Maggie hadn’t considered that as a possibility. ‘You’re saying that Jamie didn’t tell you on purpose? You discussed that with her?’
‘Yes, totally. She didn’t tell anybody because she knew that we would all be asked, not just by her parents, but Ellen, the Housemaster, and the Head of School. She knew it would happen, so she didn’t tell us.’
Noah interjected, ‘Are you sure, Anna?’
‘Yes,’ Anna answered firmly.
Maggie touched Anna’s hand. ‘Honey, I believe you didn’t know, but PG or Connie must know. They bought Jamie the bus ticket.’
‘I don’t know if they did. They told Jamie they were going to, but I don’t know if they did.’
‘Who’s PG and Connie?’
‘Girls at school.’
‘Don’t you think we should ask them, or at least tell Jamie’s parents to ask them?’