Finding Esme by Suzanne Crowley

Author:Suzanne Crowley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2018-08-14T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

As Finch and I ran down the hill, I wondered if I’d heard that little cry all night and just not perceived it. Finch pointed to a white blanket with tiny red ladybugs on it, tented up over something. A mewling squeal came from beneath it.

“What is it?” Finch whispered

I took a deep breath and pulled back the blanket. It was a baby pig in a basket with a wide handle. The pig was wrapped loosely in a gray-blue blanket, its head peeking out. We stared at it, not knowing what to do. The pig’s cries were crystal clear now and piercing. Finch took a step back.

“Lord almighty!” he said.

I leaned down, picked the piglet up, and clumsily held it to my chest. It was cold. Why would someone leave a brand-new baby piglet out here?

“How long were you up there, Finch?” I asked. “Did you see anyone?”

He shook his head no, his eyes focused on the blanket. “Couple of hours,” he finally managed to mumble. “It’s cute as a button, isn’t it?”

“We better take it inside,” I said, and started to walk fast as I could, then realized Finch wasn’t behind me.

I continued toward the house, glancing back a few times at Finch, who was carrying the basket as though it would break. He finally caught up with me. We made it to the kitchen door just as Bee came down the steps, tying her robe, her hair billowing around her head.

“What in blue blazes are you doing out this early?” she asked, her eyes aflame. I saw a witching stick down by her side. She knew something needed to be found, but for some strange reason, I’d found it first. Old Jack appeared, his nose pressed into the screen door. Sometimes a dog just knows when to keep quiet.

I held out the baby piglet. It had fallen asleep, perhaps lulled by my racing heartbeat. Bee looked down at it.

“Well, my goodness” was all she managed to say as she quickly took the baby piglet from my arms. I looked up to see June Rain standing in the kitchen behind Old Jack, her face in the shadows.

Finch and I gathered around Bee, looking down at the piglet. “Poor thing is shivering. It needs its mama,” said Finch.

“Where did you find it?” Bee asked, turning to take the piglet into the house. I glanced down at the basket we’d found it in. It was expensive looking, like something they’d sell at Dyer’s department store in Paradise. Then, peering closer, I saw a silk scarf tied to the base of the handle. It had roses all over it. Rose.

“At the bottom of Solace Hill,” I said. I wondered if she’d ask what we’d been doing there, both of us, in the early morning.

“Esme, I think there’s an old bottle of Bo’s in the pantry. Put some milk to warm on the stove.”

The baby piglet had started to mew and snort again. I quickly set to work, filling the bottle with the warm milk a minute later.

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