The Only One Left by Pamela Beason

Author:Pamela Beason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gorillas, Neema, Koko gorilla, sign language, animal intelligence, kidnapping, serial killers
Publisher: Pamela Beason
Published: 2018-10-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Thursday

At ten-thirty a.m. the next day, Grace watched Matthew Finn drive into her compound. She was glad to see him, but again, he wasn’t alone. He had a different woman with him, a blonde this time. Grace groaned inwardly. Her stomach felt queasy; Kanoni was developing a cold, with both a runny nose and diarrhea. Company was the last thing she needed. First, the attractive FBI agent, and now, another pretty woman?

Grace felt like a grimy dishrag that had been wadded up and left to mildew on the kitchen counter. Had she even brushed her hair this morning? Her teeth? She ran her tongue around her mouth.

When Finn introduced the woman as Robin Valdez, the mother of the missing girl, Grace’s attitude did an about-face.

“I called you this morning,” he said. “I left you a voicemail message?”

“Sorry, I must have left my phone in the house,” Grace apologized, patting her pockets for her cell phone. “I’ve been a little distracted.”

The Irelands, he explained, parents of the luckier girl, had driven back to Bellingham this morning.

“I saw the news last night,” Grace told the two of them. “That’s great that the other girl made it back.”

Finn’s lips twisted in exasperation, and she touched his sleeve. “You handled it well, Matt.”

The press conference had been like a celebration, with reporters cheering like the case was successfully resolved. Everyone wanted to talk to Darcy Ireland and her parents. Finn had abruptly ended the barrage of shouted questions from reporters by stepping up to the microphone and saying, “We are pleased that Darcy Ireland survived her abduction, but we must all remember that another girl, seventeen-year-old Mia Valdez, remains missing.” Then he shepherded the Irelands away.

“Thank God Detective Finn was there,” Robin Valdez said. She was petite, and when she gazed up, Grace noted that beneath her carefully colored blond bangs, worry lines were carved into her forehead. She looked older than Grace would have expected the mother of a teen to be.

Focusing on Grace, Robin said, “My husband Keith needed to go home. I know that seems cold, but we own a mail-order company, business cards and stationery and all that, and we have no staff. If we’re not filling orders, well, there’s no money coming in, and it’s been three days.” Her voice cracked on the last few words, and she forced a brief smile that ended up seeming apologetic. “So my husband is driving back today.”

She clutched her hands together. “But I just can’t. I’ve got to stay close until they find her.” Robin’s blue eyes beseeched Grace. “You understand, don’t you?”

“Of course.” What Grace didn’t understand was why Matt had brought Robin here.

“Detective Finn”—Robin glanced briefly in his direction—“said you might be able to help me with a place to stay. I mean, we don’t know how long it will take before”—a shadow passed over her face, and her voice caught for a second—“Mia comes back. I can help you. I can cook and clean. I’m good with a hammer, and I’m even better with a computer.

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