They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe

Author:Katrina Monroe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2022-05-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Meredith

Present Day

The small crowd that would be the search party gathered around Art’s porch a little before six. Most carried flashlights, and some wore reflective vests, so new the folds from their packaging were still visible along the front. Meredith recognized almost everyone—including the florist, lingering toward the back, with coffee in hand—but Vik and Bobby were conspicuously absent. A man, presumably a reporter, pointed a camera at a couple standing stoically at the edge of the group. Meredith stood next to Art, a picture taken the day before Alice went missing open on her phone. Part of her expected to see Kristin drive up in a shiny rental, all apologies and humiliation for her role in the complete collapse of their family. Meredith hadn’t caught much in the way of media coverage of her daughter’s disappearance—she shut off the TV anytime someone mentioned Alice’s name—but part of her hoped Kristin would see it so Meredith could place the blame firmly on her shoulders. If Kristin hadn’t ended their relationship, Meredith wouldn’t have come back here. They would’ve been safe. The thing about small towns, though, especially Cape Disappointment, was that it was selfish with its tragedies. The same people who would talk behind her back, who would leave fish heads at her mother’s funeral, would scoff at any national news networks trying to get the scoop on one of their own. Like an older sibling protecting a younger one, no one was allowed to beat on the people of the cape except the people of the cape.

“Try not to cluster,” Art said to the restless crowd. “We want to cover as much ground as possible before dark.”

At Meredith’s feet, a stack of papers printed with hers and Art’s phone numbers fluttered with the breeze, held in place by a rock.

“She’s probably scared. Hungry. Don’t go running toward her if you see her. Call us and keep her where you can see her.”

“What if she runs?” someone asked.

“Let her,” Art said.

The man didn’t seem satisfied with that answer; Meredith prayed he wouldn’t be the one to find Alice.

Even though it was Art doing the talking, she felt their eyes on her. Studying her. Judging her. What kind of parent allows their child to disappear? That kind, they’d say, pointing at her. Look at her. There’s something not right about her. What do you want to bet she did it? Of course she did. It’s always the mother.

When Art finished, the crowd dispersed, slowly at first, then all at once. The stoic couple ventured farther back into the neighborhood where streetlights were weak and teenagers liked to meet for fires. The reporter followed the group headed by the man who thought Alice would run, his voice carrying across the street: “Bet you next month’s salary I find her in one of those empty condos along the shore. That’s where I would go.”

With Art following, Meredith headed for the water.

Once she reached the sand, she slipped off her shoes, carrying them under one arm.

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