Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie Rendon

Author:Marcie Rendon [Rendon, Marcie R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2024-09-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Quill and Gaylyn rode in silence back to the rez. Quill always marveled that no matter what time of night or day it was, the casino parking lot was invariably full. Unconsciously she scanned the lot for vehicles without license plates. Gaylyn noticed and said, “No. Just get us home.”

Quill continued to drive slowly but didn’t enter the casino lot. Nothing stood out among the heavy-duty pickup trucks, family-sized SUVs, and run-down farmer’s cars with winter road salt caked on the sides of the doors and rear wheel hub.

At the village, Quill pulled into the gravel driveway and stopped a few feet short of the front doorsteps of Gaylyn’s home. She glanced at her watch. “I gotta pick up Baby Boy and get home. See you tomorrow.”

The door to the house, which had been white at one time in its life, was now yellowed with age and loose on its hinges. Quill saw a makeshift curtain move slightly on the back bedroom window and then immediately drop shut. Gaylyn quickly jumped out. “Thanks,” she said.

As she pulled out of the driveway, Quill stopped to wait as a yellow school bus blocked her exit. The bus on the road moved past the driveway. It went north and Quill turned south to Barbie’s.

As Quill stepped inside the door at Barbie’s she was greeted with warmth and the smell of baked cookies. Baby Boy ran and hugged his mom’s legs as soon as he saw her. Barbie ruffled his hair. “He’s been a good boy all day. Helped me make chocolate cookies. Might be a little sugared up. How was the march?”

“Cold.” Quill lowered her voice, Baby Boy still wrapped around her legs. “Did you hear the news?”

Barbie put a hand to her ample chest. “Broke my heart. Honest to god, broke my heart. It is horrible to say but thank god it wasn’t one of our kids. You know?”

“I know,” said Quill. She rubbed Baby Boy’s hair back from his forehead and looked down at his smiling face. She used her thumb to wipe a smear of chocolate off his cheek. “I gotta get this kid home and fix supper. Thanks for watching him.”

“I was afraid you might never trust me with them again.”

“Wasn’t your fault, Barbie. And they’re all safe. They’re all safe,” she repeated as if to assure herself as well as Barbie.

Barbie was a couple years older than Crow, so Quill didn’t know her growing up. Had only come to know her after marriage and having the kids. A stay-at-home mom, Barbie was their go-to babysitter, not just for her family but for many of the families on the rez. Warmhearted and with a stable home life, she was a role model for many of the younger mothers around, who called her up for advice with newborns or kids going through teenage angst.

Barbie reached out and squeezed Quill in a tight hug. “You keep an eye out when you’re running. Scary people out there.”

Quill gave her a quick squeeze back.

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