Chapter 6 - The Calls Nobody Returned
Elena called Daniel from the doorway.
“She needs you here. Now.”
He arrived twenty-three minutes later, breathless and carrying nothing.
No flowers.
No stuffed animal large enough to hide behind.
Lucy lay facing the wall.
“I said before dark,” he told her.
“Then I stayed at the house too long. I broke my promise.”
She didn't move.
He pulled up a chair.
“I'm not going to tell you it doesn't matter.”
For a long time, the only sound was the air vent.
Finally Lucy asked, “Are you staying?”
“Tonight, yes.”
“Even if I fall asleep?”
“Even then.”
Elena left them together and walked downstairs to give Ruiz her full statement.
When she returned, Daniel was still in the chair.
Lucy had one hand resting on his sleeve.
The next morning brought a call from Lucy's school.
Her teacher, Ms. Alvarez, had learned she was hospitalized and wanted to speak directly with Daniel.
“I've been trying to reach you,” she said.
“Vanessa told me you'd spoken.”
“I spoke to Vanessa. Repeatedly.”
She sent the attendance record and copies of her messages.
Lucy had missed nine school days in three weeks.
Before that, she had started saving food from lunch.
Once, she had asked whether cafeteria workers threw away uneaten sandwiches.
Daniel read the email twice.
“Why didn't you call my office?”
“I did. Your assistant routed me to the household contact on file.”
Vanessa.
The person he had designated to handle everything inconvenient.
Ms. Alvarez's voice grew firm.
“I also made a report when the absences continued and I couldn't see Lucy. I'm giving the detective the same records.”
Daniel thanked her.
The words felt small.
He sat beside Lucy while she colored a picture with a hospital crayon.
There were three stick figures.
One was scratched out in black.
He didn't ask her to explain it.
“Your teacher called. She misses you.”
Lucy kept coloring.
“She said you weren't answering.”
His chest tightened.
“I didn't get the messages.”
Lucy finally looked at him.
“I left one on your phone. At night.”
He remembered a notification during a dinner meeting.
May you like
Vanessa had texted a minute later: She was overtired. Handled it.
He had never listened.
