Chapter Seven
Jessica remained on Owen’s chest long after his breathing became even.
With sleep eluding her, she eased to her side of the bed and tossed back the covers.
Taking one last look at her now snoring husband, she inched out of bed and crept quietly from the room.
It didn’t surprise her to find herself back in the living room, staring at the old, abandoned house.
Nothing moved in that upstairs window, no matter how long she stood there watching it. Of course, it was almost midnight…the boy would have gone home by then.
Just as she was about to give up her vigil and return to bed, something moved behind the darkened pane.
Jessica pressed her nose to the glass, stunned to find the boy staring back at her from his previous position.
The street light reflected off the pale skin of his face, leaving no doubt that he watched her as she watched him.
What could he be doing up there? And why was no one looking for him? If that were her child, she’d be frantically running up and down the street, calling his name.
She gave up her post, long enough to grab her robe and slippers, and then hurried outside.
The same, cold wind she’d experienced earlier that day, blew through the trees, lifting her hair from her neck.
Jessica paused, her gaze darting around the cul-de-sac before coming to rest on the red brick house. Thankfully, no lights were on inside.
Instead of going to the front of the abandoned house, she skirted to the back and tried the door to find it locked.
She stepped over to the side and tried the window to the right of the door. It slid open effortlessly.
With a rush of adrenaline, Jessica rested her hands on the window sill and heaved herself over. A relieved breath escaped her lungs when her feet touched the floor on the other side.
“Hello?” She could barely see her way around the darkened room—the streetlight coming through the front windows, her only guide. “Little boy?”
As her eyes adjusted enough to her surroundings, she could make out the tiled pattern of the floor. She was in the kitchen.
She carefully moved forward into what appeared to be a den. An old fireplace sat along the west wall, opposite a staircase.
Jessica inched across the room, gripped the banister, and rested her foot on the bottom step. “Hey, kid?”
Silence.
She glanced behind her, noting the closed, front door before stepping fully onto the stairs. The wood creaked beneath her weight, echoing off the walls of the empty house and sending her stomach into a somersault.
Taking a calming breath, Jess held tightly to the banister and slowly climbed the stairs. “I’m coming up.”
After reaching the top, she turned left, stopping outside the room where she’d seen the child.
She gripped the knob and slowly turned it. The door squeaked open with the slightest push. Jessica followed, stepping into the room to find it empty.
Her gaze swept the area, coming to land on what appeared to be a closet. She trailed over to the closed door and tugged it open. Empty as well.
Where could he have gone?
Closing the closet door, Jess turned and bit back a gasp. There, staring out that window, stood the small boy in the striped T-shirt.
She noticed his jeans were too short, and he wore no shoes. “Hi there.”
He remained still, as if he hadn’t heard her. She wondered if perhaps he couldn’t hear. “Little boy?”
Moving closer, she lifted her hand to touch his shoulder, only to jerk it back with the sound of heavy footballs coming up the stairs.
Jess spun to face the door in time to watch the beefy, balding neighbor storm into the room.
“You better have a damn good reason for being in here,” he growled, barreling toward her.
Jessica stumbled back a step, her hands out in front of her. “I was just checking on the boy. It’s after midnight, and—”
“What boy?”
She gestured behind her. “I saw him in the window. I—”
“I don’t know what sort of game you think you’re playing, but I’m calling the police.”
“Game?” Jess glanced behind her to find the boy not there. Her gaze scanned the room in disbelief, anxiety mingling with panic. “He was just here!”
The irate man grabbed her by the arm and yanked her forward, his breath reeking of alcohol. “You’re going to jail for breaking and entering.”
He continued to speak, but Jess was no longer listening. The boy she’d seen standing at the window had disappeared as if he’d never been there.
Was she losing her mind? Had she finally snapped under the grief of losing Jacob and had now become delusional? She wasn’t sure anymore.
Jess brought her attention back to the snarling man in front of her. “Please…I’m sorry. I thought I saw a child standing in that window. I would have never come up here, otherwise.”
“Eustice?” a meek, feminine voice called, coming up the stairs. “Is everything alright?”
A woman that looked to be in her early fifties stepped into the room, wearing a floral print robe and slippers. Her once brown hair was peppered with gray and stood on end as if she’d just rolled out of bed. “My goodness, what is this?”
Jessica met the woman’s gaze. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to cause all this fuss. It was just a misunderstanding is all.”
The woman’s eyes appeared nervous. “You must be the new neighbor.”
“I am. My name’s Jessica. I truly didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“We’re the Martins. I’m Geraldine, and that’s my husband, Eustice. Folks around here call me Gerri.”
Jessica attempted to pull free of Eustice’s hold. “We only just arrived today. I would never have come up here had it not been for the child I saw.”
Gerri glanced around the room. “There’s a child up here?”
“Of course there’s not,” Eustice shot back, tightening his hold on Jessica’s arm. “She was up here nosing around after I told her earlier that she was trespassing.”
“Jessica?” Owen yelled from downstairs, sending relief pouring through her.
Eustice held onto her a moment longer, before releasing her now bruised arm.
Jess rubbed at her tender skin. “I’m up here, Owen!”
Giving Eustice a wide berth, Jess inched around him, stopping next to Gerri to offer her an apologetic smile. “Again, I’m sorry.”
Gerri nodded nervously, her gaze flicking to Eustice.
Owen’s footsteps could be heard jogging up the stairs. He came to a sudden stop at the door to the room. “What’s going on up here?”
Jess hurried to her husband’s side. “Just a misunderstanding. Come on, let’s go.”
“There was no misunderstanding,” Eustice spat. “Your wife was nosing around on private property. I’ve already warned her about trespassing. She’s lucky I don’t call the police. Next time, I won’t be so nice.”
Owen took her by the hand and tugged her behind him. “It won’t happen again. You have my word.”
Jess peered around Owen in time to see Gerri lower her head as Eustice ambled over to her side. It became more than obvious that his wife feared him.
Eustice spat on the floor before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “See that it don’t.”
His speech pattern told Jess that he lacked education as much as he lacked people skills.
Owen turned without another word and guided Jess down the stairs. He waited until they reached the safety of their own bedroom before speaking. “What in God’s name were you thinking?”
Jess moved to the other side of the bed and removed her robe. “I told you, there was a boy in that house.”
“And you just took it upon yourself to run over there in the middle of the night without letting me know? What if something had happened to you?”
“What if something had happened to him?” she shot back. “Does no one care that there was a young child in that abandoned house at this time of night? And how did you know I was over there?”
Owen sighed and ran a hand down his face. “The front door to that house was standing open. Where was the child? I didn’t see anyone when I got there.”
Jessica had no answer for him. “I don’t know. He was gone by the time I arrived.”
“Gone,” Owen repeated in a wooden voice.
Pulling back the covers, Jess took off her slippers and climbed in bed. “Yes, gone. Can we please talk about this another time? I just want to go to sleep.”
Owen stared at her for a moment longer, before giving her a curt nod. “Fine. But don’t ever do that to me again. You scared the shit out of me.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise me, Jess. My heart can’t take more of what you put me through tonight. When I woke and found you gone…”
Jessica looked away, unable to take the concern swimming in his eyes. “I promise.”
Owen removed his own robe and got into bed next to her. His arm came around her, his lips brushing the side of her face. “I love you.”
“Love you, too,” she whispered, sliding deeper under the covers and rolling to her side away from him.
Though her eyes slid closed on command, her mind refused to shut down. It became filled with images of a dark-haired boy wearing a striped T-shirt and too small jeans.