Chapter Thirty-Two

Eli

In the darkness of my office, I lean over my desk with my hands pressed against my forehead. My eyes gaze blankly at the wood.

I still can't believe what just happened. Was Quinn really trying to steal from me? And all because she believed I didn't love her and never could? Is she really that foolish?

Now she's gone. It seems she's left Clive behind with me. I don't think she even told him goodbye. Can a mother really do that? Can a mother leave her son behind?

It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense.

I hear a knock on the door but I don't answer. It opens anyway. Janice appears in the doorway with a coffee mug.

She turns on a lamp. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr. Strauss. I thought coffee might do you some good."

I say nothing. She puts the steaming mug on my desk.

The smell that usually gives me comfort does nothing right now.

"I'm also sorry for what happened earlier."

"Janice," I warn her.

I don't want to talk about it.

"And I also wanted to tell you something."

I let out a sigh as I sit back. "What?"

"I don't think Quinn was trying to steal those teapots."

I look at her. "But you said - "

"At least not for herself." Janice rubs her arm. "I know she wouldn't do such a thing unless she had a good reason."

I'm not sure the reason Quinn gave me qualifies as a good one.

"Maybe if you talked - "

"We already talked. And if you're suggesting I go after her, zip it."

Janice sighs and shakes her head. "Maybe I shouldn't have woken you up. Maybe I should have talked to her when she came out of your office."

My eyebrows crease. I lean forward.

"Wait. You saw her come out of here, right?"

Janice nods.

Why? Why would she come here? Did she leave something here earlier?

But then why go to Merry's room and try to stuff the teapots in the toy chest?

Wait. She said she was planning on selling the teapots. Why sell them? If she hated them, why not just break each one or throw them all away?

"Janice, tell me the most common reason people steal."

She shrugs. "Because they need money?"

Exactly. Quinn must have come to my office in search of money, of my safe. When she couldn't find any, she must have thought of the teapots. She knows how valuable they are.

Janice touches her chin. "Maybe Quinn's mother is sick? Maybe that's why she was so upset yesterday."

I shake my head. "She would tell me if that was the case."

There's no reason for her not to.

"Or maybe she needs the money to find her brother."

"I've already told her I'll hire someone to find him."

"Maybe she wants to find him on her own. Or maybe her brother called and - "

"He's asking her for money," I finish Janice's sentence. "Everyone who's on the run needs money."

"It's possible," Janice says. "But these are all just maybes, just theories. We need to talk to Quinn. If she needs money, we could help her."

I nod as I stand up. She might have told me not to come after, but I'm not letting her go again. Last time, I left her alone in that library and she had to raise Clive, to take care of him through the toughest times on her own. I'm not leaving her alone this time, especially not if she needs my help.

"Let's go."

I walk to the door. Janice follows me. We head downstairs but stop as a woman's scream from outside pierces the silence. A moment later, I hear a window crash from somewhere below. Behind me, Janice gasps.

I turn to her and hold a finger to my lips. She clasps her hand over her mouth.

"I'll go get my gun," I whisper to her as I hear another noise from downstairs. "Grab the kids."

Janice nods and rushes off.

I run back up the stairs two steps at a time. I don't know what's going on, who the intruders are or what they're after. But I know one thing.

They came to the wrong house.