Page 96 of Girl in the Water

Chapter Seventeen

Ian

Daniela was ready to go at dawn, buzzing with excitement, but Ian held her back. They were going with the package-delivery idea, but the post office didn’t open that early. He wanted to make sure their story was plausible.

So he made her eat breakfast, and they were there to say good-bye to Carol, see her out to the airport taxi. Everybody was there. The girls gifted her with a sisal diaper bag they’d made just for her.

Rain had fallen overnight, so the sidewalk was wet, humidity already probably close to ninety percent. But at least the worst of the heat was still a few hours away. Carol would be on the plane by the time the sun fully hit, comfortable in an air-conditioned cabin.

The staff and volunteer visitors gave Carol hug after hug, cards, small gifts that she had trouble tucking into her overflowing suitcase. The Heyerdahls embraced her the longest.

Ian wondered if they weren’t a little relieved to see her go. Having another baby around would have been difficult to cope with while their own baby was still missing. Hearing a baby cry in the night…

But Carmen and Phil had nothing but sadness on their faces for losing Carol. They promised to keep in touch. Carmen promised to be on hand over the phone for any baby advice Carol might need.

Then the cab was moving off, everyone on the sidewalk waving.

When the others returned inside the building, Ian flagged down another cab and gave Essie’s new address.

Next to him in the back, Daniela was chewing her bottom lip.

“It’ll be fine,” he said. “By the end of the day today, we’ll know more, one way or the other.”

She took his hand and squeezed it. He didn’t have the heart to pull away.

By the time the cab pulled up in front of the right building, Ian caught her case of nerves. He wanted to find the baby as much as Daniela did. He couldn’t stand thinking about a little kid in harm’s way.

They went up. Knocked.

“Bom dia!” Daniela called agood morningthrough the door, then she went into her post office package-for-delivery spiel, speaking in rapid Portuguese.

No response.

Ian knocked again. He kept his voice low as he said, “I hope I didn’t spook her yesterday.”

He knocked a third time. Waited. Nothing.

Daniela tried the doorknob, then looked back at him as the door opened a crack. He gently pushed her aside and went in first.

He could see the entire small studio apartment at a glance. The bathroom door stood open. Nobody anywhere.

An empty box of baby formula sat on the table. He remembered those days. Pain sliced through his heart. He forced it back behind the hard shell he’d built and picked up the box, turned it over in his hands.

Daniela stepped up to him and looked at the formula. “What is it?”

“Essie’s kid is two years old,” he said carefully. “At that age, kids don’t need formula anymore. They eat solid food.”

Daniela’s eyes flared with hope. “You think baby Lila’s been here?”

He scanned the apartment again, noting the lack of belongings, the abandoned vibe of the place.

“They cleared out,” he said through clenched teeth, holding back from punching a hole in the wall. “I might have spooked her with that fake call to the hospital. Then showing up at her door later.”

He had to find them. He needed just one clue. He threw himself into searching the place.

While he looked around, checking for a single sliver of paper, anything that might give him a hint to where Essie had run, Daniela was staring at the garbage can overflowing with dirty diapers.

Ian stepped up behind her and looked over her shoulder. “Are you seeing something I’m not seeing?”