Page 13 of She Didn’t See It Coming

Sam studies Lizzie when she returns to the living room.

He wants to know what the detectives were asking her—he imagines they were asking about him.

Donna and Jim rise together to go for their turn in the den, beckoned in by Detective Salter.

He waits for them to disappear inside and for the door to close.

But before he can whisper anything to Lizzie, he gets a call on his cell.

It’s Paige, Bryden’s best friend. He’s been expecting her to be in touch.

He’d already asked Detective Salter if it was okay if Paige came over to the apartment, and she’d cleared it.

“Have you heard anything?” Paige asks anxiously.

“Nothing new,” he says.

“Should I come over?”

“Yes. Bryden’s parents are here. The detectives are talking to them. Lizzie is here too.” He adds, “The detectives will probably want to talk to you.”

“Okay, I’ll be over shortly.”

“Who was that?” Lizzie asks when he gets off the call.

“Paige.” He knows Paige isn’t Lizzie’s favorite person.

The two of them are competitive about Clara’s affections.

Paige spends a lot of time at the condo and is Clara’s favorite babysitter.

But Paige should be here. She’s practically family, and she’s Clara’s godmother.

Lizzie doesn’t seem to want to talk to him; instead she’s scrolling intently on her phone.

Before long, Paige arrives. She doesn’t look anything like herself, Sam thinks. She hugs him tightly at the door and then steps back, searching his face with concern. “Oh God, Sam. What could have happened to her? Are you okay?”

At the sight of Paige’s familiar face, Sam feels something inside him collapse. He lets it happen and starts to sob. She puts her arms around him again and holds him tight. Finally, he pulls away and wipes his eyes with his hands.

“Sorry,” he says automatically.

When they join Lizzie in the living room, Sam brings her up-to-date on everything. His voice is bleak.

Paige looks him in the eye and says, “It hasn’t been that long. You can’t lose hope, Sam. Bryden is out there somewhere, and they’re going to find her.”

···

Paige chews the side of her lip. Bryden is missing, and there are detectives talking to her parents in the next room.

Poor Donna and Jim, how hard this must be for them too.

It all feels rather surreal. She can feel her anxiety mounting.

She doesn’t know what’s going to happen next.

But she knows that she must talk to the detectives, and it worries her.

Donna and Jim emerge from the den looking shell-shocked, followed by a man and a woman, both wearing dark suits.

Paige greets Bryden’s parents, whom she’s known for years, hugging them both in turn.

Then Sam introduces her to the detectives.

“This is Paige Mason. She’s Bryden’s best friend—and Clara’s godmother. ”

“Can we speak to you for a few minutes?” Detective Salter asks.

“Of course.”

She feels Sam’s eyes following her down the hall.

···

Jayne studies the woman sitting in the den across from her.

Paige Mason is a beautiful woman, and it strikes Jayne that she is well aware of it, even in circumstances like these.

Something about the way she holds herself and tosses her hair out of her eyes.

She’s not wearing a wedding ring. Jayne wonders if Paige will know anything more about Bryden’s life than her neighbor Angela and her sister, Lizzie.

Bryden’s parents hadn’t been that helpful; they’ve been living in Florida for the last couple of years. Jayne feels the clock ticking.

“How long have you known Bryden?” Jayne asks.

“We met at college—we both went to NYU. Funnily enough we are both from Albany but didn’t meet until we were at college.”

“And are you close?” Detective Salter asks.

“We were roommates, and we’ve been close ever since. We both returned here after graduating. So I guess I’ve known her for about sixteen years.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m communications director at a firm in Albany. Bennett Communications Group.”

“From what I hear, apart from Sam and Lizzie, you probably know Bryden better than anyone. Is there anything you can think of that might have a bearing on her disappearance?”

Paige looks back at her and shakes her head.

Kilgour interjects. “When was the last time you saw her?”

Paige appears to think. “Sunday night. I came over for dinner.”

“And how did she seem then?” Kilgour asks.

“Completely normal. The same as always.”

“No tension between her and her husband?”

“No.”

Jayne leans in a little closer and asks, “Did she have any secrets?”

Paige’s eyes narrow. “Bryden wasn’t the type to keep secrets,” she says.

“Maybe she was just very good at keeping them,” Jayne suggests gently.

Paige replies, “Bryden didn’t keep any secrets from me, and I didn’t keep anything from her.”

“What can you tell me about her marriage?” Jayne asks.

“I know that Bryden and Sam are good together. They’re happy.” She adds, “Neither one of them would ever cheat.”

But she’s glancing away and to the left as she says it. Jayne finds that interesting. It’s an indication of a lie.

Now Paige is meeting her eyes again. “Sam had nothing to do with her going missing, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“What about admirers?” Jayne presses. “Maybe Bryden isn’t interested in other men, but maybe someone is interested in her? Did she ever mention anything like that?”

Paige shakes her head, “No, I’m sorry. She didn’t.”

Kilgour asks, “Did she ever mention anyone here in the condo building—anyone she had a problem with, or who made her feel uncomfortable?”

Paige answers, “She’s never mentioned anyone making her feel uncomfortable. She likes it here. And other than Angela, she didn’t really know anyone in the condo, except to say hello to, you know? There aren’t many young families living here.”

Paige’s cell phone rings and she quickly reaches for it and shuts it off.

“What about people at work,” Kilgour asks. “Did she mention anyone there particularly?”

Paige shakes her head. “She likes everybody at her office, as far as I know. I can’t think of any problems there either.” She adds, “Honestly, I’m as much at a loss as you are.”

They talk a while longer, but Paige has nothing useful to impart. Jayne gives Paige her card and lets her go, asking her to please call if she remembers anything that might be helpful.

Not long after that, Jayne and Kilgour leave the apartment. As soon as they’re in the elevator, Jayne says, “I think she was lying, about the cheating.”

“That’s what I thought,” Kilgour agrees.

“She said, ‘Neither one of them would ever cheat.’ So who do you think Paige thinks is cheating—Bryden or Sam?”

“Could be either, or both.”

She nods. “Everyone is painting a perfect picture here. But I’m not buying it. A woman is missing, and there’s got to be a reason.”

“Shall we talk to her again? Push her a bit more?” Kilgour suggests.

“Yes. But before we start hammering the inner circle hard, I want to search the building again, with the K-9 unit.”