Page 16

FIFTEEN

SARAH MORGAN

My daughter, dressed in a black one-piece swimsuit, climbs onto the starting block and gazes up at the bleachers. When she spots me seated at the very top, she beams. I smile back and clap my hands. She’s the only thing in the world that matters to me. Summer readjusts her goggles and focuses on the pool, readying herself. The other parents are seated down in front, mingling. Sometimes I join them, but most times I sit alone.

A whistle blows, and the kids dive into the water, with Summer taking the lead. She’s the best on the team, and I couldn’t be prouder of her. I’m not proud because she’s the best. I’d feel the same way if she were the weakest swimmer. I’m proud because she puts her all into it. She works hard. She practices. She doesn’t give up. Effort is what I admire because you don’t get results without it.

Shoes clomp heavily against the bleachers, shaking them. It seems intentional, like someone wants me to be aware of their presence. I look to my left and find Bob stomping toward me with tapered eyes and lips pursed so tightly they could burst. I’m not in the mood to deal with him right now, so I shake my head and return my attention to Summer.

Bob takes a seat right beside me because he doesn’t understand boundaries.

“Where the fuck is she?” he seethes.

“Jesus, Bob.” I give him an incredulous look and scoot a few inches away. “Summer’s in lane four.”

“You know that’s not who I’m referring to,” he says, clenching his jaw. “I’m talking about Stacy Howard.”

“Who?”

“The woman I slept with.” His words come out in a strained whisper like they’re coated in shame and guilt.

“I didn’t realize it was my job to keep tabs on your mistress.”

“She’s not my mistress.” Bob grits his teeth so hard I can almost hear it.

“My mistake... your whore.” I roll my eyes and return them to my daughter, watching her flip around at one end of the pool and use her feet to push herself off the wall. She glides through the water with grace and speed.

He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Stacy, the woman I was with... she’s missing.”

“That’s unfortunate. Were you looking to hook up again?”

“No!” he practically yells.

His outburst catches the attention of a parent seated down in front. She turns and looks up at us. Bob and I acknowledge her with waves. She smiles casually and faces forward again.

“I got called into the Prince William County Sheriff’s Office today, and they questioned me about her disappearance,” Bob says in a strained voice.

He wants me to react, to be concerned, to be in his corner, but I’m not going to do any of that—because I don’t care what trouble he’s in.

“And what does that have to do with me?” I ask.

“It has everything to do with you, Sarah. You and I both know that, so tell me what you did with her.”

When I don’t answer, he grabs my arm and squeezes it. “Where is she?”

“Let go of me,” I say, trying to pull free from his grip. He refuses to let go, so I thrust my elbow back. Connecting with his jaw, it makes a cracking sound. Bob grimaces and releases my arm.

“Don’t you ever touch me again,” I warn, readjusting myself and scanning the bleachers below us to make sure no one saw.

He rubs a hand against his jaw to expel the pain. “You’re not fooling me. I know exactly who you are, Sarah, and I’m well aware of what you’re capable of.”

“No, you aren’t, Bob. If you were... I think you’d be a little nicer to me.”

He huffs and shakes his head. “So, what’s your plan then? Are you going to frame me for her disappearance? Is she already dead, and I’ve got a murder charge waiting in the wings? Or are you just screwing with me until I go through with the divorce? Which is it, Sarah?”

“It’s none of those. Now, before you continue throwing accusations my way, ask yourself, what do you know about this girl?” I squint, staring at him. “Do you know anything at all?”

He’s quiet for a moment, contemplating, eyes flitting. It’s obvious he doesn’t know a damn thing about this woman.

“Is she a prostitute?”

He answers right away, telling me no.

“What about a drug addict? Criminal? Wild party girl? Is she seeing anyone else?”

Bob doesn’t say a word. He just sits there with a blank expression on his face.

“Exactly. You have no idea who you slept with. You don’t know what she may or may not have been wrapped up in. And how long has she been missing?”

He looks down at his lap and then back at me. “About three days.”

“That’s not long at all. She could be out on a bender. She could have left town. And from what your coworker told me, she’s young too, and young people do dumb things.”

“Stacy told her roommate that she was meeting up with me the night she went missing,” Bob says with a small sigh.

“I didn’t realize you two were still seeing each other.”

“We’re not. I haven’t had any contact with her in weeks, so I don’t know why she would tell her roommate that.”

“Maybe you pissed her off. And now, she’s the one messing with you. Women don’t like to be fucked and forgotten, Bob. Or did you not know that?”

He buries his head into his hands, letting out an even deeper sigh. I return my attention to the pool just in time to see Summer finish first. I’m immediately on my feet, cheering for her. In my peripheral view, I notice Bob hasn’t even looked up, doesn’t realize the race is over and his daughter came in first. Summer rips off her goggles, grins ear to ear, and waves at me excitedly, her head floating just above the water.

“Smile at your daughter, Bob,” I say, never taking my eyes off her.

He slowly lifts his head and stands, waving his arm dolefully at Summer, his lip quivering from the strain of his artificial smile.