Page 60 of The Summer Request

A dark figure appeared, moving quickly towards her. Michelle stared in horror. She could see who it was now. It wasn’t Lisa, or even Val.

It was Lou.

A swift kick rattled the wooden door between them. “Open up! I know you’re in there!”

Michelle covered her mouth with her hand, as though she were afraid he could hear her breathing. She couldn’t stop staring through the peephole.

Surely he couldn’t see her?

His nostrils flared, and he punched the door with such force that Michelle let out a scream.

She pulled away from the door. Her hands were shaking and for the first time, she saw what Val had seen.

A killer.

Twenty-four

After her first flight out of Bar Harbor was delayed by eight hours, with no end in sight, one of the airport employees offered to give Lisa a ride to a nearby hotel for the night.

She appreciated it, and she was glad Michelle wasn’t with her. The very idea of mechanical issues with a plane would’ve destroyed any calm she’d managed to find, and even when the plane was repaired, she might not have been able to get on. Lisa decided not to tell her about it.

The hotel was more of a motel, which was fine, but a stark contrast to her recent lodgings. The next morning, she got back to the airport and was told there was another delay.

She waited.

And waited, and waited.

Her connecting flight came and went, and the next one did, too.

Apparently, this plane was really resisting being repaired. Zora apologized profusely, promising to rebook her connecting flight as soon as she got out of Maine.

Lisa reassured her, telling her not to worry. It wasn’t like getting home sooner would help her get her car back. The truth was, she’d probably never get it back. She wouldn’t be able to afford a new one, either. Hopefully Neil hadn’t sold his car, too.

Somehow, the news of the car situation got to Sierra and midday, she called in a panic. “Mom, what happened?”

Lisa’s heart sunk. “Nothing! Everything’s fine! How are you?”

“Mom.”

Lisa let out a sigh. Thattone. “What?”

“I know about your car.”

“Oh, that? It’s fine, honey. Nothing to worry you about.”

Sierra let out a sigh. “Seriously? First you mysteriously left your job, and now this? What’s going on?”

“I’m having a midlife crisis.”

Sierra laughed. “No you’re not. I know you. This is Dad’s fault, isn’t it?”

“It’s not his fault. He’s just having a hard time.”

“Mom! This is crazy! Why do you put up with this?”

Lisa shifted her weight on her hard plastic seat. This airport wasn’t the best place to spend a day. She’d been eating out of the vending machine and her muscles were stiff from the bike ride. “It’s not a big deal, Sierra. You shouldn’t worry so much. It’s just a car.”

“Oh really?” She snickered. “Dad called me and said if I didn’t send him money, he’d be forced to sell your car.”