newsstand guy selling papers and magazines by the baggage carousel. He grabbed all of the papers out of the rack, slapped a bunch of money down on the counter and threw them all into the trash on our way out the door.
“I think ther e’s more where that came from,” I said wryly.
“Jesus Christ, is it snowing?” Rob peered up at the gray Detroit sky. “It’s April!”
“Welcome to Michigan.” I laughed as he stalked across the crosswalk, like he knew where we were going. I was parked in airport parking and dug through my purse, looking for my ticket.
“I’m gonna hear a bout this,” Rob muttered as I unlocked my Kia and slid into the driver’s seat.
“Do you mean Catherine?” I asked as he got in beside me and I started the car.
He just pursed his lips and nodded. Of course she would see the paper. Of course she would say something. I was just grateful that California was a no-fault divorce state and she couldn’t use it against him, at least not in court. The bad news about a no-fault divorce, as Rob pointed out, was that she was entitled to half of everything. I couldn’t even conceptualize exactly how much money that was, but Rob kept saying he didn’t care how much it was, as long as it meant he could be with me.
“Hey, no talking and driving.” Rob held his hand out for my phone as I dialed Katie’s number.
“There’s no law against it in Michigan.” I rolled my eyes. California had a lot of restrictions, I’d noticed.
“Have you never heard of Bluetooth?”
“Are you kidding me?” I laughed. “This car was made before the millennium.”
Katie didn’t pick up. She didn’t pick up yesterday either—Easter Sunday. I even called both her parents—her Dad in California and her Mom, who lived in northern Michigan—but they said they hadn’t heard from her, even though she was expected at her mom’s, along with her brother, who was visiting with his new wife and baby from the East coast, for Easter dinner.
Katie didn’t show
Rob’s friend, Sarah, said she hadn’t been able to find her. She’d even put a GPS tracker on Katie’s car—a creepy sort of move that I was kind of grateful for—but the car had been left in a parking garage at Wayne State University. She could be anywhere, with anyone. We were supposed to meet Sarah at my place, but I was planning on taking a detour.
I left another message on Katie’s phone, imagining her deleting them without listening.
“Katie, it’s me. Pick up. I’m home. I’m coming over. You better pick up.”
“She’s not going to answer.”
“How do you know?”
He just gave me a look.
I drove by Katie’s place because it was on the way home from the airport. And because she wasn’t answering her phone. And because I had a bad, bad feeling. Rob came with me up to the door, waiting while I rang the buzzer. Her apartment was on the ground floor and I could see in her window—the blinds were open—but I didn’t see her. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number again, but it just went to message.
“She’s not here.” I sighed, leaning my forehead against the door. Of course, it was a long shot, but I thought we might catch her slipping home for some clothes or food or maybe more money. Her dad said she’d borrowed a thousand dollars from him mid-week for rent.
Yeah, if “rent” meant a jab of smack.
The thought of Katie doing heroin was making me nauseous. That and the fact I hadn’t been able to eat anything all day except Daisy’s ginger drink this morning. The nausea wasn’t the baby, I realized.
“We’ll find her.” Rob put a hand on my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you home and in a warm bath for a while.”
“I don’t want a bath. I want to—” My head came up fast, eyes wide. Oh my God! I could find her! I scanned the apps on my phone, looking for the one I needed. “I can find her, Rob! I know how to find her.”
He watched me open the app and click Katie’s name. When I’d installed it,
Sean Williams
Denis Johnson
Grace Livingston Hill
June Francis
Eric Brown
Randy Jurgensen
Nightrose
Catherine R. Daly
Marcus Rediker
Alyssa Rose Ivy