YOU BETTER RUN (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Book 11) Read online

  Then she rushed after her and alerted a security guard on the way. They searched for the woman for hours afterward, but she was nowhere to be found.

  That was when Raina decided never to take her eyes off her children again.

  Chapter 17

  Multiple cars were blocking the driveway, so I had to park in the street. I walked up and knocked on the door. It was Meg’s close friend Abbi who opened the door.

  “Hi, Abbi, Eva Rae Thomas, FBI.”

  “I remember you,” she said.

  “Can I come in? Is Meg here?”

  She nodded and let me inside.

  “She’s in the kitchen.”

  I followed Abbi into the kitchen, where Meg was sitting at the round table with four of her friends, all faces I recognized from the party. They were drinking Starbucks coffee.

  “Hi, Meg,” I said. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

  She nodded and put down her cup. One of the guys, Trevor, who I had a feeling was her boyfriend, placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort.

  “What’s up?” Meg asked as I pulled her aside.

  “I’m looking for your mom,” I said.

  “She’s at the hospital. I’m going to pick her up at three.”

  “Except she isn’t,” I said. “I came straight from there, and she wasn’t there. She left her belongings, though. Her phone and purse were still there.”

  Meg looked up at me, eyes worried. “You’re telling me she’s missing? Did something happen to her?”

  I looked at the girl in front of me, wondering how I was going to tell her that the girl in the pool was her sister. She deserved to know.

  “I… We don’t know what happened. But I came looking for her here. I thought she might have come home.”

  “Well, I haven’t seen her,” she said. “I’ve been with my friends.”

  “I see that. She hasn’t tried to contact you or anything?” I asked.

  Meg shook her head. “I was supposed to pick her up later today.”

  “Okay.”

  “Wait, do you think she might be in danger?” Meg asked, her voice cracking.

  “What’s going on; are you okay, Meg?” Abbi asked from the other end of the kitchen. She put her cup down and approached us.

  “Mom is missing,” Meg said, touching her hair.

  Abbi’s eyes grew wide. “What?”

  “We don’t know if she is missing,” I said, trying to calm them down. “There might be a perfectly natural explanation.”

  Trevor rose to his feet. “Are you okay? Meg?”

  Meg hid her face between her hands. “I just… I can’t take anymore. Where could she be?”

  Trevor walked up to her and put his arm around her shoulder.

  “Does your mom have any friends?” I asked. “Anyone she might go to?”

  Meg looked at me, then shrugged. “I… I’m not sure.”

  “What about Tina Walsh?” Abbi said. “Meredith’s mom. Aren’t they still friends?”

  “I think so,” Meg said. “I mean they… they had a falling out last year, and I haven’t been home much so….”

  I nodded and wrote down the name. “Okay, I’ll try and look there. And then there is the tricky question of your father.”

  Meg’s eyes grew big and wide. “What about him?”

  “I know he hasn’t been in the picture during your childhood, but we would like to talk to him anyway. Do you know where we can find him?”

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t. I never knew him.”

  “Did your mom ever talk about him?”

  “No.”

  “So, you don’t know how to contact him? Do you know his name?”

  “No. She never mentioned him.”

  “Okay. I will try and find him some other way then.”

  I paused, knowing I had to tell her. The right time to tell someone this type of thing wasn’t going to come. She saw it in my eyes.

  “She was my sister, right? The girl?”

  I exhaled, then nodded. “Yes. I’m afraid so.”

  “Don’t be. I kind of guessed that she was,” Meg said. “I just… well, I feel awful for never having known her. And now, I never will. I always felt like something was missing in my life—like I had a sister somewhere. I had this strange feeling, like a hunch. Guess that’s just a twin’s sixth sense, huh?”

  “I guess so,” I said. “Again, I’m sorry to be the bearer of such bad news.”

  Chapter 18

  Meg watched the FBI agent through the window. She observed her as she got into her car and took off. Trevor came up behind her and kissed her neck.

  “Stop,” she said. “I’m not in the mood right now. Didn’t you hear? My mom is missing.”

  He stopped kissing her but kept hugging her from behind. “They’ll find her. Don’t worry.”

  She pulled out of his grip with a deep groan. “I’m just scared that something happened to her. My mom doesn’t just disappear like that. And I’m scared the police won’t be able to find her. I don’t trust them. I think they’re all useless.”

  Trevor threw out his arms with a smile. “How about we start a search of our own, huh?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We got cars. We don’t just have to sit here and wait. I say we drive around town and look for her.”

  Meg looked into his eyes, then nodded. “Take action ourselves. I like that very much.”

  Trevor smiled. Abbi and Bobby came into the living room.

  “What’s going on?” Abbi asked.

  “We’re gonna go look for Mrs. Kellam ourselves. In our cars,” Trevor said.

  “We can help,” Bobby said.

  “Great. You and Abbi can go in your car,” Trevor said. “Then Meg and I will take my truck.”

  Meg grabbed her phone and wallet, then followed Trevor into the driveway, where his blue Raptor was parked. He held the door for her, and she crawled in. A hunting knife was on the seat between them, and Trevor took it, then placed it in the glove compartment before starting the truck.

  He backed out of her driveway and took off down the street.

  “Gosh, that Bobby annoys me,” he said, almost spitting as they reached the end of the street and he stopped.

  “Why?”

  “It’s nothing,” Trevor said and took a right.

  “Apparently not,” Meg said.

  “All right,” he said and turned onto A1A toward downtown. “You should have heard him when you were talking to that FBI agent. He kept going on and on about who he thought killed that girl at your house.”

  Meg stared out the window, then narrowed her eyes. “And who does he think it is?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Trevor said and passed a garbage truck. “You know how people talk.”

  “No, tell me. I want to know. What are they saying?” Meg asked.

  Trevor laughed. “It’s silly, really, but Bobby seems to think your mom might have killed her. He thinks that’s why she ran off.”

  Meg chuckled but didn’t really find it funny. “Yeah, that’s crazy.”

  “Mrs. Kellam killing someone. That’s one for the books,” he said, still laughing.

  Meg didn’t answer as she stared out the window.

  “Wait, you’re not telling me you actually think your mom could kill someone?”

  Meg shrugged. “What am I supposed to think? I didn’t think she would lie to me all my life either about having a twin sister. I feel like I barely know her anymore. Maybe I never did.”

  “You can’t be serious,” he said. “It’s your mom.”

  “Why hide my sister from me my entire life? How will she explain it? Why wouldn’t she kill her if she suddenly showed up?”

  “That’s crazy talk,” he said, but he was no longer laughing, and the grin was gone from his lips. “Let’s just find her, okay? I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for all of this. There has to be.”

  Meg exhaled and looked out the window. “I sure hope you’re right. I sure hope so.”

  Chapter 19

  It turned out that Tina Walsh lived only two blocks south of Susan Kellam’s house. I called Matt at the station and had him find the address, then text it to me, and minutes later, I was driving onto her street and parked in front of her house. I knocked on the door, then waited.

  A woman opened it.

  “Yes?”

  I showed her my badge. “Tina Walsh?”

  She looked terrified. “Y-yes? That’s me. Can I help you?”

  “Can I come in?”

  “Yes, o-of course.”

  She stepped aside, and I walked in. The house was decorated in light blue and green colors and beachy designs, as many of the homes in Cocoa Beach were. The mirror in the hallway was in a frame covered with seashells, and on the door hung a wooden sign saying GONE SURFING.

  “How can I help?” Tina Walsh asked.

  “I’m looking for Susan Kellam.”

  “Susan? But… she’s in the hospital; I know because I talked to her this morning. She is being discharged now, actually. Or in a few minutes, that is.”

  “I went there earlier, and she wasn’t there,” I said. “She left behind her phone and purse.”

  “Oh, really? That’s strange.”

  “That’s what I thought, too,” I said. “I need to talk with her, so if you see her, please let me know.”

  “I haven’t. I haven’t seen her in a long time, actually. I’ve only spoken to her on the phone. It’s awful what happened. I can hardly believe it. That poor girl. Do we know how she died?”

  I nodded. “We’re working on the details.”

  “Yes, yes, of course, you can’t reveal that to me. But do you know who did it? They said in the news that she had been stabbed?”

  “We’re still working on that part. But I really need to….”

  A young woman entered the living room where we were standing.

  “Meredith,” Tina Walsh said. “This is my daughter. She’s the same age as Meg and the others.”

  “But you weren’t at the party? I don’t recognize you from the list of witnesses?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “No. I don’t hang out with them. “

  “Meredith doesn’t like to party the way the others do,” Tina explained.

  “Mom,” Meredith said.

  “It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

  Meredith shook her head, annoyed like my own children always did to me. “I need to borrow the car.”

  “The car? Well, okay. Where are you going?”

  “Just downtown,” she said.

  “Okay,” Tina said and gave her a set of car keys.

  “What’s going on here?” she asked and nodded in my direction.

  “The police are looking for Susan,” Tina said. “She’s gone missing, and we’re worried something has happened to her.”

  “Mrs. Kellam? Really? I just heard someone saw her behind Publix.”

  I stared at her. “Where did you hear that?”

  “Someone wrote it in the group chat. Look.” She pulled out her phone and showed me a text.

  OMG I JUST SAW MEG’S MOM SITTING BEHIND PUBLIX LOOKING LIKE A HOBO

  I read it, then looked at Meredith. “Thank you so much. You’ve been a great help.”

  Chapter 20

  Susan waited a few minutes before walking into the living room. Tina was still standing there, looking out the window at the car that was driving away. Then she turned to face her.

  “Do you think I pulled it off?”

  “I hope so,” Susan said.

  “Do you think she could hear it in my voice that I was lying? It was shaking badly. Heck, my entire body was trembling. I was so scared. I’m a terrible liar—always have been.”

  Susan nodded. “I appreciate it. I hope you know this.”

  Tina hugged Susan. “Anything for you.”

  They let go of one another, and Susan looked at Tina’s daughter, who was standing next to them.

  “Thank you, Meredith. Your part was brilliant.”

  Meredith laughed. “It’s not that hard to send yourself a text.”

  “But it certainly worked excellently,” Tina said. “She couldn’t get out of here fast enough.”

  “But calling me a hobo?” Susan said with a grin. “That was a little strong, don’t you think?”

  That made them all laugh.

  “Whatever it takes, “Susan continued. “Thank you, kid.”

  “You’ve always been good to me,” Meredith said. “Even though your daughter doesn’t like me much.”

  “You’ve always been like a daughter to me,” Susan said and hugged her.

  “All right, let’s get you out of here,” Tina said. “Before this FBI woman realizes she has been tricked and comes back.”

  “Where will you go?” Meredith asked.

  “I’m taking her out to the beach house,” Tina said. “I canceled this week’s renters and paid them back their money. She can stay there.”

  Susan hugged Meredith again.

  “Take care of yourself,” she said as Susan followed Tina to the garage and got into her SUV. They backed out of the driveway and drove down the street.

  The beach house was located by Sixth Street. Susan had been there a few times when Tina and her husband Carl held summer parties there. It was a five-bedroom house and way too much space for her, but it would serve as a good hiding place. It was usually rented out through Airbnb, and no one would suspect Susan being there.

  “I can’t thank you enough,” Susan said and hugged her friend as they arrived at the house and walked inside. “I can pay you to make up for the missing rent.”

  “Nonsense,” Tina said. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “You’re a really good friend. I hope you know that.”

  They hugged again.

  “Anytime, sweetie. Just stay safe, okay?”

  “And you’re not even going to ask me why the police are looking for me?”

  “You’ll tell me when you’re ready,” Tina said and pecked her on the cheek. “I trust you.”

  Susan watched her friend leave and waved at her, wondering how long she could keep fooling everyone. It made her sad to do this to her best friend—having her lie to everyone, even her husband.

  But it was the only way out.

  Chapter 21

  “How stupid do you think I am?”

  I mumbled the words, sitting inside my car as I watched Tina Walsh leave the beach house on Sixth Street. I had waited on a side street until they drove past me, then followed them there.

  They thought they had me fooled, but I could tell that the text Meredith showed me had been sent by herself. It was her own profile picture at the top of it. But I decided to play along—to lure Susan out of hiding.

  “I found her,” I said as I called Chief Annie. “She’s staying at a house on the beach.”

  “Good,” Annie said. “Do you want to bring her in for further questioning? As a person of interest?”

  I watched as the garage door closed to the yellow beach house. “Not yet. Now that I know she is safe, I will need more ammunition before we let her know we’re onto her. She won’t tell me anything the way it is now anyway. I don’t have enough. I caught her in one lie, but there might be more.”

  “Has she tried to get in contact with her daughter?”

  “I don’t think so. The daughter seemed sincerely surprised that she was missing—and concerned too.”

  “Do you think she killed her? The mom?”

  “I don’t know. I fail to see why.”

  “She obviously tried to hide her existence for nineteen years,” Annie said. “Maybe her showing up made her fear she would be revealed.”

  I nodded pensively to myself. “But she’s still her mother.”

  “Moms kill too,” Annie said. “I have seen it more than once.”

  “True. I just wonder where this girl has been for nineteen years. We still don’t even know her name. How far are we on tracking down the father? She might have been living with him.”

  “There’s no name on Meg’s birth certificate,” Annie said. “It’s harder said than done.”

  “We need to find him. Somehow,” I said. “Did you run the DNA from the girls in the system? Maybe find a match there? If he is in the system?”

  “Yeah, that’s our best bet right now,” Annie said. “I’ll contact the lab.”

  I looked at my watch and realized it was getting late. “I need to get home to my kids. My mom has to leave. She has a date.”

  “Is Elizabeth still seeing that same guy?”

  “Irvin? Yes. They’re like teenagers. It’s a little disturbing, to be honest.”

  That made Annie laugh. “Good luck with that.”

  “Thanks.”

  I hung up, then took off down A1A toward Minutemen Causeway and took a turn. Before going toward my house, I passed Fat Donkey and the Tiny Turtle, two of my favorite places to eat and get ice cream. I stopped for the red light in the intersection when I spotted a blue Ford Raptor. Inside it, I saw Meg and Trevor as they drove past me. I wondered about them and if I should call her and let her know that her mom was okay. I wasn’t sure I believed her when she said she didn’t know who her father was. Something in the way she reacted made me doubt she was telling me the truth. People always thought it was so easy to lie to the police, but I had learned to decode the small details over the years. A nervous tick, a slightly vibrating lip, or the way they spoke, like if they repeated the question that had just been asked, or simply irregular speech. Any change in facial expressions or speech patterns could indicate that they were trying to get away with a lie. Sometimes, they said too much, sometimes too little. Sometimes, they redirected their eyes or fidgeted excessively. There was a lot to look for. But one thing I knew was that if I suspected someone was lying, I was usually right.

  The question was, how did I get Meg to tell me who her father was?

  As the light turned green and it was my turn to go, I knew exactly how I was going to pull that off.