Alone

Chapter 10

Chloe

Riley slams suddenly on the brakes, sending Peter and me toward the dashboard. We both turn toward her in a panic, shouting, "What's wrong?!" almost in unison. She doesn't answer or look away from the road, and speeds up again immediately. She squints at every road sign we pass as Peter and I look concernedly at her. When she makes a sudden right onto a narrow street, Peter and I trade a confused glance. I watch Riley stare at each house we pass and ask cautiously, "Riley? What are we doing?" She turns to quickly glance at me, then turns back to the window as she speaks. "Look for 2010." I glance at Peter again, then comply. Peter spots it first, a large house set a little back from the road, with a curving drive of cement cutting through the lawn. Riley slows to a complete stop in the middle of the road, staring at the house. Finally, she eases the wheel to the right and pulls in behind the silver car in the drive. For a long minute we sit in silence, Peter and me shooting confused looks at Riley and the house. When Riley turns the Bronco off, we all jump at the sudden silence. I open my mouth to speak again, but Riley doesn't even look at me as she opens her door and climbs out. Peter scrambles to do the same, and we both hurry after her toward the front of the house. Riley walks fast and doesn't pause as she raises her hand to knock on the door. At the sharp rap of her knuckles on the door, she jumps and suddenly turns to look at me, panic in her eyes, like she just realized what she is doing. She half turns, as though she is going back to the Bronco, but the door opens before she can move. An older woman stands in the door. "Can I help you?" Her eyes slide over me and Peter, then light on Riley. The woman's mouth stays open for a second too long as she stares at Riley. Riley looks carefully up at her, biting her lip. Finally the woman speaks again, her voice suddenly uncertain. "Lacey?" Riley flinches, swallows, and speaks quietly. "No. Riley." The woman shakes her head. "Of course. Do you want to come in?" Riley glances over at Peter and I, then nods and we all follow the woman into the house. As we enter a comfortable living room, Riley's words from last night's argument ring in my head, "She is buried in Colorado. That's where her family is." The woman continues to stare at Riley for a long minute after she gestures us to the couch. Finally, she shakes her head again. "What am I thinking? Let me go get Simon." Riley breathes a quick sigh as the woman disappears from the room. In a whisper, I ask, "Who are they?" She turns to look at me. "Simon was my mom's brother. I don't remember what his wife's name is." Footsteps approach the doorway, and the woman is back, followed by a man that has to be Simon. His eyes bear a striking resemblance to Riley, and I glance sideways in time to catch such a pained look on Riley's face that I know Simon looks like her mom, too. He pauses in the doorway when he catches sight of Riley, obviously stunned to see her. "Riley?" His voice breaks on the word, speaking volumes more than the name. "Honey, what are you doing here?" I see Riley flinch, taking the words as an accusation. "Sorry. I shouldn't have come." And she jumps to her feet, reaching for my hand to pull me with her. Instantly, Simon is moving. Riley jumps about a foot when he touches her shoulder, and I flinch, remembering the marks on her back again. "Sorry, Riley. Please don't leave. I just meant, why didn't you call? We would have loved to hear from you." She looks at him again, her eyes full of the hurt of too much life. "I didn't know I was coming. I couldn't call you." Peter stands up quickly, stepping up to her side to face Simon. "She didn't have a choice. She was kidnapped." Simon looks from one to the other of us, a confused look on his face. "What? I think you need to start from the beginning." He takes a seat in one of the armchairs opposite the couch, and his wife moves across to join him. Riley, Peter and I settle back onto the couch before Riley starts talking. She tells most of the story, skipping the parts about the belt, and we all watch Simon and his wife for their reaction. Shock and horror compete in their faces, and when Riley finally falls silent, they both rush to comfort her. Finally, Simon asks the question I've been dreading. "Does anyone know where you three are?" We exchange glances, then Peter explains about the money, and not knowing who gave it to his dad. Simon leans back and stares at us for a long minute. His wife finally breaks the silence. "We have to call the police, and tell them where you are, and that you are safe. I can't imagine how frantic your parents must be." Out of the corner of my eye, I see the disappointment flash across Riley's face before she smooths her face back into its regular unrevealing blankness. I speak before I know I'm going to. "Don't you know anything? I'm the only one of us with parents that will be frantic. Peter's dad is a kidnapper, and Riley's dad"- Riley grabs my hand tightly, cutting off the sentence. Simon leans forward again, narrowing his eyes. "Riley's dad what, Chloe?" I bite my lip and shake my head. "Nothing. I've never even met him." After a long minute, Simon stands up. "I think I need some food. Sandwiches, anyone?" We follow him into the kitchen, where he finally introduces his wife, Sharon, as he gathers the ingredients for sandwiches. We have just sat down at the table with our completed sandwiches when someone knocks on the door and Sharon bustles away to answer it. Simon is talking about the house, which apparently he built himself, and Riley and Peter are both half smiling as he cracks jokes. Just as I'm thinking how happy Riley looks, Sharon's voice breaks into the conversation. "David?! What are you doing here?" Everyone at the table freezes for a minute, then Simon jumps to his feet, knocking his chair over backward as he lunges for the doorway. Riley looks petrified. I touch her arm as gently as I can, and she shoots a grateful glance at me. Simon's deep voice breaks over Sharon's higher one. "What do you want, David?" Riley's dad answers, his voice recognizable from listening to him on the phone. Riley jumps. "Riley is missing. I thought you might know something." Simon answers back, scorn in his voice. "Did she finally get tired of you beating on her and run off?" Riley's eyes go wide, and I can see the panic in them. She jumps to her feet and heads for the back door. I follow, and Peter is right behind me. David's voice comes again as Riley reaches for the doorknob and she freezes. "Excuse me?! I don't beat my daughter!" Peter goes rigid. Riley and I both grab for him, but before either of us reach him, he wheels away from us and bolts across the kitchen. I follow out of instinct, reaching the doorway just in time to watch him face up to Riley's dad. David Baker is standing in the doorway, facing Peter, Simon, and Sharon. He stands over six foot, dwarfing even Simon. Peter stands in front of him, looking small and frail next to David's bulk, but shouting at him nonetheless. "You don't beat her? Really? Then where did she get those marks on her back?!" David straightens up, and Peter steps back. Simon steps forward, in front of Peter, who suddenly turns and runs back toward the doorway. David's eyes follow him, just in time to see Riley as she steps up behind me.