"I think Gage and Kelsey are a perfect fit. They both love to work, to travel, and they'll have beautiful children together. Or maybe they won't. Perhaps Kelsey changed her mind." Eileen shook her head. "If that's the case, Gage will be devastated. I've never seen him so in love. Now, he's beating himself up for not watching Kelsey walk into this house last night. But who could imagine that someone would hide in the shadows?"
"I wouldn't have thought that, either."
"Kelsey must have had a panic attack or something. Your mom said that Kelsey has been having a lot of anxiety the last few years, the pressure of looking perfect, the late nights, and the constant travel. Monica said she was looking forward to Kelsey slowing down a bit and having Gage watch over her." Eileen sat back in her seat. "I wish I could do more than make tea and sandwiches. I don't think I'm being much comfort to your mother. She's barely spoken to me since the men left. I know she must be scared. I just don't know what to say. Everything I come up with is wrong."
"No one knows what to say." I wondered if my mother's distance wasn't also because she'd had an affair with Eileen's husband. "It's nice that you and my mom have stayed close all these years."
"We're not as close as we used to be when you were all kids, and we were in and out of each other's houses all summer long. Now, we only see each other for a week or two at a time, if that. But I always enjoy your parents. We've had some idyllic summers here on the island."
"We had some good times," I agreed. "For a while…"
Eileen's smile faded. "Yes, that was tragic. But this isn't the same, Willow. Kelsey will turn up."
"I hope so, but I'm scared."
"I know." Eileen reached across the table and put her hand on my arm. "Don't give up hope, Willow. Only good thoughts."
"I'm trying," I said as my mother entered the kitchen.
Her eyes and nose were red from crying, her skin pale and splotchy. I'd never seen her look so scared, and that terrified me. My mom was always confident, always in control of every situation. That she wasn't now made everything seem worse.
Eileen got to her feet. "Monica, how are you doing?"
"Terrible," my mother snapped. "Ben just called. They found a shoe that looks like the one Kelsey was wearing last night."
I jumped to my feet. "What? Where?"
"At the harbor." My mother held up the phone in her hand, showing us the screen. There was a photo of a bright-red, wedge-heeled sandal, the same shoe I'd seen my sister kick off at the bonfire when she was dancing with Gage. "It's hers, isn't it?" my mom asked.
"I think so," I murmured, my heart pounding so hard against my chest I felt breathless and light-headed. "Was this by the ferry?"
"No. Ben said it was on the other side of the harbor, by the smaller boats."
"I don't understand."
"What don't you understand?" my mother yelled. "Someone took Kelsey. She didn't run away. She didn't leave of her own volition. She certainly didn't walk off without her shoe or her phone. Dammit, Willow, why are you being so dense?"
"Monica!" Eileen stepped between us. "Willow is just trying to help. Why don't you sit down? We'll talk."
"I don't want to sit down, Eileen. I don't want to talk. I don't want to drink tea. I want to find my daughter. I can't stand here and do nothing."
"You're not doing nothing. You're waiting here, so when Kelsey comes home, you'll be here," Eileen said calmly.
"What if she doesn't come back?" my mother asked, her voice breaking.
"She will come back." Eileen put her arm around my mother's shoulders and moved her toward a kitchen chair. "Sit down, Monica."
As Eileen almost forcibly pushed my mother into a chair, I left the kitchen, telling myself that my mother hadn't been yelling at me, she'd just been yelling at the situation. She was terrified for Kelsey, and so was I.
My brain spun with new questions. If Kelsey had gone to the docks, then someone might have seen her. I needed to get more information. I needed to talk to Ben.
Chapter Twelve
I found Ben in the middle of a hectic scene at the sheriff's department. He looked stressed and worried as he barked out orders to his deputies. I barely recognized this man. He was no longer the kid with the unruly, tangled brown hair, scruffy cheeks, ripped jeans, and a chill, easygoing vibe. This man was commanding, sharp-edged, and harsh. Maybe that was a good thing. I felt more confident in this version of Ben.
When the crowd around Ben dispersed, he waved me into his small office, which comprised a desk, a couple of filing cabinets, and walls covered with framed photographs, all of which appeared to be pictures of Ben's father, Tom Ryan.
The previous sheriff was pictured cutting the ribbon at the opening of the new medical clinic, passing out food to seniors at Thanksgiving, and showing a group of kids around the office. There were also photos of Sheriff Ryan holding up the large fish he'd caught, winning a poker tournament, and coaching a youth baseball team.
The only photo I saw of Ben was one with his dad when Ben was probably about eleven years old. They'd been photographed after coming in second in a father-son kayak race. I couldn't remember how long Ben had been working in this office, but he had definitely not made his mark.
"Do you want to sit?" Ben asked shortly, as he grabbed a box of files off the chair and set it on the ground.
I didn't want to sit in that chair. I could still remember being perched on the edge as the sheriff questioned me about Melanie. My dad had been with me. He'd stood behind me, his hand on my shoulder, and I remembered feeling thankful for that steady, reassuring weight. But I couldn't wait to get up, to leave, to get out of the nightmare I'd been trapped in. The only good thing was that Ben's father had been kind to me. Tom Ryan had seen how upset I was, and after taking my statement, which was basically worthless since I remembered nothing, he'd allowed me to go home.
I frowned, wondering now if he shouldn't have questioned me further. Drake's words echoed through my head, his criticism of how thin the investigation had been.
"Willow?" Ben asked, drawing my attention back to him.
"I don't need to sit. My mom showed me the photo of the shoe you found. I'm pretty sure it's Kelsey's shoe."
"That's what Brooklyn said. Gage wasn't sure. But I don't know a lot of men who notice shoes."
"Where was it found?"
"By the fish and bait shop."
"Aren't there security cameras in that area that would have caught Kelsey on the dock?"
"There are two cameras. One doesn't appear to be working. The other didn't cover that location."
"That's crazy. Why isn't there more security?"
"This is an island, Willow, with very little crime. But we're doing everything we can to find your sister."
I stared back at him, feeling like I was in a time warp. "Your dad said that same thing to me when Melanie disappeared. It's strange that in the last ten years, no one thought it might be a good idea to make sure there were more cameras around town and that they all work."