There were no photos or books in Helena and Willem’s bedroom either. Instead, a vase of fake flowers, Helena’s jewelry case, a collection of expensive ties in the closet. A few of Lukas’s childish drawings hung in cheap frames. A shelf filled with complex modular origami figures made from tiny bits of folded paper. I stepped over to examine the designs more closely: a green-and-white peacock with its magnificent tail unfurled, a dragon boat, an orange-and-white model of Couscous. What did it mean? A mug that read world’s best mama. Had I not saved my pocket money and bought that for Helena, all those years ago? Why had she kept it? A woman’s Rolex watch. Bought for herself? A gift from Willem? The more I saw, the less I understood.
I went to their dresser to steal her jewelry case and my eyes were captured by my own image in the mirror instead. For a moment, I was little again, creeping into their bed after a nightmare. Sometimes they let me stay there, snuggled up to their warmth. More often I was sent away. You must not disturb Grandma in the night. You are trouble enough for her all day long. I would then sneak up to Lukas’s room and fall asleep curled on the floor beside his bed, holding his hand in mine. I leaned closer to the mirror and the reflection of the woman in her expensive clothing faded away. There was my weak eye, already pulling to the outside with the stress of the burglary, the strain in my lips, the fake tooth that was a bit lighter than all the others, the desperation etched on my face. Who are you, Sylvie Lee? I whispered to myself.
In the end, burdened by guilt and indecision, I took nothing. How could I remove something of theirs and never give it back? Lukas’s voice: That is what it means to steal something, Sylvie. I threw some of their clothing around and made a mess. I knew I should stomp on a few of Willem’s origami sculptures, but then I thought of his pleasure in the hobby, the way his eyes glowed with happiness when he finished a creation, and I could not bear to do it. I was a terrible, unbelievable thief, just as Lukas had predicted. Finally, I went downstairs and snuck out via the back door. Lukas would later lock it and hide the key again when he returned.
I went to my cello lesson with Filip for real this time and by the time I returned, the police were at the house, along with an agitated Helena and Willem. I set down the heavy case in the hallway and followed Helena’s shrill voice into the living room, where Lukas and Willem were both leaning against the walls, doing their best to be invisible. Lukas and I did not dare to meet each other’s eyes.
The uniformed police agent, a small, tubby man with a kind face and round spectacles, turned to me as I stepped in the room. “You must be the daughter.” He waved a pudgy hand at Willem. “You can always tell family.”
We all froze. None of us dared to breathe as we waited for Helena’s fury. People had always assumed I was their child, and Helena would fume and sputter for days afterward.
She said acidly, “Just because the Dutch think all Asians look alike is no reason to believe we are all family. Sylvie is just visiting.”
I was of course related to both her and Lukas but found it prudent to remain silent.
The police agent turned an eggplant color. He bumped into the cup of coffee beside him and almost knocked it over. “It causes me regret. I did not mean—” He stopped and straightened his glasses, then cleared his throat and returned to trying to make sense of the entire bizarre situation. “So nothing was stolen.”
“A fortune has disappeared,” said Helena, her voice rising to a screech.
“Aha,” he said, scratching his balding head. “Do you have any photos of the missing jewelry? Insurance reports?”
Helena’s mouth was a tight red line. “No. Grandma never showed it to us so we did not officially register it.”
He peered at his handwritten notes. “That is the elderly lady upstairs? So she is the only one who knew about this missing treasure?”
“I saw it too once, many years ago.” Helena gestured at me. “She used to let Sylvie play with it, right?”
All the attention in the room turned to me. I acted confused, tugging at a lock of my hair. “What has happened?”
Willem finally spoke up. “Someone broke into the house.”
I gasped. “Oh no!” I brought my hand to my mouth, trying to be the murderer playing innocent. Across the room, Lukas widened his eyes at me, signaling me to tone it down. “I was very little then. I have no idea if it was real or costume jewelry. I do not think Grandma would have let me play with anything valuable.”
Now Helena narrowed her eyes, as if turning things over in her mind. Uh-oh. Did she suspect me? My heart started to race, nearly exploding in my chest. Her head tilted like she was mentally cataloging the evidence.
Lukas quickly changed the subject. He seemed calm. “I should not have left the front door ajar.”
Willem threw his hands in the air. “We have reminded you a hundred times, Lukas. How could you do that? You know it sticks. It has been like that for years.”
Lukas cast his eyes downward, the picture of regret. He always seemed so guileless; I had no idea he could be such a good actor. “This is all my fault.”
Helena replied, “Leave him alone. He had enough to do with taking care of Grandma, her portable oxygen tank, and her wheelchair.” Why had she never defended me like that? I had been a child under her care too, once. When I was little, how many times did I daydream of Helena hugging me, telling me I had done something wonderful?
The police agent said, “But the back door was left open as well, correct? It has a blind covering, which means it cannot be locked or picked from the outside. So the thief entered from the front door and exited through the back.”
Lukas had forgotten to lock it after I was gone. And such a crucial clue too. This would lead their suspicions directly to me. Could nothing go right today? The hair lifted on my nape and arms.
Helena tapped a finger against her temple. “It is strange because the key is always hidden. What a clever thief to have found the key so quickly.”
She was not stupid. I could go to jail. The air was bursting in and out of my lungs. I jammed my hands into my armpits in a self-hug and asked, “How is Grandma?” What if all of this excitement hurt her?
“She is as fine as you would imagine, under the circumstances. She is with Isa. It was hard for the police to question her, with her limited Dutch and scattered memory.” Helena deliberately lowered her head to stare at me. She gave me a false smile. “But something like this is such a violation. It is unforgivable.” She knew. My legs were shaking so much, they would all see. I dragged my sweaty palms across my pant legs.
Then Helena asked with forced nonchalance, “How was your cello lesson today, Sylvie? Isa mentioned you were gone a long time.”
I spoke despite the sour taste in my mouth. “Fine. I stayed a bit longer for a chat with Filip.”
Lukas’s expression tightened. He cracked his knuckles so loudly I jumped. “Oh? Do you do that often?”
He was upset with me about this? Today of all days? “Sometimes.” I often stayed if Filip did not have another student directly afterward. I would drink Earl Grey tea or his excellent espresso while he smoked.
The round policeman shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “So aside from the jewelry, which no one except for Grandma has seen in recent years, was anything else taken?”