The Wayward Gifted - Broken Point (29 page)

“Promise me that you will not share
this story with anyone.”

“No?”

“You must not.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Samantha, I understand that you
believe this to be the truth, but you must trust me. You have to keep this
between the two of us. Please understand that if you share this with anyone
else you’ll be in danger that you just do not understand.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Trust me. Keep this story to yourself.
I’m sorry, but if that’s what it takes, that is what you have to do.”

“I’m confused.”

Ida sat silently and looked towards the
water. “I’m worried about you and I’m worried about your brother. Do you
understand Samantha?”

“Not really.”

“What did I just tell you?”

“You said that I am not to share this
information with anyone else. I don’t understand. Don’t you believe me Grandmother?”

“This has nothing to do with believing
you. It has to do with other people and how they’ll react. You absolutely must
not share this information with anyone, especially your mother.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Why? Explain why I can’t tell my
mother about this.”

Ida became silent.

“Why Grandmother?”

“I know your mother, even better than
you know your mother. I raised your mother. I have no doubt that she will not
understand what you’re saying. I’m asking you to keep this to yourself.”

“Grandmother, are you saying that you
think there is something wrong with me?”

“No, darling.” Ida put her arm around
Sam and held her tightly. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m telling you that
your mother is not going to listen to you. I do not want this to be anymore
difficult for you than it is at this moment. Please, whatever you do, keep the
story to yourself. Do not share it with anyone.”

Sam looked at Ida, “Do you believe me Grandmother?”

Ida bit her lip and then looked down at
her hands. She shook her head, “I don’t know.”

“Can I tell Dr. Klesel?”

“I don’t think you should tell anyone.”

“I’m not making anything up.”

“I am not suggesting that you’re making
things up.”

“This isn’t one of our stories.”

“Samantha, I don’t believe that you’re
making up a story. We need a little time to think about this. We have to figure
out what you are going to say when you go home.”

“You don’t want me to tell the truth?
You want me to make up a story?”

“Everything will be okay. I’m
suggesting that we come up with a story that will keep everyone comfortable
until Steuart can be located.”

“I’m worried about my brother. I hope
Ed’s right, but I know that things don’t always work out exactly as expected.
It’s not an exact science.”

“I’m worried too and so is your mother.
I’m going to have to take you home tomorrow.”

Sam let out a big sigh. She listened to
the water on the shore. She shook her head, “I don’t want to see Mother.”

“What’s wrong Sam?”

“She blames me, but Mother destroyed my
doll.”

“What?”

“She says that the dolls are ugly. She
says they’re not up to the standards of her handbook.”

“That damned book,” Ida whispered.

“Mother says it was an accident.”

“If she says that it was an accident,
it must have been an accident.”

“You believe her and not me. I’m here.
She’s there.”

“No, I’m not saying that.”

“What are you saying?”

Ida took a sip of water. “I see no
reason that your mother would purposely harm your doll. It makes no sense. I do
think it makes sense that she had an accident. It’s more logical.”

“You’re defending mother because she’s
your daughter. I’m just your adopted granddaughter.”

Ida pulled Sam close again, “Do not
ever say that to me again. Yes, Olivia is my daughter and you are my granddaughter.
There is nothing in this world, or beyond that can change the fact that
you
are my granddaughter.”

Sam began to cry. She looked at Ida,
“Don’t you think that Mother should know what she’s done? Trista is dead
because of Mother. She killed my friend.”

“Samantha, your mother is going to think
that you’ve lost your mind if you tell her that she killed your doll. If you
refuse to keep these things to yourself...”

“What?”

“I worry that I may not be able to
protect you. Darling, you are a bright girl and you understand a great deal,
but you do not understand everything.” Ida shook her head, “Samantha, you must
keep this to yourself.”

The phone rang. “It’s your mother. I
have to answer.”

SEVENTEEN

The following morning Sam and Ida boarded the first
available flight to Maybell.
Sam
fastened her seatbelt and leaned against her grandmother, “What’s going to
happen when we get to Maybell?”

“We’re going to talk with some people
about Steuart. They’re going to ask you a lot of questions.”

“Will you be with me?”

“No, sweetheart. I wish that I could.
I’ll be close by. I’ll be waiting in the next room.”

“Why can’t you come with me?”

“Your mother feels that you’ll be more
comfortable without me.”

“Will she be there?”

Ida shook her head, “No. Your mother
will see us later. She says they’re only going to ask you a few questions about
Steuart and about what the two of you did yesterday. She feels confident that
you’ll be fine. She’s already spoken with them and says these people are easy
to talk with.”

“You’re talking about the police?”

“I am.”

“What if I don’t do fine? I’d like for
you to be with me.”

“I understand. Just walk in there and
tell them that you don’t remember a thing. Do not forget what I told you.”

* * *

Sam
was surprised that the experience was not uncomfortable. She met detectives
James Foster and Duane Washington. Detective Washington told Sam that he was
originally from Montana. Detective Foster, the older of the two men, was from Arkansas,
but told Sam he’d lived in the Midwest since he was her age. Detective Foster
said he had a son the same age as Steuart.

Sam sat with the detectives at a table
in a room with a large mirror on one wall. They served cookies and fruit punch.
She felt comfortable and ready to talk. She didn’t understand why Ida wanted
her to make up a story. Sam thought things through and decided the truth was
more important than anything else. She talked about the wayward gifted. She
explained to the men about the anagrams and her colors. They talked about Ed
Camino, Trista Petrina, Della Ivy, Mr. Felphul and Ceil Nunstern. She told them
she was sure-as-Matt that Steuart would be home soon. She explained that
anagrammatic travel is not an exact science and that Ed had been doing it for
years.

She went into detail as she discussed
her mother’s daily devotional,
Right,
Good, and Appropriate
. She also talked about her special day, about wanting
the paints, and about opening the box of gloves. She drank three glasses of juice,
refused the cookies and then asked directions to the restroom. It was just
around the corner.

Returning to the table, Sam overheard
the detectives talking with a woman she had not yet met. Until that point, Sam
was certain the men believed her. Detective Washington shook his head, “I’m
afraid that this little girl is a real mess. I don’t know what she knows—just
that she believes her story. He looked at his partner and asked
what do you think James
?”

“A boy is missing. We’re losing time
listening to this fiction.”

“What caused her to snap?”

“I have no idea, but I’m guessing it’s
not a good thing.”

“I am curious about this Ed person.”

“I agree. Find Ed and we’ll find
Steuart.”

“Do you think she knows where they are?”

“I don’t know.”

“What happened to her? What has she
experienced? She’s sitting here calmly telling us things about traveling
through the universe, playing with letters and moving from place to place. This
is breaking my heart she’s telling us about colors, words, standing in one
place and being transported to another.”

Sam realized the third person in the
group was some sort of counselor or social worker because the detectives were
asking her opinions about Sam’s stories. “Grandmother was right,” she whispered
to herself.

“The child needs a therapist,” the
woman said.

Detective Washington nodded, “They’re
both in treatment.”

The woman continued, “This is extreme. She’s
been sitting here calmly explaining all of this to both of you as if she were a
little physics professor. It’d be good to talk with her doctor and find out if
this time travel thing happened before or after her little brother went missing.
What about the mother? Duane, did you talk with her?”

“She’s an odd bird. She was quick to
let us know that she’s the world’s greatest mother.”

“She’s a victim,” James said. “She plays
the part well.”

 
“What do you know about DuBoise’s
activities leading up to her son’s disappearance?”

“She’s a workaholic. She’s been in the
office working. When she wasn’t in the office, she was with other people
working on work. She didn’t see the kids after they left for school.”

“The grandmother?”

“Down south busy with some sort of
fundraiser for the community. Apparently, she was clueless until Samantha
showed up at her house.”

“And no one knows how she got there?”

“I know. It’s insane,” James said. “How
does a ten year old child travel over a thousand miles in one day without
anyone knowing?”

“I hate these cases,” Duane folded his
arms and shook his head.

Sam walked into the room. The
conversation shifted as the female member of the group turned and walked away.

Detective Foster walked towards Sam, “Welcome
back. Feel better? Ready to continue?”

“I’m okay, thank you.”

“Sam is there anything else you can think
of that we need to know? Is there anything that you want to tell us?”

“No, I’m going to take care of things
and get my brother home as quickly as possible.” The men nodded. Detective Washington
put his arm around Sam’s shoulder and gave her a business card with his phone number.
“Call us anytime. Call if you need to talk, if you have questions, or if you
remember anything else.”

Sam accepted the card and put into her
backpack. “I prefer not to be patronized.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m a little girl, but I get it. I
know you believe I’m confused.”

“It’s not that,” Detective Washington
said. “This is an unusual situation. We’ve never known anyone who’s had this type
of experience before. You’re the first. That makes it more difficult.”

“It’s okay. I’m telling you the truth because
I was taught to tell the truth. I don’t know what else I can do, but unless you
need me, I’d like to leave. I need to find my brother.”

The detectives thanked Sam for coming
in. Detective Washington knelt down and looked Sam in the eyes. “Your brother
may not be coming home.”

“Don’t say that to me. You’re not allowed
to say that to me. Steuart will come home. You’ll see.”

“Okay, okay. I hope you’re right. Maybe
it would be good for you to spend a little time talking with that friend of
yours, Dr. Klesel.”

“Yes, I need to see Dr. Klesel. May I
go now?”

* * *

Ida
stood when her granddaughter walked into the waiting room. “Are you okay?”

“I’m ready to go.”

“What did you tell them?”

“I told them the truth.”

Ida stopped, sighed and looked at her
granddaughter. “Why Samantha?”

“I know what you said, but I also know
that you’ve always taught us to be honest. I had to tell the truth. It was the
right thing to do.” Sam shook her head, “But it didn’t matter.”

“Why?”

“They didn’t believe me.”