Marley followed her as she went to the hook by the door and took down the towel that she’d hung there yesterday. She stopped when she caught sight of Serena’s windbreaker. The woman was gone, but she’d left pieces of herself all over the Ohana. With a sigh, Annie opened the front door and slipped out quietly with Marley. She used the towel to dry one of the chairs on the lanai, then sat down, pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. It was so peaceful this morning, the first hints of sunlight highlighting the damage the storm had done last night. Fallen palm leaves were everywhere, debris and dirt washed up against buildings and the street and driveway littered with branches and leaves. Their lawn and driveway were still flooded, but the water had receded a lot, only about ankle deep. The air was calm and the chickens roamed about again, the roosters crowing as they chased the hens.
How was it only yesterday that Serena had knocked on her door? How had she not known the woman even twenty-four hours ago, yet now, she knew so much about her and her life? They were still searching for her, and Annie wondered at the optimism. She didn’t believe Serena was still alive. She was almost sure she was gone.
Annie picked up her phone and scrolled to the selfie she’d taken of herself and Serena yesterday. She studied it, noting how happy they’d looked, how she’d been so sure they were going to be fast friends. She sighed and closed out the picture, putting the phone down on the table next to the chair.
She looked up when Brody’s car rolled through the water into the driveway. Where had he gone so early in the morning?
Brody got out of the car holding several small white paper bags. She knew what they were: croissants from Haole Girl Island Sweets, her favorite pastry shop. When he reached her, he held one out.
“Is this the Havarti-and-mushroom croissant?” Annie asked, her voice shaky.
“You know it.” He pointed at the bag. “And there’s a passionfruit curd with cream cheese in there too.”
Her heart swelled with love for her husband. He’d gotten up early and bought her two favorite croissants. He remembered how much she loved them. How had he put up with her all these years? She stood and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. She hoped she could convey what getting these treats meant to her, especially this morning. Because right now, she couldn’t find the words to express to him how much he meant to her.
“I got the ham-and-cheese one for me and Finn, whenever he wakes up.”
Annie pulled away and smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“You want to stay out here? You look like you could use some alone time to have an orgy with them.” He smirked at her, and she reached out and slapped his butt.
“Yeah. Leave me to my love affair.”
He pulled her close and, after a deep kiss, went into the Ohana.
Annie looked at Marley. “You know I have the best husband, right? I’ve been such an idiot. I almost lost him.”
Marley dipped his head down as if nodding in agreement.
Annie laughed. “Don’t agree with me, Marley. You’re supposed to be on my side.”
She sat back down and took out a croissant. Taking a bite, she savored the tang of the cheese and the deep mushroom flavor in her mouth. She broke off a piece of the croissant and gave it to Marley, who took it politely.
Grief welled inside her, catching her by surprise as she flashed on the moment when Serena fell into the river. She’d been ready to come back; Annie was sure of it. But now she was missing, and Annie couldn’t shake the feeling she’d failed her somehow. At the same time, she was having a hard time reconciling the woman who’d tried to bash her over the head with a wine bottle with the woman she’d genuinely liked and thought would become a good friend. She wished Serena’s car had never broken down on the street, that Serena had never knocked on her door.
Thinking of the car, Annie jolted up, putting the pastry down on the small table next to the chairs. In the chaos last night, she’d never told the police why Serena had been at her house. She hadn’t told them about Serena’s dead car. It must still be stuck on their cul-de-sac. She slipped her feet into flip-flops and told Marley to stay. She splashed down the driveway, wading through the water, but Marley followed her anyway. Great, now he’d be all dirty again, after the bath Sam had given him last night. She stopped, uncertain what to do. She wanted to go back and put Marley in the house, but he was all wet and she’d have to stop and wipe him off. Her urgency to get to Serena’s car won out.
“Fine, Marley. You can come.”
With the dog following closely at her side, she half walked, half waded down the street, and there it was. An unfamiliar white car. Picking up the pace, she stopped at the car and tried the door, surprised when it opened. She let Marley into the back seat, and closed the door behind him. Rather than wade around to the driver’s side, Annie got in on the passenger side. She closed the door and, when she turned, saw that the keys were in the ignition.
Tilting her head to the side, she contemplated the keys, her hand reaching out toward them, almost as if they had a mind of their own. She hesitated a moment and then turned the ignition, wondering why she was so surprised when the car started right away. She knew for sure now the broken-down car had been a ruse.
Shutting the engine off, Annie sat back against the seat and stretched her legs to get more comfortable. Her foot connected with something on the floor. Looking down, she saw a brown tote bag. She stared at it for a moment, then reached down to pick it up. She’d have to tell the police about the car, have someone come get it. But before she did, curiosity about Serena swept through her, a puzzle that Annie had to figure out.
She opened the tote and rummaged inside. There was a change of clothes, a hat and a wallet, along with the usual things found in a woman’s bag—tissues, wipes, ChapStick, and a bottle of water. There was also a laptop. Annie took it out and rested it in her lap for a moment, knowing it was too much to hope that there’d be a clue in there somewhere. She opened it, expecting to be asked for a password, since Serena’s phone had been password protected, but to her surprise, it opened right to the desktop. It was pretty sparse, only a few files on the outer edges. It took her a moment, but then her eyes focused on a file stored right in the middle of the screen. The file was named “ANNIE.”
The breath whooshed out of her as she stared at it. Then she clicked on it with Marley breathing behind her. There was only one document in the folder, and it was entitled “For Annie.”
Annie opened it, her heart pounding, and began to read. She skimmed through the entries, a bit from this one, some from another. And with each entry, her mouth dropped open a little more with shock.
48
Laptop ANNIE file
When he was about six months old, he started to push himself up into a crawling position. I was so proud. Our son was so ahead of schedule, and I knew he’d grow up to be something really smart, like a scientist who finds cures for cancer. Or even the president of the United States. He’d be the first half-Asian president of the US! And I’d be his proud mother, finally knowing my place in his life. How do they refer to the mother of the president? The First Mother? I’d be down for being called that. I’d rather be the first mother than the second mother. Or the wrong mother.