“Then about four years ago she dropped out of touch for five days. At least that time she gave the FBI a heads-up and told them she didn’t feel well. But no one could reach her. Her sister Laura figured it out. Emily was staying at a cabin in Virginia owned by a boyfriend. Laura said she was just sitting there by herself and hadn’t eaten in two days.”
“Did Emily ever tell you if getting away for a few days helped her?”
“I never pressed her for answers. It was important that the girls knew I was here for them no matter what. Emily’s father used to press her for answers, and they barely spoke for the last three years of his life.”
“I’m sorry. When did your husband die?”
“He’s not technically dead. He left me. He said I loved the dogs more than him. Which is probably true. Anyway, he’s dead to me. And to my girls. My son, Tom, still has a relationship with him but not so much with me. He calls once a week, but that’s it. One day he’ll come back into the fold. All I have is my son and three girls. And I need you to find the missing one.”
For the first time since I started looking into things here in DC, I had some hope of finding Emily alive.
Chapter 19
I made the short trip from Bowie to Springdale, Maryland, again on the John Hanson Highway, back to the I-495 interchange. Emily’s sister Laura, whose married name was Nardo, was two years younger, a fourth-grade teacher who lived with her husband and baby in a development that looked almost exactly like her mother’s. Even the house was a similar three-bedroom, two-bath one-story. With a single tree in the middle of the trimmed front yard.
When I knocked on her door, I did not hear the sound of dogs.
I should have told myself to beware of memories. The woman standing inside the open door looked exactly like Emily. Laura had the same slender frame and pretty face. Her hair was a little lighter, cut in a similar style as Emily’s so that it fell playfully across her face. My heart hurt looking at her.
Laura gave me a weak smile. The first words out of her mouth were “I can see why Emily always talks about you.”
She was a little like her mom: direct and to the point. In no time, I found myself on a comfortable sofa in a living room littered with baby toys. A mesh playpen stood in the corner.
Laura noticed me looking around the room and said, “You have good timing. The baby’s been down about fifteen minutes and usually sleeps for a good two hours.”
It was my hope to get background, so I kept the interview more casual than official. If it felt like we were just chatting, Laura might come up with some morsel of information that would put everything into perspective. Maybe an old cabin the family used to visit. Or an old lover Emily might flee to if she was having problems.
I said, “Your home has a different atmosphere than your mom’s.”
“You mean the dogs? I had to stop her from calling them my brothers and sisters.”
Laura was all movement and nervous drumming of her fingers, more animated and fidgety than Emily.
When I felt like I was starting to gain her confidence, I asked, “Are you and Emily close?”
“You have any brothers or sisters, Michael?”
“Nope, I’m an only child.”
Her eyes opened in surprise. “Really? Considering you have ten children, I would’ve thought you came from a big family.”
She read the confusion on my face.
Laura smiled and said, “Relax, I’m not stalking you. Emily really likes you. She respects you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her talk as well about anyone as she does about you. She even likes your fiancée.”
“Wife.”
“Really? When did that happen?”
“About two weeks ago.”
“I guess I haven’t talked to her much in the last few weeks. She’s been so busy.” Laura took a moment to wipe her red-rimmed eyes with a tissue. And she blew her nose. “Sorry, this has been hard. I took some time off work when Emily went missing. Mom is in denial, and my younger sister, Liza, calls every ten minutes. We told her to stay at Northwestern until we learned more. She’s in the audiology program.”
“She’s in what?”
“Good dad joke,” Laura said.
I looked Laura in the eyes and said, “Can I ask some personal questions about Emily? Embarrassingly personal.”
That made Laura smile. “Anything you want.”
“I didn’t see Emily judge people and I’m not going to do it to her. I just want to find my friend. And I don’t know what will help me.”