“When’s Mummy coming?”
“When she can.”
“When is that?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Where is she?”
“She went away . . . for work. To make some money. She’ll be back soon.”
“Doesn’t she know Lilly’s sick?” The tone in Willow’s voice was imperious, sounding like a queen whose kingdom was falling apart.
“I haven’t been able to talk to her yet. She doesn’t know about Lilly.”
At last, I got a small nod. Something I’d said had satisfied her. And Willow wasn’t easily satisfied. She was like her mother, drilling down on a subject until she had enough answers. I pitied whatever teacher she’d get when she went to school next year.
Giving Willow’s hand a final squeeze, I stepped out of earshot, took out my phone and looked up Verity’s number. I’d only ever called her twice—on the days of the births of Willow and Lilly. Never before or since. She was going to know something was up the moment she saw my number flash on her phone’s screen.
“Yes, hello?”
“Verity, it’s Gray.”
“Gray? Is something wrong?”
“Lilly’s really sick. We’re in the hospital. Westmead Children’s Hospital.”
“Oh dear. What’s she got? Another virus? I told Evie—”
“It’s not a virus. I . . . I need some help at the moment.”
“So, Eveline got you to call me.”
“No, she’s not here.”
“Well, where is she?”
“I’m not sure where she is. She . . . left me.”
“Seriously? She left you? Well, it’s all making sense then. She came by wanting money the other week.”
“She did? I didn’t know that.”
“Yes. Why is Lilly with you? Didn’t Eveline take her? What about Willow? Where is she?”
“She didn’t take either of them. She left them with Marla.”
“Marla? That twit? Oh for goodness sake. Why didn’t she just bring them here?”
“I don’t know. You can ask me all kinds of questions about what your daughter’s been doing lately, but I’m not going to be able to answer them. What I need to know is if you can give me a hand right now. I need to stay at the hospital with Lilly, but I can’t keep Willow here any longer. She’s already been here too long.”
“Of course. I’ll pack some things, and I’ll come and stay until Eveline returns.”
“You’re coming to my house? I thought you’d—”
“Of course. It’s too disruptive for Willow to bring her here. She’s got all her things at her own home, and I can take her to preschool. Children need to be kept to a routine, even in times of crisis.”
“Okay, sure. Thank you.”
“Oh, and who’s looking after your cat?”
I went silent. I’d forgotten Socks, the girls’ cat. The cat had spent almost a day without being fed. “She’s fine,” I croaked. I’d ask Verity to heap her bowl up later.
Ending the conversation, I headed back over to Willow. “Honey, your nanna’s coming to get you and take you home. I’ll stay here with Lilly.”
I could practically see my words cycling through her mind. “I’m not leaving here without Lilly. I’ll sleep with her in her bed.” She stuck out her small chin determinedly.
“Willow, hospitals are places for sick people. You can’t stay here.”
She held me in an intense gaze for a moment, a gaze that I was sure was saying that the adult world made no sense. And I couldn’t give her any assurance that things would seem any different when she grew up.
Very little over the past three days had made any sense to me either.
Everything was caught up in some kind of crazy storm.
26. Constance
A NOISE DRILLED INTO MY EAR.
I drifted awake.
My phone. It was my phone.
Please be Kara.
I twisted to a sitting-up position and snatched it from the bed. Outside the window, the world had grown dark. I’d slept for hours. I glanced at the clock beside the bed as I put the phone to my ear. Eight at night.
“Mrs Lundquist?”
I recognized Detective Gilroy’s voice.
“Yes, it’s me.” What did he know?
“I’ve found out two pieces of information about Kara.”
I held my breath, audibly, like a small child. “Okay?”
“It’s nothing bad, so don’t get too worried. The first thing is that she was picked up by police for suspected prostitution about a week and a half ago. At the Star Casino, Sydney. But there ended up being no real evidence, and no charges were laid. It seems she was seen there on a number of occasions by staff, and on each occasion, she was with an older man.”