Provocation Read online

  Yet even as I think the words, I know I can’t go back. That kiss unlocked something deep within me that was always there, even if I didn’t understand what it was. Even if I didn’t know its strength or its depth. Now that I’ve released it, I don’t know if I can ever lock it up again. I step into the meadow, still uncertain how I will explain. But my preparations have been for naught.

  Ruby is not here.

  I try the heights. I hike the entire length of the ridge. Then I check the sycamore tree, the strawberry patch, the stream, and the Devil’s Cauldron where even the smallest waves crash with a boom against the back of the tiny cave. She’s not at any of them. With each miss, my uneasiness grows.

  The sky is beginning to lighten in the east. Perhaps Ruby’s had enough time to think things through. To cool down. To gather the shards of her dignity and come home.

  Billy’s truck is gone when I return. Of course, he’s due at the trawler. But Granddad is sitting at the table, a cup of coffee between his palms. He smiles at me as I enter. “You’re up early.”

  “Is Ruby here?”

  His eyes narrow. He takes in my exhaustion, the disheveled state of my hair, the now-filthy clothing I wore to the graduation ceremony last night, and his smile dwindles. “No. Didn’t she come home last night?”

  I slump into a chair. “She came home. But then she left again. I’ve been out looking for her all night.”

  His faded blue eyes look keenly into mine. “You girls get into a fight?”

  I wish. How simple that would be. “No,” I say miserably. “She caught me and Billy…kissing.”

  Granddad’s eyebrows lift sky-high.

  I drop my head into my hands. “It wasn’t supposed to happen, Granddad. Billy came by to tell me he was going to break up with Ruby after the excitement of graduation dies down. He said he realized they would never make a match but that he and I…” I groan. “We were going to wait until she had time to get used to the idea, but things just happened. And she chose that exact moment to come home.”

  “Actually, I’m not all that surprised.” He taps his cup on the table, his forehead creasing with worry. “So Ruby’s out in the woods somewhere?”

  “That’s where she headed. But I searched all night and couldn’t find her.”

  He sucks on his lower lip. “Your sister’s headstrong, but she’s also intelligent and capable. Let’s give her some time. She’ll come back.”

  Billy proposed the same idea last night, and I disregarded him. But the image of Ruby alone in the woods holds far less terror in the light of morning than in the dead of night. I nod.

  “Why don’t you catch a few hours of sleep?” Granddad suggests. “We have a party to put on tonight.”

  I’ve totally forgotten about the picnic supper. Of course Ruby will be back. Heartache or not, she’d never miss her graduation celebration.

  I rise with a small smile and kiss Granddad’s cheek. “I think I will. You’ll watch for her?”

  “I’ll let you know the moment she’s home.”

  “Thanks, Granddad.” I squeeze his hand and head to the room I share with my sister, glad that he refrained from censuring me for my behavior. I already feel bad enough as it is.

  I pull off my jeans and slip into bed without changing into pajamas. I wonder how long Billy waited around and if he managed to get any sleep. Probably not. Most likely he kept searching until he had to leave for work. I thought I heard him calling once or twice. My last thought as I drift into sleep is that he’s going to have a long day at sea.

  I wake at two o’clock and find Granddad has migrated out to the porch. “Any sign of her?” I ask, but I already know the truth by the way he’s watching the woods. His face holds crease upon crease.

  He shakes his head. “We still have a few hours. She might have hiked to a friend’s house.”

  “Have you called the Wildons?”

  “About four hours ago. Athena said she’d call back if she turns up. But keep in mind, Georgina isn’t Ruby’s only friend.”

  His words bring no comfort. As self-absorbed and thoughtless as Ruby can be, she would never cause intentional distress. “This isn’t like her, Granddad. She has to know you and I are freaking out.”

  “She just might be hurt and angry enough to not care.”

  I cringe a little at his words.

  Granddad squeezes my hand and attempts to smile. “Let’s give her a few more hours before we call in the cavalry. Do you need any help?”

  I set Granddad to peeling the shells off the hard-boiled eggs while I chop vegetables. As I work, I realize he could be right. Ruby could very well be biding her time at someone else’s house, letting us stew in our own juices. She has a thousand friends, and she doesn’t really like the woods. It actually makes sense that she would have headed into town at the first opportunity.

  The more I think on it, the more likely it seems, and the more my anxiety shifts into resentment. Now, as I replay the events of last night, I’m not feeling nearly as apologetic. It was just a kiss. And I haven’t done anything Ruby hasn’t done. Didn’t she steal Billy from me first? When my heart was crushed, did I run off like some spoiled child and cause everyone to lose a night’s sleep? Ruby’s always been one for dramatics, and right now I am not appreciating that even a little bit. I chop with more force than necessary, gaining a bit of satisfaction with every thwack of the knife.

  I finish the relish trays, whip up the egg salad, and assemble several platters of sandwiches. Then I cut cakes and pies, set soft drinks on ice, make a fresh pot of coffee, and take a dust rag around the house, even though most of the guests won’t be coming inside. The entire time, I’m fuming. Ruby should be here helping with this. It’s just like her to let me do all the work. Finally, I bring the food out to the tables set up in the shade outside. Only a half hour until guests arrive.

  I retire to the house to take a shower and use the entire thirty minutes, expecting to hear a satisfactory rap on the bathroom door letting me know Ruby is back and that I’m inconveniencing her. But the rap doesn’t come. Nor is my sister waiting outside the door when I finish. A new prickle of apprehension wiggles up my spine.

  I find Granddad seated in a chair in the yard. I have not heard the telephone ring but I ask anyway. “Any word?”

  “Nothing.”

  The answer comes like a blow to my gut. Even if she spent the day elsewhere, even if she’s angry as sin, Ruby would be here by now. It is contrary to her nature to miss being the center of attention at her own graduation party. My anger evaporates far quicker than it built. “Should we call the police?”

  “We can, but they won’t do anything until she’s been gone a full twenty-four hours.”

  “Maybe they’ve changed that policy because of all the disappearances.”

  There. I’ve said what we both dread the most. That Ruby might have vanished as so many others have before her. Genuine fear rises like bile in my throat.

  Before he answers, the first car pulls into our drive.

  Reverend and Mrs. Dexter arrive, followed by our next door neighbors, Miles and Annabeth Ransom and their four kids. I greet them each cordially and apologize that Ruby isn’t here to do it herself. “She’ll be here soon, I’m certain. Please, help yourself to some food.”

  Billy arrives next with his parents, Jarrod and Athena. I rush their car as they alight and grip Billy’s arm desperately. “Has there been any news?”

  He shakes his head and his lips press into a thin line. “We hoped she’d be here.”

  Georgina has come too. She is glaring daggers at me. Apparently Billy has confessed to his family exactly what happened, and she’s laying the blame squarely on me. “Have you called around to any of her other friends, Georgina?” I ask. “You know who they are.”

  “No one’s seen her,” she snaps.

  Athena lays a hand on my arm. “I’m sure she’ll be back,” she comforts, but I’m not buying it anymore. Something is terribly, terribly wrong, and I’
m finished with this passive waiting.

  I take the woman’s hand. “Mrs. Wildon, will you greet the guests for me and see that they find food?”

  “Of course, dear. Anything to help.”

  “Thank you.”

  Billy’s eyes narrow. “What are you up to?” he asks as I turn for the house.

  “I’m calling the police, for starters,” I call over my shoulder.

  “And then?” He catches up and falls into step beside me.

  I don’t answer. Instead, I place the call. I give Ruby’s description and the circumstances of her disappearance to the dispatcher on the other end of the line, and she assures me she’ll put someone on it immediately. But as I hang up, I have very little confidence in the urgency or promises of the police department.

  I go straight to my closet, dig out my old school backpack, and throw in a change of clothes. Billy follows me, asking again, “Opal, what are you doing?”

  I move to the kitchen and throw in two flashlights, extra batteries, a water bottle, and a handful of protein bars. “I’m going after her.”

  He grabs my arm. “You can’t be serious.”

  I shake him off and keep packing. A blanket, sweatshirt, and waterproof slicker. A pack of matches. A pot for boiling water. I have no qualms about camping out. Growing up, I spent most of the summer in the woods with Granddad. I can find food and make shelter. I can navigate by the stars.

  Lastly, I removed Daddy’s handgun from the cupboard and locate extra ammunition. By the time I’m done, my backpack has a comforting weight to it.

  “Opal, this is absurd,” Billy says. “Let the police handle it.”

  “I can’t. It’s my fault she left, and I have to be the one to bring her back.” I swing the straps over my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Billy. Please tell Granddad not to worry. I’ll be home as soon as I find her.”

  THREE

  I spend the first three days scouring every inch of land surrounding Tidbury Bay. I make a complete circuit from promontory to promontory, checking every hiding place I know, whether it has significance to Ruby or not. And I know them all. While Ruby was playing dolls or attending parties, I was exploring the world outside of town. I no longer think Ruby is hiding on purpose, but I hold out hope that she may still be found.

  The dark figure that followed me home casts a long shadow over my thoughts. I wrack my brain for some feature, some overlooked detail that might identify him. My failure deepens my unease. Still, abduction isn’t the only possible explanation. Perhaps Ruby got turned around in the woods at night and wandered into unfamiliar territory. Perhaps she became injured. If she’s anywhere in the vicinity, I will find her.

  I keep in close contact with Granddad, syncing my tablet with our phone and checking in every evening. As I climb to a high vantage point on the third night, trying for a signal from the old cell network that has nearly as many issues as the highway system, I curse Tidbury’s ancient technology. I’m wishing I owned one of those new holoware devices with satellite capabilities; the new generations are getting small enough to carry. But in Tidbury we only dream of such things. As far as we lie off the grid, we’re the last place they’ll ever become available.

  I walk until I get a signal and dial Granddad’s number.

  “Any sign of her, child?” he asks upon answering.

  “Nothing. Have the police had any luck?”

  “Not much. They found Ruby’s car keys in the woods not far from a half-full water bottle. They’ve sent both to the lab to check for prints. I haven’t heard back.”

  “Then I’m going to keep looking.”

  I know Granddad wants to tell me to come home, that he’d prefer I stay with him while the police carry on their investigation, but he knows it’s not in me to sit back and do nothing while someone I love may be in danger. It’s the same protective instinct that propelled me to the lighthouse ruins to look after Ruby and Georgina. So he merely asks, “Where are you going next?”

  “I thought I’d cover the ground between here and Bedford. It’s the closest town and the most logical place she might have wandered to. I’ll ask around and put up some of the flyers I designed last night. Did you pick up the ones I sent to the printer?”

  “I stuck them up all over town this morning.”

  “Thanks, Granddad.” I pause, hating the thought of my almost-ninety-year-old grandfather driving himself into town and walking up and down the neighborhoods. “We are going to find her.”

  His response comes a little slower than it has the past two nights. “Of course we are, sweetheart. Take care of yourself.”

  “I will. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  I tap the end call icon and scroll down to send an update to my shift foreman. When I ran off Saturday, I didn’t spare a single thought for the cannery. I guess I thought I’d be back by Monday morning. When Ruby failed to appear at any of the obvious locations, I contacted my boss. She lost her niece this spring, one of the disappearances outside our community, and promised to hold my job till I get back. I have a bit of money set aside, and Granddad doesn’t require much. I hope to be home with Ruby long before our funds run out.

  After sending the message, I sink to the ground at the top of the hill. I might as well make camp here. Above me, the sky is overcast but not heavy enough for rain. Every few minutes it reveals glimpses of the sun dropping into the west, but it’s thick enough to trap the day’s heat so shelter won’t be necessary.

  I remove my backpack and go in search of firewood. When I set the greens I have collected to boiling along with a handful of mussels gathered from the stream, I take advantage of the strong cell signal and click on the news. There’s seldom anything good being reported, so I haven’t logged in for weeks. Today is more of the same. Only the latest string of disappearances and lots of wild speculation.

  I glance through one article claiming the vanishings are the plot of the Chinese empire to take over the Western world. I roll my eyes at another one arguing that they’re the work of international hackers who have learned to upload matter and transport it through a virtual network. And I click right past a third attributing them to secret cyborg paramilitary organizations.

  I can understand the tendency toward speculation, even if it does enter the realm of science fiction. After so many months, the disappearances still show no sign of slowing, despite the best efforts of local and federal law enforcement agencies. There is no evidence whatsoever to explain where the missing people have gone, how they vanished, or why they’ve been taken. None—zero, zippo, zilch—something I find unnerving and unbelievable. Either there really is some never-heard-of-before explanation that defies our current understanding of natural law or, more likely, somebody out there is trying to cover things up. But who? And why? The thought is wildly unsettling.

  I see an advertisement at the edge of my page for a website where people can post pictures of missing loved ones, ask for any information, and leave contact info. I click on it and my eyes bug out. There are over five thousand entries. So many that I can’t see how anyone with information could ever link up with the right seeker.

  It costs money to post. Just a few dollars. I charge it to my tablet’s IP address and upload Ruby’s picture. Then I key in her last known location and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance—minus a few intimate details, of course—and include a direct link to my tablet. Please contact me with any information. Thank you. I click off the site unconvinced that my efforts will do little more than deliver my contact information to scammers, but I have to try.

  While I am browsing through related links, I stumble onto an underground site, the kind with an illegitimate URL that signifies it’s been put on the web by hackers who have circumvented the protocol put in place by the consortium governing web usage. Usually these kinds of sites are cleared off within days, but I see this one has been up for nearly a month. I’m curious enough to click through.

  My eyebrows hit my hairline. It’s
a chat board filled with thousands of discussions regarding the disappearances. But these aren’t filled with silly speculations. They’re loaded with valid information and real evidence of what’s been going on nationwide. I click onto a discussion titled Four missing girls discovered in an abandoned mine shaft. It’s dated two days before.

  Someone named BlueEyes wrote: I was out walking in the hills behind my house yesterday when I heard the sound of a young woman calling for help. Her voice led me to an old mine shaft that’s been boarded up for a decade. I spoke to the girls inside and got their names. There were four of them, all kidnap victims. I tried to let them out, but the shaft was boarded up tight as a drum. So I jogged home and returned with a crowbar only to find the boards busted open and the girls gone. Local law officers have no information. I contacted the families privately. The girls haven’t been returned. Has anyone else seen this kind of thing?

  The thread had fifty-nine comments, mostly well-wishers, but one response caught my eye.

  My daughter was recently returned from a similar situation. She was taken a week ago, drugged, and carried to an abandoned warehouse a few blocks from our house. She managed to squeeze through the ventilation shaft and escape, but when she returned with the police to free the two remaining girls, there was no sign of them. According to reports, no evidence was recovered from the scene. Since then the warehouse has conveniently burned down. My daughter identified her kidnapper as one of three local young men who have also vanished.

  My eyes narrow. The mention of the drug in the second incident has set my thoughts to spinning. Could this be what happened to Ruby? Was she, in fact, drugged and carted off to some out-of-the-way location? But where? I’ve look every place I can think of. And I can’t imagine corruption of that scale in the Tidbury police force. I know half of the officers, all good family men. This must be an isolated case. But then I find another thread listing at least twenty examples of how evidence is disappearing from labs and police stations in communities across the country.