Jolly almost cried. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have come back so soon. I should have been looking after him overseas.”
Rachel said, “Calm down. Samuel was last seen in the hotel, right? Did you check the surveillance camera?”
Jolly froze, and Rachel knew she hadn’t looked through it yet. “Calm down. I’ll call his teacher.” She then called Samuel’s teacher.
The whole conversation was done in a language Jolly barely understood. After Rachel asked the hotel’s staff to check the surveillance, they told her what they saw a moment later. “The staff said Samuel left on his own. They’ll send the video to us in a moment.” After she hung up, Rachel calmed her friend down. “I’ll go to Astoria tonight.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No.You wait here and call the cops once twenty-four hours have elapsed.” After that, Rachel left with nothing but her handbag and keys.
Just when she was about to get into her car, she heard the sound of someone towing a suitcase, and a young child stood behind the car with his luggage behind him. “Mommy!”
Rachel froze, and she stopped opening the door. When she turned around, she saw a boy in a blue navy T-shirt and suspenders. He wore a cap, and tufts of brown, curly hair sprouted underneath it. His eyes were beautifully dark, like olives.
“Samuel!” Rachel ran to him and gave him a hug. “Where have you been? Jolly and I were worried sick!”
Samuel was coughing from how hard he was hugged. “I can’t breathe, Mommy.”
Rachel let him go after that, but she quickly asked, “How did you even find this place? Who gave you the address?”
Samuel blinked. “Hernandez!”
Rachel frowned at the mere mention of that name. “Him again! Forget about it. Let’s go back up.
Jolly’s worried sick.”
Rachel then took Samuel’s luggage and took him upstairs. When Jolly saw the boy, she thought she was hallucinating. “How’d you find him so soon?”
“He was downstairs.” After Rachel put her car keys down, she explained, “This boy tricked his teacher into holding a summer camp in Astoria and ran off on his own. I ran into him right after I went down.”
When Jolly heard that, she gritted her teeth. “Someone’s bold.”
Samuel quickly hid behind his mother. “I’m just missing Mommy. Mommy!”
Rachel could never say no to her son, so she squatted and looked him in the eye. “Say sorry to Jolly. And tell her how sorry you are. She’s worried sick for you.”
“Jolly!” Samuel went to Jolly just like his mother told him to.
Jolly crossed her arms, and she looked upset. “Don’t give me that. You don’t care about me no matter what I do. You only go where your mother goes. You never care about me.”
Rachel gave Samuel a look, and Samuel quickly tugged on Jolly’s skirt. “But Jolly, you’re my favorite
person.”
Samuel’s adorable voice could melt anyone, but Jolly turned away, refusing to see him.
“Jolly, it’s not good being angry. It makes you old. You’re a pretty lady, so you should smile a lot. Smiling makes you pretty.”
“Don’t give me that. I’m a sad, old witch. Your mother’s the pretty lady here.”
“But she’s my mommy. She’s different. I’m gonna marry you when I grow up, not her. You can’t grow old just yet. Wait for me!”
Not even Rachel could hold back any longer, and she chuckled along with Jolly. Then, Jolly flicked Samuel’s cap. “You cheeky brat. Who taught you that?”
“Who else?” Rachel shrugged.
“Hernandez, huh? That playboy. He only knows how to flirt. And now he’s starting to lead Samuel down his path too?”
“You’re not mad anymore, are you, Jolly?” Samuel grinned toothily. “I brought a gift for you.”
Jolly touched his nose. “You cheeky brat.”
And they laughed away. At the same time, a few people were inside a black car that was in the neighborhood’s corner. The one in the backseat was quiet but absolutely furious.
“Sir, this is…” Frankie looked panicked, but he didn’t know what to say. Justin suddenly woke him up and told him to drive to Rachel’s place, but before he could even get out of the car, they saw Samuel calling out to Rachel. Who is that boy? He’s about the same age as Charlotte. And he called the madam “Mommy”? Is he her son?
Justin’s expression was dark. “Look into this.”
“All right.”
Rachel made a few calls to Justin the next day, but nobody picked it up.
“Mommy!” Charlotte called out to her from within the bedroom. “I can’t pick my dress. I need your help.”
Rachel snapped out of it. “Give me a second. I’ll be right there.” Maybe he’s on a plane, or maybe he’s busy. Rachel was still worried, since she left him so abruptly last night. She wanted to explain herself, but he couldn’t be contacted.
“The red one or the white one?” Charlotte picked a red dress and a white dress.
“Where are you going, Charlotte? Why are you dressing up all of a sudden?” Rachel asked.
“The amusement park, Mommy. Let’s go to the amusement park, all right?”
“I thought you’re still sick.”
Charlotte froze, but a moment later, she covered her mouth and coughed. “I do feel sick, Mommy.” But she averted her gaze, obviously feeling guilty.
She can’t even fake her cough. Rachel laughed quietly, but she didn’t expose Charlotte. “This one.” She pointed at the red dress. “It’ll look good on an amusement park trip. You’ll heal up faster if you go out
more, right?”
Charlotte’s eyes lit up, and she nodded. “Yeah.”
At the same time, Justin was in a hotel in Ashcroft, the city next to Riverdale. He was standing in front of a French window, looking at the missed calls coldly.
Frankie said, “I’ve looked into the company Rachel worked in when she was in Montenegro, and I found her details there. She does have a son that’s four and a half years old.”
Justin gripped his phone tightly. And I thought she went overseas for a reason. So this is her reason.
The staff was setting up the recording hall, while Rachel’s assistant held the interview script. “Chris, this is the script for the interview. We’ve filtered them, so take a look to see if there are any problems.”
“Thank you.” Rachel took the script from her assistant.
Her assistant looked around and was about to take a chair for Rachel, but someone shoved her. “What are you doing? Don’t you know this spot is reserved for Amber?”
