Chapter 2: Someone's Missing

Releasing the locket, Caroline left the room and wandered down the hallway towards the delicious smells of her mother's cooking. 

“Mom?” she called as she stepped into the kitchen and found it empty. “Mom?” she called a second time, but there was still no answer. Telling herself they must both be outside, she snuck over to the oven and peered in at the lemon meringue pie baking. Her stomach growled again, and closing the oven door, she stood up and lifted the lid off the saucepan of the pasta sauce. Dipping the wooden spoon into the sauce, she blew on it and tasted. She closed her eyes in appreciation and replaced the spoon. On the bench beside it was a tray of half-made lasagna, and she wondered what her brother had gotten up to, to pull her mother away from the kitchen. Caroline walked around the island bench and past the dining table towards the back door, surprised to find it closed. It wasn’t locked, and she pulled it open, stepping out onto the deck, scanning the yard in confusion. “Mom? Justin?” she called, but the backyard was empty. The temperature had dropped remarkably in the short time since she’d been home, and she stared up at the dark clouds with a frown, as though they somehow could provide an answer as to her family’s whereabouts. Stepping back inside, Caroline pulled the door closed behind her, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to warm them. She hurried from one room to the next, calling out to her brother and mother, but there was no sign of either. Running into the laundry room, she yanked open the door to the garage and found her mother’s car still there. It was as though the pair of them had just vanished. 

An anxious, on-edge feeling swept over her, and she could hear the echo of her pounding heart in her ears. Caroline went back to her room and fished her phone from her bag, the feelings intensifying when she found no messages, no missed calls from her mother. She dialed her number, pressing the phone to her ear as it rang and rang. It finally went to voicemail, and Caroline left a rushed message before hanging up and dialing Felicity. Her best friend answered immediately. “That was quick. What did you get?”

“Can you go ask your mom something for me?” Caroline asked.

“Uh, sure. What’s up? Are you okay?”

“I don’t know. I can’t find Mom or Justin.”

“Maybe your mom forgot something she needed for tonight and ran out? I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”

“No, her car’s still here. Something’s happened; I can feel it. It’s like they just vanished in the middle of what they were doing.”

“I’m sure…”

“Please,” Caroline cut in, “Can you just go ask your mom if she knows anything? She said they spoke earlier.”

“Okay, okay. Hold on.” Caroline listened as Felicity moved through the house in pursuit of her mother, before straining to overhear their muffled conversation. 

“Mom said when she spoke to yours, the plan was a night in with lots of food, presents, and once Justin went to bed, your favorite movie. Mom hasn’t spoken to her since. Have you tried calling her?”

“Of course, I have.” Caroline snapped, instantly regretting it, “I’m sorry, Felicity. I just have a horrible feeling about this, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Look, I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation, but do you want me to come over and wait with you?” Felicity offered. Caroline looked towards her bedroom door, the house suddenly feeling enormous in its eerily empty state, “Yeah, that would be great.”

After she ended the call, Caroline tucked her phone into her pocket and walked back into the kitchen to turn off the oven and stovetop. Not knowing what to do with herself, she wandered from room to room, looking for any clue as to where here family went. Nothing was out of place—everything looked as it always did. In the family room, Caroline hunted for the remote control and turned the television off, instantly regretting it as the sudden silence engulfed her. Not wanting to be alone in the house, she decided to wait for Felicity on the porch while also keeping an eye out for her mother and brother. As she reached the end of the driveway, she saw Felicity approaching and returned her wave. Too impatient and anxious to wait where she was, she met her friend half-way. The hugged before walking back to her house. 

“Still no sign of them?” Felicity asked, sitting beside Caroline on the porch swing. Caroline shook her head and pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly. She felt sick to her stomach and longed to see her mother and brother stroll up the driveway like nothing had happened. Felicity put her arm around her shoulders, and the two friends sat that way for what felt like hours, though it wasn’t. A ringing phone broke them out of their trance, and Caroline grabbed hers from her pocket, wanting to feel the relief of seeing her mother's name on the screen. It wasn’t her phone ringing. 

“Hey, Mom,” Felicity answered, and Caroline sank back against the railing in disappointment. The sun had sunk closer to the horizon, sending vibrant splashes of amethyst, apricot, and coral across the heavy clouds that had slowed to a near standstill above them. Goosebumps ravaged her arms from the increasingly cold air, but Caroline hardly noticed as her fear intensified with each passing minute.

“Mom’s coming over.” Felicity said, “It’s getting cold. Do you want to go inside?” 

Caroline shook her head as she stared out at the road, her mind filled with the mantra she repeated over and over, please come home, please come home, please come home. 

Minutes later, Mrs. Bennett pulled into the driveway. Looking up at the girls as she got out of the car, she smiled, but it did little to mask the concern in her eyes. “It’s freezing out here, girls. Let’s go inside. Can I have a quick look around, Caroline?” she asked. Caroline just nodded as she let Felicity lead her from the porch swing and through the front door. As Mrs. Bennett searched through the house, Caroline and Felicity sat in the family room. She could feel her friend’s worried stare on her, but she didn’t want to talk. She feared if she tried to speak, she would vomit.

“Have you been out into the garage?” Mrs. Bennett asked as she came back down the hall.

“Yes. Well, no. I opened the door from the laundry room, but when I saw Mom’s car was still there, I closed it again. Why? What is it?” She half-rose from her seat. 

Mrs. Bennett gestured for her to sit back down, “Her handbag and phone are on the front passenger seat, and the keys are still in the ignition.”

Caroline just stared at her, feeling like she was going to choke on the acidic bile that rose into her throat.

“What do we do now, Mom?” Felicity asked. 

“We call the police.”