Free Thread of Innocence (Joe Tyler Mystery #4) by Jeff Shelby Page A

rocks to get to the sidewalk. The fog was completely gone now, having given way to a light blue sky and the sun over the distant mountains.
    “Do you remember me?” I asked before I could swallow the words.
    She looked surprised. “What?”
    “Do you remember me? From before you were taken?”
    She was quiet for a minute.
    “Yeah, I remember some things,” she said. “Like I told you. Sort of like shadows. But, yeah. I can remember some things.”
    “ Like?”
    She stared straight ahead. “I remember walking to school with you. I remember the white cat you bought me when I was...I don't know how old. I remember some things, yeah.”
    “With your mom, too?”
    She nodded. “Yeah.”
    We walked for another minute and turned the corner onto our street.
    “ I have a tough question for you,” I said. “You ready for it?”
    She glanced at me. “I guess.”
    I cleared my throat. “Would you rather be here or in Minnesota?”
    The corners of her mouth twitched and she reached back to fiddle with her hair as we kept walking.
    “And I should preface that, I guess,” I said. “I want to know because I want to know where you're at. Your mom and I aren't considering letting you move back to Minnesota or anything. It's not your fault that people lied to you and that you had to block things out and accept where you were out. I understand why you did that and I'm glad you did. But the fact is, you weren't supposed to be with those people. We don't want to treat you like a possession, but the bottom line is you're our daughter. I just want to know because I want to know what you're feeling.”
    Her pace slowed until we came to a stop on the sidewalk. She dropped her hands from her hair, but they fidgeted at her sides, like she didn't know what to do with them. It took a moment before her eyes found mine.
    “I don't know,” she said. “I mean, I don't know how to answer, okay? I don't feel like I belong here, but I know I don't really belong there either. I know all that. It's just...it's just weird. So I'm not trying to be all 'I don't care.' I just don't feel like I belong anywhere right now.”
    I nodded and we stood there for a moment on the walk, neither of us saying anything. She wasn't crying, but I got the sense that she was on the verge of tears and I didn't want to push her over the edge.
    “That's fair,” I finally said. “There's no right answer right now, I guess.”
    Elizabeth shrugged.
    “Think about going to Minnesota with your mom,” I told her. “I think it might be a good idea.”
    “ Okay,” she said. “I will.”
    “ And Elizabeth?”
    “ Yeah?”
    I stubbed my toe against the concrete. “For what it's worth, I want you here. I want you to want to be here. And I know you belong here. I love you. Which probably sounds weird right now. But I love you and I'm glad you're home. Just because you were gone doesn't mean we didn't stop loving you and missing you. So. I love you and I will do the best that I can with all of this.”
    She forced a smile on her tired face. “Thank you.”
    It wasn't the exact phrase I wanted to hear, but it would have to do.

FOURTEEN
     
     
    Lauren was home when we got back. She'd made breakfast and Elizabeth and I both sat down and ate platefuls of eggs and toast. When we finished, I went and showered and when I was out, Lauren informed me they were going to head out and finish up their shopping from the day before.
    I glanced up at the staircase, waiting for Elizabeth to come down. “I think she'd agree to going to Minnesota with you.”
    Lauren rolled her eyes. “Joe, I thought...”
    I held up a hand before she could get on a roll. “I know, I know. I'm just telling you where she's at. In case it comes up in conversation. That's all.”
    She gave me a look like she knew I was saying it for other reasons, but didn't respond. Elizabeth came down in leggings and a T-shirt, her wet hair brushed thoroughly.
    “Can we go back to the mall?” she asked, looking