Free What We've Lost Is Nothing by Rachel Louise Snyder

bikini top under a Hawaiian flowered sarong. Their Key West hotel room smelled of carpet cleaner. The faux wood grain atop the dresser and end tables irked Dan. You could never tell this from a hotel’s website, whether the furniture was made with real wood.
    Dan’s cell phone rang and Alicia watched him answer. Her eyes were full of tears, though she was not, technically speaking, crying. This bothered him. The neither here nor there of it. Cry or don’t cry, but hovering there in between confused him. Did she need him to hug her, or could he go and shower? He flipped open his cell phone. It was Alicia’s father, George.
    Dan had been on the phone for the past two hours, first with the police, then with the detective assigned to their case, and now with George—who’d driven immediately to the Kowalskis’ house. George started giving Dan a play-by-play: “The police are opening all the closet doors. Still dusting for prints. Gah! What a mess! They’re taking a lot of photos. Must be a hundred already.”
    â€œCan you tell us what’s missing?” Dan said.
    â€œThe house looks like a tornado hit it,” George said.
    Dan could hear conversation in the background, the deep voices of a team of policemen.
    â€œThe whole street’s blocked off. Reporters everywhere.”
    â€œWhat’s gone, George? Can you tell?”
    Alicia was standing inches away from Dan, trying to hear what her father was saying. Dan leaned back slightly to keep her just out of earshot.
    â€œI’m not sure, Dan. You’ll have to make a list for the police. But it’s like a bomb went off in here.”
    â€œI got that, George.”
    â€œWe need to call the airlines again,” Alicia mouthed.
    Dan swatted at the air to shut her up. He could never concentrate on more than one speaker at a time.
    â€œListen.” George lowered his voice. Chester began barking and Dan could hear George shushing him. “Listen, Dan, Arlene and I are going to clean up as best we can before you two get home.”
    â€œWe’re calling the airline in a minute. We’ll get there as soon as we can.”
    â€œYes, yes, I’m just telling you. We’ll do our best. It’s a real mess here. A real mess.”
    Alicia reached for the phone, whispered, “Let me talk to him when you’re done.”
    Dan glared in her direction.
    â€œI mean a real mess, Dan. I think it would upset Alicia.”
    â€œThat sounds great, George.” Dan tried to keep his voice upbeat. “We sure appreciate your being there.”
    â€œArlene wants to know where you keep your cleaning supplies.” Chester barked again and Dan heard a policeman yell something about locking up the damn dog. George and Arlene had been dog-sitting for Dan and Alicia.
    Dan took a stumble step back from Alicia. She threw her arms into the air and mouthed, “What?!”
    â€œWell, that’s great that they didn’t make it to the basement, George. That’s good news. All kinds of things on those shelves, you know?”
    â€œWhat are you two talking about, Dan?” Alicia said.
    Dan shrugged. “Great. Thanks, George.”
    â€œGot it,” George replied. “Cleaning supplies in the basement—” He stopped, then returned a second later. “The detective needs me, I’m going to have to let you go. But don’t worry about a thing, Dan!”
    Dan closed his cell phone before Alicia could talk. “He had to go. The police needed him,” Dan said quickly, before his wife could protest.
    â€œWhatever. I told you I wanted to talk to him.”
    Dan didn’t answer, so Alicia picked up the hotel phone to call the airlines.
    Dan and Alicia had come to Key West as part of their annual vacation. Normally, February was the best month to escape Chicago’s notorious winter; February held the greatest threat to one’s sanity. But Alicia had begun a series of