She took two steps, then another. And then the vision became clear. Spank sat atop Dozer’s back as he walked, the monkey holding herself up with pride like the grand marshal at the circus.
Amusement warred with anger. Anger won out and Ari sucked in a deep breath, then counted to ten. When that didn’t work to calm her down, she let loose with a loud yell. “Samantha, get your runaway behind out here now!”
At the same time, Ari flipped open her cell phone and dialed Quinn, speaking to him only long enough to reassure him that Sam was okay and to promise that she’d return the girl to Elena and Nicholas before rejoining him at the hotel. For Quinn’s part, he’d have to wait his turn to yell and discipline Sam until he could afford a distraction from the case.
But Ari could take her turn now. She strode across the grass and called out Sam’s name again.
“I’m here, so you can quit screaming before you wake the neighbors,” Sam said in a sulky voice.
Ari reminded herself that Sam had had a hard time lately. That she’d had more upheaval than most adults endure in a lifetime and that in all probability she had what she thought was a good reason for this particular disappearing act. But the anger and fear still collided inside her, and only the fact that the young girl was whole and in one piece gave Ari a small measure of comfort.
She reached out and yanked Sam by the hand, pulling her into her arms and hugging her tight. “I was worried sick. Quinn was worried sick. And my parents are pacing the floor of the house, both worried sick!” Ari squeezed her tighter.
“Mmmmbrrgggggbbbb,” Sam mumbled into Ari’s shirt.
“What?”
Sam pushed and wriggled her way free. “I said I can’t breathe!”
Ari swallowed hard. “And I can’t think when I’m freezing.”
She grabbed Sam’s hand, then pulled the monkey into her arms and headed for the car. Once she’d settled Spank in the back, she and Sam sat in the front. Ari turned toward the young girl.
“Think you can get me one of those tight shirts?” Sam asked, pointing to Ari’s “Damon’s” tee.
“Tell me something. Do you not understand the concept of somebody worrying about you?” she asked, letting out a frustrated breath of air.
“Why should I? It’s not like anybody’s cared before,” Sam muttered. She wrapped her arms around herself and huddled into a ball.
Her profound words took some of the anger out of Ari, replacing it with a deep sense of sadness instead. When Zoe was presumed missing, the entire Costas household had turned themselves inside out with concern and fear. Even as they pushed on with life and business as usual, the love and concern for Zoe never diminished. Which, Ari figured, would land Zoe in deep, deep trouble when the truth was revealed.
But that wasn’t important right now. Sam didn’t believe anyone could care enough to worry. The sadness in that one statement was overwhelming.
“My parents called Quinn. They were frantic,” Ari said.
“Yeah, well, Felice and Aaron called Quinn, too. So did the family before that and the one before that. Even the guy with the paddle in the closet called the cops if a kid went missing. They’re just worried about themselves. If they lose a kid, they lose their monthly money from the state or they could even go to jail. So don’t try and say that it’s me they’re worried about.”
Ari opened her mouth, then closed it again. This child had been exposed to more than Ari could even imagine, and the sheer pain of her life hit Ariana hard. “Do you believe the same thing’s true for my parents? For Elena and Nicholas?”
Sam shrugged. “How should I know?”
Ari tipped her head to one side. “Good point. How should you know? Maybe you were testing them?” she asked softly. The idea, once it sprang to life, took hold and wouldn’t let go.
Sam didn’t answer. From the back seat, Spank clapped her hands, and a quick glance over her shoulder told Ari she was playing with her feet.
Well, as long as she was busy, Ari didn’t care. “Let me ask you something. You already decided Elena and Nicholas would call Quinn, since it’s what all foster parents do when a child runs away.” Ari gripped the steering wheel tight, trying to formulate her question in a way that made sense to a thirteen-year-old girl. “So what are you looking for? Best-case scenario, what can they do to prove themselves?” Ari asked, truly curious about Sam’s answer. If she even had one.
“I dunno.”
“What did the other parents do?”
“Nothing,” Sam said, squirming in her seat. “Maybe a missed meal or something. Well, not Felice. She just said ‘Thank goodness this will all be over soon.’ ”
Ari nodded. Suddenly, she understood. Undertaking the foster-care process wasn’t enough to convince Sam she was safe and loved. And for all the talk of adoption, the finalization was a long way off. Too long for a teenager who’d been shuffled around to believe it. For Elena and Nicholas to pass this test, they had to react. They needed to act like parents, Ari thought.
While turning the key in the ignition, she thought back to her childhood. Beyond the pranks and the cons, there was always plenty of love and understanding. Reprimanding, too, when the occasion warranted it. She hoped they could come through now, when Sam needed it most.
The ride home passed in silence, Ari not wanting to push Sam and unsure what to say anyway. It wasn’t until they pulled up in front of the Costas house that Sam turned toward Ari and spoke.
“What’s gonna happen to Spank?”
Absorbed in thinking about Sam’s life, Ari hadn’t given much thought to the monkey that night, and the question took her by surprise. “Well, I’ve been looking online and making some calls. Because she’s been well treated and her medical care is all up to date, she’s an easy placement. I just don’t want her in a zoo or someplace like that.” Ari shuddered.
“I don’t want her to go,” Sam said, stubbornness written all over her face.
With that particular trait, she’d fit into the family well, Ari thought. “Believe it or not, I’ve been taking that into consideration. What would you think about giving her to an animal trainer? Someone who lives close enough that you could visit, but also someone with good credentials and who treats animals with kindness, not punishment?”
“You’re asking me?” Sam said, her eyes wide and incredulous. As if her opinion had never counted for anything before.