TWENTY-NINE
Before Amanda headed for home, she forwarded the JPEG from Pixie Winks to Detective Briggs in Digital Crimes to see if he could clear the image of the mystery figure. She also left Alicia’s laptop at the station to look at tomorrow. Right now, she couldn’t get to Zoe fast enough. She was looking forward to salvaging some of the evening. It was bad enough she had to miss pizza night—a meal she and Zoe strived to have every Tuesday.
She opened the front door, and no one was within sight. The house was open concept, allowing her to see into the living room from the entry, with the kitchen behind that, and a hallway to the right that led to two bedrooms and a bathroom. “I’m home,” she called out. She headed toward the hall, and Libby stepped around the corner.
“Hey there.” Libby smiled. “Welcome home.”
“Thanks. Where’s Zoe?”
“In her room, but it’s not a good night.”
“Why? You never mentioned anything over the phone…”
“It happened afterward. She had her friend Maria here. I told you that when you called.” Amanda nodded, and Libby went on. “But something was said and…” The woman’s lips quivered, but she pulled herself together and nudged her chin out. “I had Maria’s mother come pick her up.”
“What was said?”
“The girls were acting out Frozen,and Maria called Zoe a baby for playing dress-up.”
“Oh. Maria’s her best friend.” Amanda was crushed for Zoe.
“That’s probably why it hurt so much.”
“And why is a six-year-old teasing another one for playing dress-up? I know kids are growing up faster than they used to, but this is crazy.”
“I told Maria’s mother what was said. Apparently, Maria’s older sister has been making fun of Maria lately, calling her a big baby for putting on costumes and playing with dolls.”
“Ah, so that spilled over to Zoe.”
“I’d say so. I think Zoe was hurt even more because Elsa and her sister lose their parents in the movie. I think that’s why it means so much to her. Zoe can relate. She then sees how strong the characters are and wants to be like them.”
Amanda let snippets of the movie play out in her mind. How could she have not realized how closely the story mirrored Zoe’s? While Elsa’s parents weren’t killed, they were both dead—just like Zoe’s. “How did Zoe react to Maria’s calling her a baby?”
“She started screaming at the top of her lungs. It took a while to calm her down.”
Amanda had called about an hour ago. Apparently, a lot could happen in that time. “She’s calmer now?”
Libby nodded. “Do you want me to stay, or do you think you can handle this? I’m not meaning to insult you… It’s just…”
“Difficult.” Amanda put a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I’ve got this. You can go if you wish.”
Libby smiled and packed up to go home. The minute Libby had closed the door behind her, Amanda immediately wished she had stayed. Amanda had taken years to work through her own grief and had moments when she was miserable beyond measure. Sometimes she questioned whether she was the best one to help this little girl through her emotions. But she usually squashed the self-doubt with reassurance that she was, indeed, the best suited for the job. After all, she’d been through it—at least a version of it. She hadn’t witnessed her family’s actual deaths before her eyes like Zoe, who had seen her father shot and heard her mother’s screams. But Amanda had been in the crash that claimed Kevin and Lindsey.
Amanda slowly walked down the hall, gathering her thoughts. Zoe saw a therapist on a biweekly basis, but maybe it would be a good idea to get her in sooner than the next scheduled visit. “Zoe?” Amanda stood in the doorway of the room and tapped the doorframe.
Zoe was sitting on her bed, plucking rhinestones out of the Elsa tiara. She didn’t even look up.
Amanda went in and took the tiara from the girl. Zoe still didn’t acknowledge her. “I understand your feelings were hurt, sweetheart.”
Her big, blue eyes met Amanda’s. They were wet but full of rage. “I’m not a baby,” she pushed out and scowled.
“No one is saying you are.” Amanda eased onto the edge of the bed.
“Maria did.”
“She’s just a little girl herself. You have lots of fun pretending to be Elsa, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” The admission came in a tiny voice that was almost indiscernible.
“Then why shouldn’t you play?” Amanda hitched her shoulders. “You do what makes you happy.” She gently poked Zoe’s chest.
She looked down at the tiara that was now in Amanda’s hands. “I ruined it.”
“We can fix it.”
Zoe sniffled. “She’s right. I am a baby.” She crossed her arms in a huff.
“Not by a long shot. You’re a smart girl, way ahead of her time.”
Zoe was scanning her eyes like she wasn’t believing a word.
Amanda didn’t want to bring up the murders of Zoe’s parents, but given what this girl had been through, she was leaps ahead of others her age. Zoe had already been forced to face the gut-wrenching reality that life could throw her way—death of loved ones. “I mean it, Zoe.” Amanda set the tiara on the bed and reached for the child, wanting to scoop her in for a hug.
Zoe pulled back. “I miss my Mommy.”
“I know you do, sweetheart.”
“She watched Frozen with me a lot.” Her bottom lip quivered just a mere second before she started to cry. She pawed at her cheeks, as if angered by the tears and her display of emotion.
Amanda’s heart squeezed. Zoe had never told her that before, but it provided another reason why she had such a fondness for the movie. If it had anything to do with Zoe relating to Elsa’s loss of her parents, that was a subconscious thing. Zoe watched and immersed herself in the film because it made her feel closer to her mother. Amanda blinked back tears, and when she trusted her voice, she said, “You don’t let anyone stop you from doing what you love. Ever.”
The girl continued to sob, and Amanda made another move to hug Zoe. This time, the girl allowed the embrace. If Amanda had her way, she’d never let go.