“Elizabeth?” Mr. Darcy stood in the doorway to my room, waiting for me to tell him to come in. Concern filled his strong features, and those blue eyes wanted to help me.
“What do I do?” I asked him. I felt the tears coming and closed my eyes. “This is bad. This is so bad.”
“Let me see,” he said gently, taking a step toward me. I handed him the letter and watched his face as he read it. His eyes narrowed, and his brow grew dark. His jaw pulsed with tension as he finished reading it.
“This is my fault,” he said softly, his voice low. “If I’d exposed him earlier, she wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“No,” I said, putting my hand on his arm. “This is my fault. You told me what he was. I didn’t tell my sister because I didn’t want to hurt her. Now, I’ve hurt her worse. If I had just told her what you told me, this never would have happened.”
“Elizabeth, I’d like to help.” His voice was soothing as he put a hand on my shoulder. I wanted to lean into him and steal his strength, but I didn’t deserve that. So I just stood there.
“Thank you,” I said. He offered me back the note. The paper felt so flimsy in my hands. My sister’s future was about to rip like the paper. I needed all the help I could get. “I need to call some people.”
“Of course,” he agreed.
“I have an uncle in California,” I said, more just to keep myself talking and from freaking out rather than actually trying to communicate. “He might be able to help. At least he’s a lot closer.”
“Yes,” he agreed. He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” I told him.
“Call me William,” he replied.
I nodded, unable to speak anymore. Tears were threatening to spill out all over the place.
“I’ll leave you now,” he said, giving me one last squeeze. “Please call me if you need anything.”
I nodded again, pulling out my phone and looking for my uncle’s phone number. I wasn’t sure if I could get a hold of him at this hour, but I had to try. I wondered what time it was wherever my parents were.
I wondered what my mother was going to say.
The front door shut with a soft shush and click. Mr. Darcy was gone. I suddenly felt less strong than I had a moment ago. I could only imagine what kind of terrible situation Lydia was in. There was nothing good that an out-of-work agent could do with a broke girl. I just hoped I was wrong.
I took a deep breath and dialed the phone, wishing with all my heart that Mr. Darcy still had his hand on my shoulder.
Chapter 19
Thirty-some-odd hours later, I was no closer to finding my sister.
“Any word on Lydia?” Jane asked, coming into the kitchen. I sat at the table, searching my phone.
I shook my head. “I called the police, but she’s an adult, and she isn’t really missing,” I told her. “And California is a big place.”
“I’m so sorry, Lizzie.” Jane put her hands on my shoulders and gave me a reassuring squeeze.
“My uncle is driving down from Sacramento today, but I’m not sure how much help it’s going to be,” I continued. “I forgot that our Mom and Dad were in the middle of the ocean on their cruise. I can’t even get ahold of them. Even so, they couldn’t do anything even if I could reach them.”
I looked down at my cereal and realized I hadn’t eaten a bite of it. It was now just soggy mush.
“How are you doing?” Jane asked. I could tell she was worried about me.
“I didn’t sleep the night of the party, and I didn’t sleep much last night. I just kept looking up and calling hotels,” I told her. I played with the soggy cereal with my spoon. I wasn’t hungry anyway. “She’s been in California for forty-eight hours, and I haven’t had a word from her. I worried.”
“I’m sure she’s fine,” Jane told me, but she didn’t sound like she fully believed it herself.
“I booked a ticket for a flight out,” I told her. “I was able to get a red-eye. It’s the earliest I could get.” I sighed and stared at my breakfast mush. “I don’t know what I’m going to do there, but I can’t just sit and do nothing.”
“You’ll find her,” Jane promised. I wanted to believe her so badly.