Hope did not get breakfast that day.

She was okay with it.

She would rather not see Carl for weeks. She could die in hunger.

Maybe she would and it wouldn’t even matter because her mother was now one of the people who believed she was dead.

The news was flashing Georgina Madden’s crying face after she finally admitted that her daughter might be dead.

At first, Hope was angry. How could they say when there was barely any proof that she was dead? Was it the necklace? Surely they could pull out something from that barrel, bones or goo that could point out a different DNA.

But after a few moments, the anger subsided along with the remaining hope that she had. Patty was gone. Her mother thought she was dead. She didn’t feel alive. She could very well be dead.

Her heart was pumping blood, beating gently against her chest, but she was lifeless. It seemed that her soul left her body that night she buried Patty.

Promise me, Hope…

Patty’s desperate, sad voice rang softly at the back of her mind.

She promised Patty she’d find her mother.

Could she do that?

Her eyes flew to the window. She wasn’t even sure if she could climb out of it alone once the grills were gone.

*****

Devin tried to find out more from his neighbor.

Burton was not due to visit him until next week.

He was feeling restless. He had the need to find out more.

And so he climbed down his stairs, walked out of his front door and walked to where Carl was parking his police car.

“Hey!” the man greeted, climbing out and lighting a cigarette.

“Hey.”

“Need anything?” Carl puffed out smoke.

“Nah, just want to stretch out these legs,” he said, kicking one leg after another. “How’s it going for you?”

Carl frowned at him through the cloud of smoke. “Beat from work. Did a lot of paperwork. Not a lot of crime around here so there’s just that. Settled down yet or getting homesick?”

“Both,” Devin answered, looking around nonchalantly. “How’s your daughter?”

Maybe he should not have asked that. Carl’s face darkened for a moment before he asked, “Why you asking?” in answer.

Devin shrugged and gave off a chuckle. “I don’t know what else to ask. We never really exchanged a lot of things the last time we talked like this. I remembered you told me about your daughter.”

Carl nodded slowly, dragging another lungful of air through his cigarette until it finally reached the filter. He bit on the butt and sent it flying away. “Never been better. She’s having some good days, then some bad. Got used to it.”

Devin just nodded.

“Would you like to come inside and join me for a couple of beers?”

Without warning, Devin’s heart started to race. Should he? It was very tempting.

And Devin gave in to the temptation by nodding his head. “Sure. It’s okay?”

“Why not? After my wife died and my daughter got sick, I never had anyone but a couple of busy police friends to hang out with. You’re a good change.”

Devin grinned and followed him to his porch.

Inviting his neighbor into his house didn’t justify his innocence at all, Devin thought. For all he knew, the guy was playing it cool so he would not start suspecting.

He had watched and read about this sort of strategy, even witnessed a few of them in the past. That was why he had to be extra careful. If Carl was hiding something dirty up his sleeve, then his house might just be his playground. Devin had to tread slowly, with a survival plan at hand if things went awry.

Carl opened his door and walked in, holding the door open for Devin to follow.

Devin’s eyes went directly to the most important thing: the doors. He established all possible escape routes if things got physical. There was a backdoor at the other end of the house. The windows were barred as they were upstairs. The room was dark, almost gloomy despite the brightness of the day. There was a couch facing the television at one corner, a small coffee table in the center, an orderly kitchen and a dining table at the other half of the room. A stairway was just a few feet away from the door and Devin had the urge to go up and look through all the rooms upstairs.

She was just above, he thought.

“She uses the second floor,” Carl’s voice explained when he noticed Devin’s gaze. “That’s my room,” he pointed. Devin’s gaze followed and he saw the door right beside the landing of the stairway.

Devin nodded his head but did not ask the question that was on his mind: Are you locking up your daughter upstairs?

“I have a nice garden at the back. We can lounge there,” Carl invited. Devin followed him to the kitchen where he opened the fridge and took out a few cans of beer. “Come on out. It’s drafty inside.”

Devin did not hesitate. Outside might be a bit better.

The screen door swung loudly as Carl walked out.

Devin was surprised to see that the garden did in fact look decent. There were fresh potted flowers arranged perfectly in one corner.

“They’re new,” Carl said with pride. “Bought them from a fair.”

He led Devin to three chairs leaning against the wall.

Devin helped him by carrying the two chairs to more grassy ground. Once settled, they both sat in silence, looking at the trees and the plants, the house silent behind them. “You like gardening?”

“Yeah. Takes off a lot of stress,” Carl answered, popping a can and passing it to Devin. “What about you? What do you do?”

“Oh, online jobs, mostly. Nothing specific. Anything I could get my hands on.”

Carl turned his head as he opened his own can. “You look like someone who is well-educated. You can easily find an actual job around here.”

“I am planning to. Just need to save a little more extra,” Devin lied.

“Just tell me if you need help. I know a few people.”

“Thanks,” he answered before gulping his beer. “So this is all you do? Work and gardening?”

Carl slowly nodded. “Yes, you can say that. But there are other things I love to do like taking care of my daughter.”

Somehow, the way he said it made the hairs at Devin’s nape stand up, so he nodded, adding, “Must be tough.”

“Can be thrilling, too. It took me years to keep her settled after everything finally crumbled down for her. She used to be hard, but I think I was finally able to know how she works. She’s manageable now.”

“She doesn’t go out much?”

Carl shook his head. “She doesn’t like the outdoors. The meds make her eyes sensitive to the light. She lost a lot when her condition controlled her.”

“There are institutions for her, you know.”

“Tried that. Didn’t work.”

Bullshit, Devin’s mind cried.

“I just worry that she doesn’t get enough social life.”

“She doesn’t have any friends?”

“She might have had one, but I don’t know. The friend went away and she just got worse.”

Silence reigned between them for some time.

“How about you? No family?”

“Me?” Devin asked. “No, no family,” he lied.

*****

Hope knew Carl had a guest downstairs. She could hear him talking, his voice muffled. But then they disappeared.

They probably went outside to the garden where Patty was buried.

Sick son of a bitch, she whispered in her head.

She did not dare move from her winged chair. One wrong noise and she’d be in trouble.

*****

Devin finally got the courage to ask Carl where the bathroom was after a few more bottles.

Carl’s eyes were already drooping sleepily.

“It’s inside. You can easily find it,” the man slurred.

Being a strong drinker, Devin stood up and steadily went inside the house.

His heart started to hammer again.

This could be his chance to roam around the house.

But Carl might notice and follow.

He knew the bathroom was right next to Carl’s bedroom door.

He held on to the knob but did not turn it. His eyes went to the stairway.

He craned his neck to check the backdoor. It was still closed. He couldn’t see Carl, but there was no sign that the man had left his seat.

With purposeful and quiet strides, Devin climbed the stairs.

He reached the top and found two bedroom doors. The first one smelled of chlorine. He tried the knob. It was locked. Then he walked to the next door. It smelled drafty. He knew what room it hid behind the door.

He hesitated, made up his mind, and tried the knob.

Again, it was locked.

But he heard that same sound associated to his bedroom neighbor. The chains.

*****

Hope knew it wasn’t Carl.

He would never dare go upstairs when he had any visitors.

She knew, deep in her gut, it was the visitor.

But who?

She cringed when her foot involuntarily moved, causing the chains to make their sound.

She stopped her breath.

Her mind was already racing to the different scenarios of what could happen if the visitor found out about her. Would the visitor call for help? Would the visitor end up like her? But then, would the visitor try to even wonder if someone was inside?

*****

Should he speak up? Should he let her know he was at the other side? But what for?

Despite the temptation, Devin stepped back and returned downstairs.

Just as when he was opening the bathroom door, Carl’s voice spoke behind him.

“Where have you been?”

His heart almost leapt out of his chest but he had to think fast.

He closed the door and faced the man.

“I was just going out the door,” he explained. “Let’s go back out. You’re right. It is drafty in here.”

Carl was looking at him suspiciously and he almost bolted out the door. But he had to keep calm. He might just get in trouble for being too nosy.

*****

Hope knew the moment the visitor was gone.

Carl went to her room and congratulated her for behaving.

He gave her dinner which she ate despite her desire to die in hunger.

This thoughts of dying would eventually go away and survival would kick right back.

It was always the case.

She climbed out of bed when she was certain Carl would not pay her a visit tonight. He smelled of alcohol and smoke earlier and he was probably deep in sleep downstairs.

She went to the window and looked out into the night sky.

She checked the grills and a sudden urge to work on them again rushed through her mind.

She’d start again tomorrow.

Her gaze went back to the starless sky.Thoughts of Patty returned and she closed her eyes, a drop of tear falling out from one.

“Hey,” a whisper from the window across hers almost made her jump.

She did not answer the man.

“I was outside your door earlier, you know.”

Her shock must have registered on her face.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him.”

“You shouldn’t. We’ll be in trouble. You and I,” she said as warning. She couldn’t help it. One death was enough. “You should stop this. Stop spying on me or him. Stop it.”

There was desperation in her voice, she knew that. “But if you are in trouble, I want to help. I don’t think this is right.”

“Stop this. I don’t need your help. I can’t have another--” she stopped herself. She almost blurted out about Patty.

The guy was frowning, his face shadowed by the night.

“I am serious. Stop whatever you are doing and let us live in peace,” she rushed on before she stepped back to drop the blinds.