Her Name Was Annie by Beth Rinyu (the little red hen read aloud txt) 📕

“I was wondering what you were doing this weekend?”

Was he kidding? It was Monday afternoon. I didn’t even know what my plans were for dinner that night let alone the weekend. One thing I did know for certain, none of those plans involved him. “My daughter is actually coming home tomorrow from college, so more than likely something with her.”

“Rick and Cheryl are getting everyone together for drinks on Friday night. I was thinking maybe dinner afterward.” He continued on as if he took precedence over the plans I had just told him about.

“Umm…I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.”

“Surely your daughter will understand if you go out one night.”

Oh yeah, I’d much rather spend my Friday night buying you dinner and listening to you yammer on instead of with my daughter. This guy just wasn’t taking the hint. I tried being nice, but he was too much of a narcissist to get it, so now I had to step it up a bit. “Look, Michael—” I stopped myself mid-sentence, becoming entrapped in a pure state of confusion when I saw Jack standing in the doorway of my classroom. I’d figure out the reason for Jack’s visit later, but for the time being, I was going to use it to my advantage. “I can’t go out with you this weekend because my boyfriend and I”—I motioned to Jack—“we’re back together.” I knew even Michael’s super ego couldn’t withstand the thought of being dumped for another man. Jack cinched his eyebrows and quickly disguised his smirk.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were seeing someone.” He turned his attention to Jack, sizing up his competition.

“Well, I am. Sorry.” I shrugged.

Michael nodded, then extended his arm to look at his watch. “Oh boy, I’m actually late for my appointment at the car dealership. My salesperson wants me to check out the fully loaded Porsche they just got in. I may be coming in with a new car tomorrow.”

“Have fun with that.” I threw back my head and expelled the breath I had been holding when he whisked past Jack like a dog with its tail between its legs.

“What the heck was that all about?” Jack asked, stepping into my classroom with his hands in his pockets and his grin growing bigger.

I waved my hand in dismissal. “Just some egomaniac I’m trying to ward off…what are you doing here?” I asked.

“You kind of left me no choice. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you all afternoon.”

“Oh shoot!” I grabbed my phone from the bottom of my purse to find a missed call and two texts from Jack. “The ringer…” I started.

“Is off again,” Jack finished.

“I turn it off during class, and then I forget to turn it back on again,” I explained.

“I have to head back into work, but the neighbor’s security camera got a clear shot of the car and the license plate from the other day.”

“Oh.” I sat up straighter in my chair, while Jack scrolled around on his phone.

“It was a rental in the name of Jennifer Armenti.”

“Okay…” That name didn’t ring any bells to me. Jack handed off his phone to me. A California driver’s license appeared on his screen with a photo of a dark-haired woman who appeared to be in her late thirties or early forties. I looked at her birth date on the license, did a quick calculation, and found I was right on the money, she was forty-one. “I’ve never seen this woman before in my life.”

“I didn’t think so.” Jack sighed.

“Jack, maybe we’re reading into this too much. Maybe she was just in the neighborhood looking at real estate. She could’ve been visiting one of the neighbors or perhaps she was lost. She is from California after all, so it would make perfect sense that she wouldn’t know the area too well.” I envisioned Jack rushing back to his office, running himself ragged, trying to link this woman to a former case. In fact, I knew when he said he had to head back into work, that’s exactly what he’d be doing. I didn’t want him to lose hope that maybe this was a lead, but at the same time, I didn’t want him to drive himself crazy, trying to make a piece fit that wasn’t the right shape. The mystery he was trying so desperately to solve could’ve been that it was just a case of an out-of-towner making a turn down the wrong street. “She could’ve been sitting on the side of the road, putting something into her GPS or making a phone call. There’s a million other scenarios as to why she was there.”

“I’m sure there are, but…the neighbor’s camera shows her there for twenty-three minutes. How long does it take to plug something into your GPS? Not to mention, she bolted the minute you walked down the driveway.”

“Yeah, but—”

“And you’re forgetting another important detail.” Jack interrupted. “She’s from California. Where was that man in the ocean from?” He raised his eyebrow as if to say checkmate. That fact had never crossed my mind. Guess that’s why he was the FBI agent and not me.

“Oh,” I murmured. My simple explanation had suddenly been overpowered by Jack’s logic. “So what now? Are you going to be living on caffeine and no sleep for the next few days, trying to figure this one out?”

“I might.” He scratched his head and nodded. I knew better than anyone Jack was like a dog with a bone when he got a lead on a case. Especially one that personally affected him.

“Well, try and get some sleep, and don’t forget Kara’s coming home tomorrow.”

“I haven’t forgotten. I’ll be in touch if I figure anything out. Turn your ringer on!” He requested. I flipped the lever on the side of my phone, making sure it was on.

“It’s on,” I replied, staring at the doorway long after Jack was gone.

I began to play over all the obvious clues Jack had laid out moments