She called Silas Grange right from the car on the way to the airport.
«Detective, I am forced to leave on a business trip for three months, but I will be reachable twenty-four hours a day if you find out anything at all.»
«I understand, Ms. Vance. Don’t worry, I will continue the search. I have a few more leads to check.»
«What leads?» She gripped the phone.
«Too early to say. Don’t want to give false hope. But I am working. Rest assured.»
Althea walked hurriedly through the airport parking lot, dragging her suitcase behind her. Elias had already gone inside, but she lingered to answer an urgent call from Silas. The conversation was short and fruitless: no new leads, no witnesses, nothing.
Hanging up, she quickened her pace. Less than half an hour remained until check-in, and she couldn’t be late. The investors wouldn’t wait if she missed the flight.
Near the entrance to the terminal, she noticed a woman—young, maybe thirty—with a child in her arms. They were sitting on a concrete barrier. Something about this picture made Althea stop.
The woman was dressed in a worn coat clearly not her size. Her hair was disheveled, but her face… her face was surprisingly beautiful, with regular features and large, dark eyes. And the baby in her arms, quite tiny, was wrapped in a thin blanket, clearly insufficient for the autumn weather.
Althea was going to walk past. She had no time. She needed to hurry. But something forced her to linger. Maybe it was the woman’s eyes, tired but full of some quiet dignity, or the way she tenderly pressed the child to herself, trying to warm him with her body.
«Excuse me,» Althea stepped closer. «Is everything okay?»
The woman flinched and raised a wary gaze to her. «Yes, everything is fine,» she answered quietly, instinctively pressing the baby tighter to her chest.
«Forgive the intrusiveness, but do you have a place to stay?»
The woman fell silent for a moment, as if debating whether to tell the truth to a stranger. Then she lowered her gaze. «Not right now, but we’ll manage.»
Althea looked at the child. A boy, judging by the blue hat, sleeping with his face buried in his mother’s shoulder. He was no more than a year old. Suddenly a thought flashed in Althea’s mind. What if my mother is sitting somewhere like this too, lonely and helpless? What if someone is walking past her just as indifferently as most people are walking past this woman right now?
«Listen.» Althea dug in her purse and pulled out a set of keys. «I have a lake house upstate, about 40 miles from here. I’m flying away for a long time, several months. The house is empty. Do you want to live there?»
The woman looked at her with such disbelief as if Althea had offered her a million dollars.
«What? But why? You don’t know me, and that matters.»
Althea held out the keys. «You have a small child. He needs a roof over his head. I have that roof, and right now no one needs it.»
«I can’t just take it.» The woman was clearly bewildered. «This is too much.»
The baby in the woman’s arms stirred and started crying softly. The mother began to rock him, and Althea saw her hands trembling, from cold or from fatigue.
«I am flying away for negotiations for three months. Live at my lake house for now,» Althea repeated, offering the keys again.
«Three months?» The woman still hesitated to take the keys. «But why are you doing this?»
Althea thought about it. Indeed, why? She wasn’t used to spontaneous decisions, especially like this. Letting a stranger into her home was reckless, but something inside told her it was right.
«Because…» she stumbled. «Because my mother is missing right now, and I don’t know where she is, or if she is okay. And I want to believe that if she is somewhere in need of help, someone will be nearby and help her, like I am helping you now.»
The woman slowly reached out and took the keys, her eyes filled with tears. «Thank you,» she whispered. «I don’t even know what to say. My name is Sienna, and this is Leo.»
«Althea,» she introduced herself. «Listen, I need to run. I’m late for my flight, but I’ll call my driver right now. He will take you.»
She dialed the number of Dante, her regular driver.
«Dante, are you still in the parking lot?»
«Yes, Ms. Vance, did something happen?»
«A woman with a small child is coming to the terminal entrance right now. Her name is Sienna. Drive them to the lake house, please.»
«To the lake house?» Surprise sounded in Dante’s voice.
«Yes.» Althea quickly dictated instructions. «And buy them everything they need. Groceries for the start, clothes for the child. It’s clear they need everything. Baby food, diapers, whatever babies need.»
«Understood. Everything will be done, Ms. Vance. Pulling up now.»
Althea turned to Sienna. «You will be driven. There is everything necessary at the lake house. Linens in the closet in the bedroom, dishes in the kitchen. The heating is electric. You’ll figure it out.»
«I don’t know how to thank you.» Sienna looked at her as if seeing an angel. «You saved our lives.»
«Don’t exaggerate.» Althea smiled, though her soul was heavy. «Just helped.»
She had already turned to go when Sienna called out to her. «Althea, I hope they find your mom. They definitely will.»
Althea nodded, unable to say another word, and hurried into the terminal.
At the check-in counter, Elias was already waiting for her nervously. «Ms. Vance, where were you? Three minutes until check-in closes.»
«Sorry, got held up.» She handed her documents to the agent.
While they processed the luggage, Elias didn’t take his studying gaze off her. «Did something happen?»
«No. I mean, yes. I just gave the keys to the lake house to a homeless woman with a child.»
Elias stopped dead in his tracks. «You did what?»
«Gave the keys to the lake house,» Althea repeated calmly, taking her boarding pass. «They will live there while I’m gone.»
«But…» Elias was clearly trying to find words. «Aren’t you afraid to let strangers into the lake house? You don’t know her at all. What if she, well, I don’t know, steals something or turns it into a drug den?»
Althea stopped and looked at him. «No, I’m not afraid. The woman isn’t guilty that her fate turned out this way. I’m sure she’s good.»
«Where does such confidence come from?» Elias shook his head. «Ms. Vance, you were always cautious in business, vetted every partner. And here…»
«Here, I just felt that I needed to help.» Althea interrupted him. «There were no lies in her eyes, Elias, only exhaustion and fear. And that baby, he was cold. How could I walk past?»
Elias sighed. «All right. Hope you’re right. If only because I don’t want to deal with the consequences if you made a mistake.»
They passed through security and headed to the boarding gate. The waiting area was crowded and noisy. Althea sank into a chair, feeling fatigue roll over her. The last week had squeezed all the strength out of her.
«You’re worried about your mother. That’s why you helped that woman?» Elias asked quietly, sitting down next to her.
«I don’t know,» Althea answered honestly. «Maybe I just wanted to do something good. Maybe it’s some form of atonement.»
«Atonement? For what?»
«For being a bad daughter? For the fact that the last words I said to Mama were cruel? For the fact that I’m flying away now instead of staying and searching for her?»
«You are not a bad daughter.» Elias shook his head. «You are doing what you must.»
«Must,» Althea chuckled bitterly. «I’ve been doing what I must all my life. And here is the result. Mama is missing. I have no family, just endless work.»
Boarding was announced. They stood up and headed to the gate. In line, Althea checked her phone again. No messages from Martha or the detective.
On the plane, she settled by the window. Elias sat next to her and took out his laptop.
«Let’s go through the presentation one more time,» he suggested.
«Let’s,» Althea nodded, though she absolutely did not want to think about work.
For the next hour, they discussed the project that was supposed to take the company to a new level. Elias showed charts and calculations, explained strategy, and Althea nodded and made notes, but her thoughts were far away.
The plane took off, and Althea pressed her forehead against the cold porthole. Down below remained the city where her mother was. Or wasn’t. With every day, hope melted.
«Ms. Vance,» Elias called her. «Are you listening?»
«Sorry, got lost in thought.»
«I asked, when do we contact Dante? I want to make sure he got that woman there.»
«Good thought.» Althea dialed the driver’s number. «Dante, how did everything go?»
«Everything is great, Ms. Vance. Took Sienna and the baby to the lake house. Helped them get settled. Then went to the supermarket. Bought groceries, clothes for the kid. The woman was crying with gratitude.»
«Thank you, Dante. I’ll transfer the money for the purchases.»
«Don’t mention it. By the way, she’s a good woman. Intelligent. Told me a little about herself. She has a college degree, worked as an accountant, but her husband turned out to be a tyrant. Had to run.»
«I see.» Althea felt she hadn’t been mistaken in her impulse. «Dante, keep an eye on them, please. If they need anything, help out.»
«Of course.»
Hanging up, Althea leaned back in the seat. Elias looked at her with curiosity.
«Well, satisfied?»
«Yes,» Althea smiled. «You know, even in such a difficult period, it’s nice to realize you could help someone.»
«That is noble,» agreed Elias. «Although still reckless.»
Every evening, being at the hotel, Althea called home. Martha always answered on the first ring, as if she didn’t let the phone out of her hands.
«Martha, any news?»
«No, Ms. Vance, none.»
«Did the detective call?»
«Yes, this morning. Says he is checking some new theory, but nothing concrete yet. The police found nothing either. Sorry, Ms. Vance.»
«You aren’t guilty of anything,» Althea said wearily. «Thank you for keeping me posted.»
The negotiations went hard. The investors nitpicked every number, demanded additional guarantees, and set conditions. Althea conducted negotiations on autopilot, mechanically answering questions and putting forward counterarguments. Elias supported her as best he could, but even he saw that his boss was holding on with her last bit of strength.
«Ms. Vance, you did great today,» he said, after another round of negotiations. «Managed to convince them to lower the percentage.»
«Yes,» she answered indifferently, checking her phone. No messages.
The chances that everything was okay with Beatrice decreased daily. Althea knew the statistics. The more time passes from the moment of disappearance, the lower the probability of finding the person alive and well. It made her sick. But she had to pull herself together, smile at investors, discuss contract terms, and pretend everything was under control.
And at night, she lay in the hotel room and stared at the ceiling, replaying the last conversation with her mother in her head. Every word, every intonation. And with every day, the weight of guilt became heavier.
Six months. Althea spent half a year in negotiations that were supposed to be the most important in her company’s history. The investors turned out to be so demanding and cautious that every point of the contract was discussed for weeks.
Initially, it was planned that everything would take three months, but negotiations dragged on, new conditions arose, and additional meetings with partners in other cities were required.
Now, finally, the plane landed in her home city, and Althea and Elias walked through the airport terminal with suitcases. The deal was closed. Contracts signed. The company received investments that would allow it to expand and enter the international market. It was a victory. But Althea felt no joy.
«Ms. Vance, you are amazing.» Elias walked beside her, not hiding his enthusiasm. «You handled this. Honestly, there were moments I thought they would refuse, but you convinced them.»
«That is your merit too, Elias.» Althea smiled wearily and patted her assistant on the shoulder. «You helped me persuade the investors, especially when it came to return on investment timelines. Without your calculations, we wouldn’t have been able to convince them.»
«Team,» Elias answered modestly. «We are a team. By the way, are you going home now or to the lake house?»
Althea stopped dead. The lake house. She had truly completely forgotten about it during these months.
«Right, I forgot I have guests living there.» She smiled, shrugging her shoulders. «Wonder how they are. Dante mentioned a couple of times that everything was fine.»
«Maybe home first to rest?» Elias suggested.
«No,» Althea shook her head decisively. «I’ll go to the lake. I want to make sure everything is OK and get to know Sienna better. After all, she’s been living in my house for half a year and I haven’t really spoken to her.»
They said goodbye at the exit. Elias took a taxi, and Althea called Dante. The driver arrived in 20 minutes, smiling joyfully.
«Ms. Vance, I am so glad to see you. How did the negotiations go?»
«Successfully, Dante. Tired, of course, but the result was worth it. Let’s go to the lake house.»
«The lake house? Not home?»
«No, I want to check how things are. By the way, how is Sienna? How is the baby?»
«Oh, everything is excellent.» Dante perked up. «Sienna is such a wonderful woman. Hardworking, neat. The house is always in order. And she found a job at the local store. Micah is growing by leaps and bounds. Already started walking.»
«Already walking?» Althea was surprised. «How old was he when I left? Ten, eleven months. Now he’s a year and five.»
«Such a sharp little boy.»
They drove onto the highway. Familiar landscapes flashed outside the window. The city gradually gave way to suburbs, then fields and forest. Althea looked out the window and thought about her mother.
Over these six months, the trail had gone completely cold. Silas Grange continued working for the first three months, but then admitted he had hit a dead end. The police found nothing either. The case of Beatrice Vance’s disappearance was gradually moving to the archives.
Althea learned to live with this pain. She no longer cried every night, didn’t flinch at every phone ring. She simply accepted it as a given. Her mother disappeared, and most likely she would never see her again. This thought was unbearable, but she had to live with it.
The lake house was located in a picturesque spot surrounded by pines. A two-story house with a large veranda and a well-kept garden. Her father bought this place long ago when Althea was still a teenager. Here they spent summers. Here they celebrated family holidays. After her father’s death, Althea almost never came here. Too many memories.
The car turned onto the familiar country road. A few minutes later, the house appeared, and Althea immediately noticed that something had changed. Flowers bloomed in the beds, the gate was freshly painted, and new curtains hung in the windows. The place looked lived-in, cozy.
«See?» said Dante contentedly. «Sienna really looks after the house well.»
They got out of the car. Althea looked around. Even the paths were swept, the grass trimmed. She headed toward the house when suddenly she heard a child’s laughter drifting from the garden.
Rounding the house, Althea came out to the gazebo that stood at the edge of the property near a small pond, and what she saw made her freeze in place.
In the gazebo, in a wicker chair, sat an elderly woman in a light dress. On her lap sat a toddler with dark curls, and the woman was telling him something, pointing at the ducks swimming in the pond. The child laughed, clapping his hands.
Althea felt the ground slipping from under her feet. She knew this woman. She would know her among thousands of others.
«Mama…» The voice sounded hoarse, barely audible.
The woman raised her head and looked at Althea. The face was painfully familiar—the same brown eyes, the same elegant nose, the same thin lips—but there was no recognition in the eyes, only mild curiosity.
«What?» asked Beatrice, tilting her head. «Do we know each other?»
«You said… Mama?»
Althea took a step forward, then another step. Her legs were giving way, her heart pounding wildly.
«Mama, it’s me, Althea, your daughter.»
Beatrice looked at her closely, as if trying to remember, then slowly shook her head. «Forgive me, but I don’t know you. You must be mistaken, ma’am.»