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too horrendous to
imagine. Reminding herself that it couldn’t happen to her because
she and Jason didn’t have the kind of money Amanda did had little
effect.
    Amanda didn't have any brothers or sisters to
share her inheritance with, so she had gotten it all. But, Stacey
wondered, who else knew of the Stone's wealth? Outwardly they lived
a middle class existence.
    Completely wrung out, Stacey lay down on
Robby's bed, shutting her eyes and drifting to sleep.
     
    The hallway was dark and seemed to stretch
on for miles. There were dozens of closed doors lining the
passageway. Stacey could hear Nikki crying, calling out for her
mother to help her. Frantically running up and down the hallway,
Stacey opened doors, searching for her precious six-year-old
daughter. “I'm coming,” she screamed. “Mommy's coming!”
     
    Stacey woke abruptly, fear permeating her
every sense. Trying to orient herself, she sat up on the side of
Robby’s bed and saw that his teddy bear had fallen to the floor.
She picked it up and put it in its proper place.
    Sadness washed over her as she pictured
Amanda's hysterical face. She desperately needed to talk to
someone. Dragging herself down the hall to her own bedroom, she
picked up the bedside phone and called the car dealership where
Jason worked.
    They told her he was unavailable.
     
     
     

Chapter Six
     
     
     
    The harsh sound of knocking pulled Stacey out
of her daze. Hoping it wasn’t a reporter, she looked through the
peephole and saw Margie standing on the other side. Taking a deep
breath, she opened the door and invited her neighbor in.
    “I don't want to keep bothering you about
this,” Margie said, obviously not caring how much she disturbed
Stacey. “But what is happening over at Amanda's house?”
    Stacey's experience with this woman had
taught her caution. She knew that anything could and would be used
against her. The woman was a busybody of the worst kind. Once she
had called the police because she thought Robby and Kyle shouldn't
be playing at their treehouse by themselves. Stacey had been
extremely embarrassed by the accusing tone the officer had used
with her.
    Margie had tried to excuse the call by saying
she was only concerned with the boys' safety, although she never
explained why she hadn't come directly to Stacey and Amanda with
her concerns. Ever since then, Stacey was reluctant to talk to her
neighbor about anything. In truth, she always made Stacey nervous
when she showed up at her door. It was almost always with a
complaint and never just to chat.
    “It's really not my place to talk about it.”
Stacey said, feeling overwhelmed by all that had happened.
    “Oh, come on.”
    “I'm sorry, Margie.” Stacey couldn't bear the
thought of Margie acting triumphant at the news of Kyle's
kidnapping. As if she had warned them about this very thing
happening.
    At the keen look of disappointment on
Margie's face, Stacey said wearily, “Look, if you really need to
know, I would suggest reading the paper.”
    “We canceled our subscription because the
paper boy kept throwing it in the bushes.”
    “Well, try the television news then,
okay?”
    “Fine.” Margie opened the front door and
stomped back across the grass to her own house.
    Stacey knew she should try to be nicer toward
Margie. She had let the complaints roll off her back the first few
times Margie had complained about Robby and Nikki. But I can only
be expected to take so much before I have to stand up for myself,
Stacey thought.
    Trying to put the woman out of her mind, she
tried to think of something other than the tragedy unfolding at her
neighbor's house. She thought about what she could make for dinner
that night. After all that had happened she doubted she would even
have an appetite, but she knew the rest of her family would.
    She went into the kitchen to see what
supplies she had on hand. There were cans of vegetables and boxes
of dry cereal in the cupboard. The refrigerator wasn't much better.
Half a