Sins of the Mother Read Online Free

started, composed once again, “let’s go. We have to find Jacquie.”

Four
    T HIS WAS THE DEFINITION OF insanity.
    The detective jotted the same notes on the same pad, her responses to the same questions that he’d been asking over and over.
    “Mrs. Bush, did you notice anyone in the mall?” “Mrs. Bush, was Jacqueline talking to anyone?” “Mrs. Bush, did you see anyone watching you and your children?”
    “No! No! No!” was what she said, no matter how many times he asked her the same questions. Did he really think that, if she’d seen someone watching them, she’d have left Jacqueline alone with Mae Frances?
    A short tap on the door interrupted the inquisition, and as the female officer who had been at the mall came in and whispered to the one who had been alone with Jasmine and Hosea for the last forty minutes, Jasmine pressed down the madness she felt rising inside. She wasn’t sure how much longer she would be able to sit still inside this cold concrete room answering questions that did nothing to help find Jacqueline.She needed to be out there in the streets, in the hunt, searching.
    Once they were alone again, the officer, whose name tag identified him as Detective Cohen, asked, “Now, Mr. and Mrs. Bush, do you know of anyone who would want to hurt Jacqueline?”
    This time, Jasmine jumped out of her seat. “Of course not,” she shouted, her impatience and hysteria winning. She pounded her hand on the rectangular table.
    It was only Hosea’s gentle squeeze of her arm that made her slowly return to her seat. But that didn’t calm her. “No matter how many times you ask us the same questions or come up with new ones that are even more ridiculous, the answer’s going to be the same. All you’re doing is wasting time. We should be out there,” she pointed to the closed door, “looking for my daughter.”
    The detective nodded, as if he had much experience with distraught mothers. “I assure you, Mrs. Bush, there is not an officer in this country who doesn’t take the disappearance of a child seriously. We’re doing all that we can. There are dozens of men assigned to this case already,” he explained. “They’re back at the mall, out on the streets, getting statements. It’s just that we have to get all the information we can from you so that we can move forward.”
    When Hosea said, “We understand,” Jasmine rolled her eyes. She wanted to tell her husband that she didn’t understand a damn thing, but she pressed her lips together.
    “Can you think of anything else, Mrs. Bush?” the detective asked in the same cool tone.
    “No. Please. I’ve told you everything I know. You really need to be talking to Mae Frances. She’s the one who was with Jacqueline.”
    “We’re talking to her, too,” he said, still cool, still collected,as if what she and Hosea were going through was normal. “Your friend is next door with one of the other officers.”
    “So what do you want with me?” Jasmine asked, folding her arms, intent on not answering any more questions.
    Another tap on the door. Another interruption that made Jasmine want to scream—until Reverend Bush walked in with Detective Foxx, a police officer who was also a friend and a member of their church.
    Detective Foxx shook hands with Hosea and then hugged Jasmine. “I just want you to know,” he began, “that we’re out there, full force.”
    “Thank you,” Hosea said. “We’ve been talking to Detective Cohen,” he glanced at the officer, “and he’s been very helpful.”
    No, he hasn’t!
was what Jasmine was thinking. But then her eyes widened as she looked once again at her father-in-law. “Where’s Zaya?” she screamed, and she pushed past her husband to get to the door.
    “Calm down,” Reverend Bush said, holding up his hands. “He’s right outside with Sarai and Daniel,” he said, referring to his assistant and his armor bearer. “Right outside this door.”
    “He’s not with Mae Frances?”
    Reverend