Page 179 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

“She drank a lot—your grandmother. She never had much to do with you either. Sam wanted the two of you out of there, so you guys moved in with the kids and me.”

“You were best friends?” Callie prompted.

Danielle shook her head. “Or not at first. We went to the same high school. We ran in different circles. I was a cheerleader and Sam was super artsy—hung out in the art room and skipped school a lot. It wasn’t until a couple years later that we bumped into each other at a YWCA parenting class. We hit it off, and we were both in a tough spot. Sam was on a long waiting list for Section 8 housing, and I was on the verge of losing mine—couldn’t keep a job because I didn’t have reliable childcare. It was against the rules to have you guys at my place over on Ruggles Street right here in Roxbury, but we decided to take the risk. Sam was determined to get a job and raise you differently than her mom had raised her. We worked out a schedule to make sure one of us was always home with you kids.”

“What was she like?”

“Stubborn. Strong. Quiet. Shy and beautiful. She loved art almost as much as she loved you.” Danielle chuckled. “She took you to the art museum as often as she could swing the entrance fee. I think you two were headed there in the picture where you’re both wearing your hats and mittens.”

“Then why did she leave me?”

The light left Danielle’s eyes as she shook her head. “I don’t know, but I want to help. I should have called sooner. When you were little and I saw you on TV, Callie.” Her eyes grew teary. “I’ve wondered about you all these years—worried about you. Felt guilty.”

Nate grabbed the box of tissues and handed them to her, wanting to get the interview back on the right track. “Let’s see what we can do to move us toward finding some of the answers.”

Danielle wiped her cheeks then gripped the tissue in her hand. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to tell you.”

“When was the last time you saw Samantha?”

“The day they left for Carter Island.”

“Which was?”

“The Sunday before the Fourth. Independence Day was a Tuesday that year.”

Nate nodded, well aware of the dates and coinciding days of the week of July 1995. “Where were you during that week?”

“At my mom’s. Sebago Lake. We went every year.” She stood and flipped to a page in the picture book, pointing to a photo of Danielle sitting by the water with her two children, the time stamp in the bottom right verifying her whereabouts on July 4, 1995.

“How long did Samantha plan to be gone?”

“Just until that Wednesday. She didn’t have a lot of money to spare and her boss didn’t want her taking off the days she did. It was supposed to be a quick getaway.”

“Where was Samantha working?”

“At a tavern over in the Back Bay. On The Rocks.”

Nate frowned, mostly certain he’d been to the place with Brad before. “That’s higher end, right?”

“Yeah. It’s in the wealthier section. Sam made pretty good tips—better than at the diner she was working at serving soup and sandwiches.”

“And where was that?”

“The Greasy Spoon.”

“How long did she work there?”

Danielle looked at the ceiling as she whispered to herself. “Uh, a couple years. She got hired after she moved in with me. She did Tuesday and Thursday dinners and the Saturday lunch shift. After she heard they were hiring up at On The Rocks, she went to the library, checked out every book she could find on how to make fancy alcoholic beverages, and ended up getting the job.”

“How long was she there?”

“I’m pretty sure she got hired right around Christmas of ’94. I know she worked a few parties because she ended up buying us a huge turkey for the table and the kids all kinds of goodies for under the tree.”

“On The Rocks was her place of employment until she disappeared?”

Danielle nodded.

“And you said her boss wasn’t happy that she was taking off?”