Take Me Tomorrow

Chapter 31: Who She Really Is

A curvy woman with graying black hair acknowledged our presence as soon as we entered the correctional institute. She stood up from her desk to talk to us, and I tensed, hoping she would think my nervous state suited my role. A troubled girl who needed all of the help she could get. In a way, I didn't have to pretend at all.

Lily's bright smile was as professional as it got. "Evening, Judice," she said, acting as if her darkened wardrobe was her norm. "How are the kids?"

"Great." Judice beamed, her voice as loud as her smile. "My daughter's wedding is next week. Can you believe it? Did I tell you that Phelps is attending? We're so excited."

"You didn't," Lily gushed as she reached out to embrace the woman. "How fantastic," she congratulated her as she pulled away.

"It is," Judice agreed, but her stare had moved to me.

"I'm just showing her around," Lily murmured loud enough for me to hear.

"We don't do tours at night—"

"I know." She nodded like she expected to hear the rules. "But her father worked at the Traveler's Bureau, and her mother isn't handling it well."

The reference shuddered over the woman's face. Lily didn't have to create a story. A few people had died in the fire, and this woman was assuming one of them had been my dad. In reality, I didn't have a clue as to where my father was.

"I thought we could—you know—make an exception," Lily dropped into a whisper. "I'll even take your next night shift as you, so you can still get paid."

The woman's eyes lit up. "You are a blessing, my dear," Judice responded with a nod. We were in. "Feel free to ask us any questions, honey."

I dropped my face to stare at the floor. I didn't want her to see the excitement on my face. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"Go ahead of me," Lily said to me before whispering to Judice, "She's more likely to join if I give her some room. Her mother's been breathing down her neck all week."

I slipped away before Judice could argue. Surprisingly, the woman didn't give me a second glance. I hurried down the nearest hallway, and my fingers clutched my hidden knife, safely hidden in my sweater. The confidence in my blade blended me in. When I passed other workers, they acted as if I belonged, and for the first time, I felt like I did belong somewhere.

I knew what the workers saw. My frizzy hair tied high into a ponytail revealed a tired face. My dark clothes were stereotypical, and my long strides were one of a nervous person. I didn't even have to pretend. I was one of these girls.

A small group of residents stood in the hallway I walked down. When I passed, their stares followed. I flinched when a girl no older than eight ran by me, seemingly clean, smart, and healthy. Nothing about her outside appearance suggested inner turmoil, but I knew the truth. She was probably orphaned, her parents killed by the drugs that were confiscated years ago—or worse, she had gotten ahold of some herself.

Everyone had been placed here for a reason. Did their families leave them? Did they turn themselves in? Did they have nowhere else to go? Someone's job was to decide which girls could stay and which ones would be sent to the lumberyards to work. Some would even be sent to Phoenix. Someone had decided to send Anthony there. Someone who worked for Phelps. Someone who I didn't want to know, ever.

I shook my head as if I could shake out my thoughts. I couldn't dwell on their pain. I had to keep moving. I had to find Rinley, and I had to get out. Now.

A wide stairwell led me upstairs, and I searched all of the hallways for any indication of Rinley's existence, but I didn't have an idea of what to look for. A sun? A picture of tomo? A giant T? Those would all be too obvious. Finding Rinley suddenly felt impossible. The building was full of people, and there weren't even names on the doors. I wouldn't know what name to look for anyway. Rinley was hidden as well as any criminal would want to be. I had to think like Noah if I was going to find his sister.

"Sophia," Lily shouted as I passed a communal library. "Sophia, wait."

I spun around as she jogged toward me, her hood down around her shoulders, her white hair bun bouncing back and forth. When she caught up to me, she leaned against the wall. She panted. "I didn't think I'd be able to find you in this place."

"And I didn't think you'd ever get out of that conversation."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Judice was in my training class."

"She isn't much of a security guard."

"No, she isn't." Lily laughed before her expression dimmed. "Which reminds me—"

My frustration interrupted her. "I don't know where to start."

"But I do." Lily offered a bright grin. "I logged into the system."

My stomach twisted. "What? Why would you do that?" That would only let the police know where she was. "Lily—"

"I could look up the old girls I used to work with," she said.

"So what?" I spat. "This isn't a socializing event."

"You aren't listening," Lily grumbled. "I could look up girls."

"Rinley won't be in with her own name—"

"I know that." Her brown eyes shaped into slits. "But I found something." She held up her hand to reveal black permanent marker covering her palm. "Harper, room 405."

Harper. The name rattled around, until it found its target. Noah's fake name had been Nate Harper.

I grabbed her hand as if the name would fade away.

"I'm betting we might know who she really is," Lily said, pulling away to point at the stairs. "Fourth floor is that way."