Through the Door (The Thin Veil) - By Jodi McIsaac Page 0,26

the backdrop of morning traffic. Cedar hit the buzzer to let him in. She opened the door, and Watson ran out and around the corner. Soon she heard the elevator door open. Rohan stomped into the apartment, followed by several others. Some she vaguely recognized from the pub, others she had never seen before. Riona brought up the rear of the group.

“Well?” Cedar asked Rohan.

Rohan looked frustrated. “Nothing yet. I want to talk to your friend. You’ve told her about Eden.” It wasn’t a question.

“How do you know that? And who are all these people?” Cedar asked.

It was Riona who spoke. “I’m so sorry, here we are bringing strangers into your home and we haven’t even introduced them to you. These are some friends of ours who have been helping us look for Eden.” She waved her hand at the platinum blonde who had been at the Fox and Fey the previous evening. “This is Nevan Blakney. Over there is Anya Kelly.” She pointed at a tall middle-aged woman by the door. “And you met her son Oscar yesterday.” Oscar grinned and waved. “Then there’s Felix Dockendorff in the back.” Cedar recognized him as the barkeeper from the night before. “And beside him is Oscar’s father, Murdoch, and Murdoch and Anya’s other son, Sam. He’s with Nevan. And this here is our other son, Dermot, and our daughter, Molly.”

Cedar sort of wished she hadn’t asked. Her gaze lingered on Dermot. He had the same mouth as Finn, the same gentle curls. She forced herself to look somewhere else. “Thanks,” she told Riona. “This is my friend Jane.”

Rohan had crossed the room and was now glowering at Jane, who glowered back in return. “Cedar?” she asked. “What the hell is going on?”

Cedar rushed over. “This is Rohan Donnelly, Finn’s father. And this is Riona, his mother.”

“Hey,” Jane said, skepticism written large across her face.

“Let’s sit down,” Cedar said. “This isn’t an inquisition, Jane, but why don’t you tell them what you told me. Maybe they can make some sense of it.”

“This is what you’re doing instead of calling the police?” Jane asked.

“The police will never believe us,” Cedar said. “And these people are like Eden. They want to help. I think we should let them. They’re our best chance of finding her.” Cedar led Riona and Rohan to the table where Jane was sitting. Everyone else remained standing or found seats on the sofa or floor.

“Tell us again what you remember,” Cedar said.

When Jane had finished, Rohan was staring hard at her. She bristled under his steady gaze. “Listen, I know what you’re thinking, but I’m telling the truth. I don’t know what happened. I’m not making this up. And who are you, anyway, to come barging in here? You didn’t even know Eden existed before yesterday. And why are all these other people here?” She made an angry gesture at the crowded room.

Rohan looked at his wife. “You may be right,” he said to her, ignoring Jane.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Riona said, her face earnest. “I just can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”

“What makes sense?” Cedar interjected, her gaze swiveling between them. Rohan’s face darkened.

“There is only one way to know for sure,” he said. “Jane, I believe I can help you remember what happened last night. But you must be completely honest with me.”

Jane glanced at Cedar and then said, “Um, okay.”

“Do you like children, Jane?” Rohan asked.

Jane looked confused. “What?”

“Do you like children? In general. Do you enjoy spending time with them; do you want to have children of your own?”

“Sorry, but what the hell does that have to do with anything?”

Rohan glared at her, and then turned to Cedar. “Tell her to answer the question.”

Cedar was indignant. “How about you tell us what you’re getting at? What do you mean, you can help her remember? How?”

“If it works, you’ll understand. But if she doesn’t answer my questions, we’ll never know what happened,” he said with more than a hint of impatience.

“Fine, jeez,” Jane said, with a sideways look at Cedar that clearly said she thought Rohan was crazy. “No, I don’t want to have kids. There, does that answer your question? ’Cause I still don’t remember anything.”

“Do you like them?” he asked.

“What are you trying to get at? That I hate kids and I kidnapped Eden or something? This is bullshit.” Jane stood up, and so did Rohan, towering over her. Jane shot a look at Cedar. “I’m sorry I helped you find