Chapter 85

EIGHTY-FIVE

Ivy shivered as she ran toward her mother. That man who'd found her ribbon had mean eyes. She'd seen him watching her before when she was getting her ticket for the petting zoo.

"Who was that man talking to you?" her mother asked, her tone worried.

Ivy bit her lip. She wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. "My hair ribbon came out and he gave it back to me." She opened her palm to show her mother.

Her mother's breath puffed out the way it did when she was tired or… a little bit angry.

"I told you to stay away from strangers."

"I'm sorry, Mommy. But he didn't hurt me."

Her mother hugged her, her arms so tight Ivy could barely breathe.

"Hey, girls, what's going on?"

At the sound of her daddy's voice, her mother let go. "Some man was talking to Ivy in the petting zoo."

Daddy frowned. "Ivy?"

"He just handed me my ribbon back."

"Well, I don't like it," Mommy said.

Daddy tugged her mommy's hands into his own. "Honey, maybe you should see a counselor about your fear of something happening to Ivy."

Mommy folded her arms and glared at her daddy. "I don't need counseling. But two little girls were killed near here. I think we should leave town."

Her husband, who was normally so patient, gripped her arm. "Look at me, Loretta. Ivy's having fun and we're not leaving town because you're paranoid."

"I'm not paranoid," Loretta said.

"Then trust me to protect Ivy. I don't want her to grow up afraid all the time."

Tears burned her eyes. She hated when her parents argued.

But her mommy did seem to worry and was afraid all the time. Ivy was starting to feel scared, too.

Looking back at the petting zoo, goosebumps rippled across her arms and she scooted closer between her parents. That creepy man was watching her again.