The night was as black as ink.
Mrs. Bell sat at the dining table, glanced at the wall clock, and frowned. "I wonder where Susan went... and if she's eaten."
"She's a grown woman. You don't need to worry about her," Mr. Bell said dismissively. He placed a piece of beef in Harvey's bowl with a gentle smile. "Harvey, eat up. Have some more meat."
Thinking of her daughter still out there all alone, Mrs. Bell instantly lost her appetite.
She put down her chopsticks, untied her apron, and stood up. "I'm going out to look for Susan," she said. "You watch Harvey. Just leave the dishes, I'll clean them when I get back."
"Look for her? What for?" Mr. Bell sounded annoyed. "Besides, do you even know where to find her? And don't forget, you have to take Harvey for a walk downstairs after dinner."
Mrs. Bell's thoughts were a tangled mess. She shot her husband an irritated glare. "Old Man Zane, have you forgotten that Susan is your daughter? Your own flesh and blood!"
