Clara’s daughter, Lucy, called shortly afterward and noticed her mother’s anxiety. Clara reluctantly described the missing posters and suspicious teenagers nearby. Lucy announced she was coming Friday morning. This time, Clara did not object. The silent house no longer felt comforting, especially with Bubbles still missing outside somewhere.
Before bed, Clara checked the kitchen door one final time. Henry’s gardening coat remained beside Bubbles’s untouched food. She imagined him returning soaked and hungry after some harmless adventure. Then she imagined the caller watching her house. Clara locked the door, feeling as though she had betrayed the cat waiting outside.