Page 1 of Vanishing Legacy

PROLOGUE

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

THURSDAY, 1:42 P.M.

Why was everything in the world so easy for grownups? Penny Thomas struggled to tear the crinkly granola bar wrapping with her teeth. Libby had said she’d open it, but she was driving.

That was the routine. On Thursdays, her nanny picked her up from school early and drove her to see the speech lady while Penny ate a granola bar on the way.

Grownups always wanted to do things for her, but she wanted to do stuff for herself. Like opening her own snack. Penny tugged the top edge with her teeth. The wrapper ripped down the middle. Yes! She did it! The noisy paper peeled off and she?—

Penny’s body slammed forward. The seatbelt jerked tight against her chest. Tires screeched and glass shattered as another lurch flung her back against the safety of her booster seat.

Penny blinked. Tried to comprehend.

It was so hard to breathe. Thoughts whirled in her head, but she couldn’t grasp a single one. Something bad had happened.

Libby twisted around. “Penny, are you okay? Are you hurt?” Her nanny had never used such a shrieky voice before.

Penny opened her mouth to speak. Instead, she burst into tears.

“Oh, baby girl. I’m so sorry. Hang on a sec.” Libby unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned across the console. The contents of her purse lay scattered on the floorboard, and her golden-brown hair bun wobbled while she searched. “Ugh, where’s my phone?”

Could it be back here? Penny craned her neck and studied the dark floor. Nope. The only thing she saw was…was…oh no! Her granola bar! She…she’d dropped it. Every Thursday, she ate a granola bar before therapy, and now…now it was all dirty. She screamed.

“Oh, Penny! Penny, it’s okay. Hang on, I’ll get you.” Libby gave up the search for her phone and slipped out of the car, leaving the door open. She froze.

Libby’s eyebrows rose. “Wh-what are you?—”

A bang stung Penny’s ears. Libby crumpled to the ground. Was she sleeping? A shadow passed Penny’s window. A man in black clothes leaned inside and pressed a button on Libby’s door. The locks released with a click.

Penny’s door creaked open, and the man ducked his head inside. His dirty black hair flopped over his forehead. He unlatched her seatbelt. “C’mon, kid, let’s go.”

Her heart froze at the drawings on his neck and arms. The black scorpion on his neck moved when he spoke. Her body screamed, trying to call Libby’s name, but no words formed. She shook her head and waved both hands. No, no, no. Daddy said never ever go anywhere with a stranger, and she would not go with this scary man.

Tears flooded her eyes. She wanted to speak but her tongue seemed glued to her mouth. She tried again and again. Still no words came. They were stuck. Why did it always happen when too many things were going on all at once? When she really needed her words, they would get all tangled up and only yelling came out. That’s why Libby had to take her to see the speech lady. To help her get her words unstuck.

Her thoughts slipped out of control. The hot tears rolled down her cheeks, which only made her cry harder. Deep, heaving sobs, making it hard to breathe. Her body vibrated.

“Geez, what’s wrong with you, kid? Calm down. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

The bad man tried to grab her, but she pitched herself sideways and scurried across the back seat. A sweaty hand clamped down on her ankle. “Oh no you don’t.” He dragged her toward him.

She shrieked louder and kicked her free leg. The toe of her shoe landed somewhere between his eyes.

The man screamed a curse and covered his face with both hands. “Now look what you did!”

A red line of blood dribbled from his nose and pooled around his mouth. He ran his forearm over his face, smearing the blood across his arm. Mean black eyes squinted down at her. “Yer gonna pay for that one, kid. Now stop yer bawlin’, cuz one way or ’nother, you’re comin’ with me.”

Now she was in big trouble. She stopped screaming, but her hands started to shake. The man seized her wrist and dragged her out of the car. He hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her toward his smashed-up car.

Daddy had taught her to fight. If someone tried to take her, she should throw a fit and fight. She pulled the man’s hair. Kicked his ribs and stomach. Screeched in his ear. Arched her back and tried to wiggle out of his arms.

It was no use. The man was too strong and she was too little.

Why didn’t someone help? Libby was there, on her stomach beside the car. “Luh! Luh! Luh!” Penny tried to call her name. Begged her to get up and help.

Libby lifted her head and looked at Penny. “Run,” she rasped. “Penny…ruuuun!”