After a round of questioning, they finally got into the car. Dad was quiet for a moment, then spoke.
"Let's go home first and check if Kate's back."
"With everything going on out here, I just hope nothing's happened to her."
His words put an immediate sour look on Grandma's face.
"You're always so dramatic. She's not a little kid anymore—what could possibly happen to her?"
"There are security guards in the neighborhood. You think some kidnapper is going to waltz into a gated community?"
Grandma launched into a tirade, rattling off all her grievances about me.
But Grandma—Mom and Dad didn't know where I was. You should have known.
You were the one who said you'd let me out of the freezer when you got back from your card game.
But you forgot about me. And then you lied to Mom and Dad, told them I'd run away from home.
A flicker of impatience crossed Dad's face.
"Mom, no matter what Kate's done, she's still my daughter."
"I know she can be stubborn, and I know you don't like her, but she does more than her share of chores around this house."
"Besides, it's been over eight hours since I got home. If she's not there when we get back, I'm calling the police."