Spoilers for The Diabolical Kind lie herein.
The woman looked like an angel.
At least, that's what Kayden thought angels should look like. Beautiful, but with fire in their eyes and blood on their wrists (the woman tried to hide the blood beneath her sleeves, but Kayden still saw it. She could see a lot of things.)
The woman entered into the room, smiling reassuringly. "Kayden," she said, the name a melody on her voice. "I'm Miss Adler. I'm here to help you."
The man who had put her here had said not to open the door for anyone, and Kayden hadn't. Miss Adler apparently didn't find locked doors particularly troublesome.
"Are you the police?" Kayden asked, holding her knees to her chest. Her parents had always told her about stranger danger, but even if Kayden hadn't listened to those lectures, the last days would have been lesson enough. Miss Adler may have said she was there to help, but Kayden was no longer so quick to trust.
Miss Adler knelt down by the side of the bed, still smiling, still appearing harmless. "No," she said with a small shake of her head. "I'm not the police. But I am working with them to bring you home." She tilted her head, studying Kayden. "You'd like to go home, wouldn't you?"
Tears slid down her cheeks and Kayden nodded. "I want to see Mommy."
There was the slightest of hesitations from Miss Adler, a small falter in her smile before it came back as strong as before. "And so you will."
Miss Adler stood again, glancing behind the door. "I need you to stay here, okay?" she asked when she turned back around to face Kayden. "I've called the cops and they're on their way. Don't leave this room until they come and get you, okay?"
"Why?" Kayden asked, fear lacing her voice. Were there still bad men out there?
"You've seen enough these last few days, I should think," Miss Adler said. "You don't need to see what's out there, either. Can you do that for me, Kayden?" Her voice picked up an odd sort of intensity, as did her expression. Her blue eyes never left Kayden's. "Can you stay here and be safe until the police come?"
Reluctantly, Kayden nodded. Miss Adler smiled and said, "Good."
She turned to leave, heels clicking on the floor. Then she paused in the doorway. Kayden watched her silently, not wanting her to leave but not knowing how to ask if she would stay, either. Somehow, Kayden knew Miss Adler wouldn't even if she had asked.
Miss Adler turned around. The smile was gone from her lips. "In a few years, if you want to talk to me... well. You'll find me."
Kayden scrunched up her face. She couldn't really understand what Miss Adler meant."How?"
"You're a clever girl," Miss Adler said. "You'll figure it out."
With that, the woman left the room.