Local Woman Missing

One night during a major storm, Kate’s neighbor, Josh Dickey, accompanied by his four-year-old son, Leo, pays her a surprise visit. Josh asks whether Kate has seen his wife, Meredith, or his six-year-old daughter, Delilah. Earlier that day, Meredith cancelled the yoga classes she teaches to stay home with Delilah, who was ill. By the time Josh returned home from work and picked up Leo from the babysitter, Meredith and Delilah were gone, and Josh’s calls to Meredith went unanswered. Kate comforts Josh, but wonders whether Meredith’s disappearance has anything to do with Shelby’s disappearance 10 days earlier.

As they talk, Bea, Kate’s partner, returns from the detached garage that she uses as a recording studio. Bea says that Meredith borrowed some milk from her that morning. Josh says that Meredith seemed distant recently. With Bea’s encouragement, Josh calls the police.

About two months earlier, Meredith, who works as a doula, is bathing Leo and texting a client who is going into labor. Suddenly, Meredith receives a series of aggressive texts from an unknown number, including, “I hope you rot in hell, Meredith” (68). Shaken, Meredith pretends nothing is wrong. Josh takes over washing Leo so that she can leave to help her client.