The Jigsaw Jungle Read online

  Also by Kristin Levine

  The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

  The Lions of Little Rock

  The Paper Cowboy

  G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS

  an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

  375 Hudson Street

  New York, NY 10014

  Copyright © 2018 by Kristin Levine.

  Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

  G. P. Putnam’s Sons is a registered trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

  Ebook ISBN 9780698193987

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Jacket art © 2018 by Tom Froese

  Jacket design by Tony Sahara

  Version_1

  For Charlotte and Kara

  Contents

  Also by Kristin Levine

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Part 1: The PieceNote To Reader

  Email

  Phone Transcript

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Email

  Phone Transcript

  Phone Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Phone Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Surveillance Video Transcript

  Email

  Mail

  Email

  Phone Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Yearbook

  Email

  Note To Reader

  Email

  Note To Reader

  Phone Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Email

  Directions

  Text Message

  Video Transcript

  Email

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Phone Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Mail

  Part 2: The PuzzleEmail

  Phone Transcript

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Receipt

  Email

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Receipt

  Phone Transcript

  Phone Transcript

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Mail

  Puzzle

  Email

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Directions

  Receipt

  Email

  Voice Memo

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Phone Transcript

  Video Transcript

  Email

  Video Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Phone Transcript

  Video Transcript

  Puzzle

  Email

  Text Message

  Receipt

  Video Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Receipt

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Email

  Puzzle

  Text Message

  Directions

  Receipt

  Video Transcript

  Email

  Phone Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Note To Reader

  Playlist

  Phone Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Email

  Video Transcript

  Puzzle

  Email

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Email

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Puzzle

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Phone Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Phone Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Email

  Note To Reader

  Mini Golf Scorecard

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Email

  Email

  Video Transcript

  Puzzle

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Text Message

  Text Message

  Phone Transcript

  Video Transcript

  Informercial Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Email

  Part 3: The Big PictureNote To Reader

  Phone Transcript

  Video Transcript

  Email

  Text Message

  Puzzle

  Phone Transcript

  Video Transcript

  Time Capsule

  Video Transcript

  Time Capsule

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Phone Transcript

  Video Transcript

  Voice Memo

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Phone Transcript
/>   Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Time Capsule

  Note To Reader

  Note To Reader

  Online Chat Transcript

  Phone Transcript

  Email

  Email

  Phone Transcript

  Directions

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Receipt

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Phone Transcript

  Puzzle

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Text Message

  Voice Memo

  Email

  Video Transcript

  Playlist

  Phone Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Receipt

  Video Transcript

  Phone Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Voice Memo

  Note To Reader

  Text Message

  Note To Reader

  Email

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Text Message

  Video Transcript

  Note To Reader

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  PART 1

  The Piece

  NOTE TO READER

  I USED TO THINK that life was like a puzzle, and if I was organized and worked really hard, I could make all the pieces fit neatly together.

  Turns out, I was wrong.

  This scrapbook tells the story of how I learned that. It’s full of emails and phone conversations, receipts and flyers. Transcripts of old home movies that I typed up. It’s the story of how we lost my dad and how we found him again, all organized in a binder with headings and labels, colored tabs and archival scrapbooking tape.

  Because, if you ask me, there’s nothing like a good list to make you feel calm and in control. Guess I’m just weird that way. I needed to put this all in one place, to see how the clues and pieces all came together to reveal the truth about me and my family.

  And if there’s only one thing you learn about me from this collection of documents (and I hope there’s not just one, but if there is just one), it’s this:

  I really do love a good puzzle.

  Claudia Dalton

  EMAIL

  From: Jeffery Dalton

  Date: Friday, June 26, 2015 4:55 PM EST

  To: Claudia Dalton , Jennifer Dalton

  Subject: Will be home late

  My favorite girls,

  Something came up while I was at work. Not quite sure when I’ll be home. Don’t wait up!

  Love you both,

  Dad

  PHONE TRANSCRIPT

  Claudia Dalton’s Cell Phone | Friday, June 26, 2015, 5:03 p.m.

  Mom: Hello?

  Claudia: Dad said he had to work late. When are you going to be home?

  Mom: Um, might be 7:30.

  Claudia: But Dad was going to drive Kate and me to the movies! It starts at 7:30.

  Mom: Do you mind missing the previews?

  Claudia: Yes. And I can’t sit in the front row because you know I get a crick in my neck.

  Mom: Well, I’m sorry, Claudia, but my big conference is in ten days and . . . Why can’t Dad take you? I thought this was his last teacher workday before summer vacation.

  Claudia: I don’t know. He just emailed that something came up.

  Mom: Huh. Maybe Kate’s mom can take you.

  Claudia: She has a project she’s trying to finish before she goes on maternity leave.

  Mom: That’s right! When’s the baby due?

  Claudia: Couple of weeks.

  Mom: Give her my best.

  Claudia: Okay. But what about the movies?

  Mom: I can pick you up afterward, but—

  Claudia: It’s fine, Mom. We’ll walk.

  Mom: Sorry, sweetie. Text me when you’re done.

  Claudia: Will do.

  Mom: Love you!

  Claudia: Love you too. Bye.

  TEXT MESSAGE

  Claudia Dalton’s Cell Phone | Friday, June 26, 2015, 5:11 p.m.

  KATE

  Hey, BFF?

  Sup

  Itsy-bitsy change in plans

  What?

  How do you feel about walking?

  Claudia!

  Sorry

  My dad flaked

  Mom working late

  Ugh. Mine too

  Could your dad . . .

  Haha

  You know he’s never home before 8

  So we walk?

  Yup

  Meet at your place? 6:30?

  See you then

  NOTE TO READER

  WHEN I WOKE up the next morning something felt wrong, but I didn’t know what it was. I walked into the kitchen and put some bread into the toaster. I got the paper from the front porch and glanced at the headlines: “Gays’ right to wed affirmed,” “For Obama, a day of triumph, grief and grace,” “Dozens killed in terror attacks on 3 continents.” (Why did we still get the paper anyway? Couldn’t my parents read it online like everybody else?!) I smeared peanut butter and jelly on my toast.

  And then I saw it. My father’s favorite mug. The one he used for tea every morning. Sitting on the counter, clean and untouched.

  EMAIL

  From: Claudia Dalton

  Date: Saturday, June 27, 2015 10:30 AM EST

  To: Jeffery Dalton

  Subject: Where are you?!

  Dad,

  Why didn’t you come home last night?!!!

  I’m really freaking out. Did you drop your phone in the toilet again? Did you have a car accident? Did you run away to join the circus?!

  Mom says she’s sure there’s some really lame, normal explanation. Like maybe you went bowling with the young teachers from school and had too many beers and decided to crash on someone’s couch and you thought you’d texted us, but there was no signal in the bowling alley and you didn’t notice the message had failed to send. Even though I’ve shown you about 500 times how to check it.

  But I think she’s lying because Mom spent all morning scrubbing the kitchen floor. You know Mom. Unless we’re having a party, she only cleans when she’s angry or nervous.

  Anyway, call us!!!

  Love, Claudia

  PHONE TRANSCRIPT

  Claudia Dalton’s Cell Phone | Saturday, June 27, 2015, 2:14 p.m.

  Mom: Hello—

  Claudia: Mom, has he called?

  Mom: No. Are you still at the pool with Kate?

  Claudia: Yeah. They invited me to stay for dinner too.

  Mom: Okay. That’s fine.

  Claudia: Have you called the police yet?

  Mom: Yes, Claudia. They said we have to wait twenty-four hours before filling out a missing persons report.

  Claudia: Oh.

  Mom: Wait, I’m getting another call!

  Claudia: Is it Dad?

  Mom: No. No, it’s your grandfather. I called him earlier.

  Clau
dia: That means you think it is serious!

  Mom: I’m just covering all the bases.

  Claudia: But, Mom . . .

  Mom: I’ll let you know if I hear anything. I gotta go.

  PHONE TRANSCRIPT

  Jenny Dalton’s Cell Phone | Saturday, June 27, 2015, 2:16 p.m.

  Mom: Have you heard anything, Walter?

  Papa: No, I was just checking in with you.

  Mom: Oh.

  Papa: This is so strange. Was Jeff having any problems?

  Mom: No.

  Papa: You don’t sound certain.

  Mom: Well, he was acting a little distant lately. But I thought that was because of Lily. I thought it was normal.

  Papa: Grief is normal. Disappearing is not.

  Mom: I know. I need to call some more friends and . . .

  Papa: Let me know if you hear anything.

  Mom: I will.

  NOTE TO READER

  EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, so early it was still dark, I woke up and couldn’t fall back asleep. When I went into the kitchen for some breakfast, I found Mom already there.

  She was sitting at the kitchen table, picking slips of paper out of a Mason jar. I knew what they were: messages my father had left in my lunch.

  Have a great first day of school!

  Good luck on your science test.

  Break a leg in your history skit!

  Dad had put notes in my lunch for years, not every day, but a couple times a week. I always brought them home and stuffed them into the jar as I cleaned out my lunch box.

  At least I had until a few months ago. Billy Peterson had caught me reading one, snatched it out of my hand, and spent the rest of the day repeating, “I love you, sweetie! Have an amazing day!” in a fake, high-pitched voice. I’d marched home and told Dad I was too old for notes in my lunch anymore.

  I felt awful about that now. Had I hurt Dad’s feelings? Was he mad at me? Mom and I pulled note after note out of the Mason jar until they covered the kitchen table.

  When we were done, Mom finally admitted that she was worried too. She cooked breakfast, eggs that neither of us ate, and we filled out the missing persons report together. I looked through my phone and found three current photos of Dad to give to the police. I also found the following video, in case they wanted to put it on TV or anything.