Page 101 of The Kidnapped

Kenna smiled and said, “No time to read these days?”

“No. But I meant that I miss working at the library. It’s quiet there, and no one makes me look at crime scene photos of a murder.”

“I can move you off this one,” Kenna offered. “Not all of them are this bad.”

“No, I’ll do it. You’ve already bent over backwards for me, with my mom and Raleigh.”

“How’s that going, by the way?” Kenna asked, lifting an eyebrow. “I mean Raleigh. I know how things are with your mom.”

“It’s great,” Hollis said, unable to hold back her smile. “I’m kind of crazy about her.”

“That’s great, Hollis,” Kenna replied.

“Yeah. And Dylan’s got this major lead about Eden that sounds really promising.”

“Really?”

“We’re still waiting on an update. They think Eden was taken by a woman who lost her own daughter.”

“Shit. Really?” Kenna asked, her reporter brain kicking into high gear.

“I’m telling you this, not my boss. Is that okay? I don’t want you calling Raleigh and asking her for a story right now, Kenna.”

“Dropping the idea from my mind,” Kenna said.

“Yeah, right…” Hollis laughed. “But you’ll leave it for now?”

“Of course.”

Hollis filled Kenna in on what Dylan had discovered. Dylan had called Raleigh the night before to let her know that the call with the brother hadn’t been useful, as it had turned out that he also hadn’t talked to his sister in years. After their parents had died, the family had fractured. He’d known that she’d had a daughter, but he’d never met her, and his sister hadn’t told him anything about her little girl’s death. He didn’t even have a picture of his niece. That had put a damper on the attempt at a romantic dinner Hollis had made for them while the day nurse bathed Hollis’s mom.

“You had candles?”

“And I made my mom’s recipe, which Raleigh said she liked, but I could tell her brain was elsewhere. I understand, but it’s like, every time we have a moment where it’s just two people in a relationship, something else comes up, and one or both of us can only talk or think about that other thing.”

“Once they find Eden, things will get better,” Kenna reasoned. “She won’t be worried about and looking for her daughter anymore.”

“Assuming it is Eden. I don’t even want to think about how much this will hurt Raleigh if it’s not her. She’s trying not to get her hopes up, but it’s not going well.”

“Have you guys talked about what you’re going to do if it is her, though?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you started dating Raleigh when she didn’t have Eden in her life.”

“Oh. Yeah. I mean, honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever fall in love, let alone get married or have kids. I guess a part of me has always hoped for those things, but I haven’t been in a serious relationship in a long time. I just sat at my desk, checking books in and out. So, it wasn’t at the top of my list. But I want Raleigh.”

“And Eden?”

“Unfortunately, I’ve never met her, but I hope I get the chance to. I want her, too.”

“A whole family,” Kenna said, giving her a half-smile.

“I hope so,” Hollis replied. “And I hope my mom is around long enough to meet her, but that depends on when they find her.”

“They will,” Kenna said, patting her shoulder. “And I’m happy for you two. I think it’s great that you’re able to be together and support each other in all you two are going through.”

“Me too,” Hollis replied.

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