Page 118 of The Kidnapped

“Just keep working it,” Dylan replied. “We’ve notified San Antonio PD, the Texas Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI is sending a team there. It’s a good lead, Raleigh. I spoke with her cousin again this morning, and it’s much more likely, according to the cousin and her brother both, that she’d go to San Antonio than a small town in Alabama that she has no history in.”

“What’s the name of the town?”

“In Alabama?”

“Yes, Dylan,” Raleigh said, pulling out her phone and unlocking it. “I can see how long it’ll take me to get there.”

“Raleigh, you can’t go there.”

“Watch me. You said it’s a small town. I can drive there and find her before you guys can.”

“Raleigh, you can’t. We have to do this the right way. Remember, there’s a chance it’s not Eden.”

“No other girls of Eden’s age disappeared a week before or a month after Eden did in this state or the surrounding ones. I know. I checked. If she has a little girl, and her own daughter died, this is my daughter,” Raleigh said, feeling her blood begin to boil. “I’m tired of waiting, Dylan. Let me go find her myself.”

“If you go there, and we don’t do this the right way, it could cause more problems. Think about Eden, Raleigh. What if you show up, and she doesn’t know who you are? You’ll take her from the woman she thinks is her mother?”

“I am her mother!” Raleigh argued.

“I know,” Dylan replied. “Raleigh, I promise you, I don’t think she’s there. By the time you drive all that way, the officers there will have concluded the same thing. Or, they’ll at least know more.”

“Then, I’ll go to San Antonio.”

“And what will you do there? Drive around until you find her? We’ve got detectives, unis, and agents looking for her,” Dylan reasoned. “I’m reviewing school records for all daycares and preschools I can find in San Antonio to see if there’s anything there.”

“I’ll help,” Raleigh volunteered immediately.

“I can’t release the records to you. You’re not in law enforcement, Raleigh.”

“This is bullshit, Dylan!” Raleigh stood up, dropping her phone on the sofa.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Ada asked, walking through the still-open door. “Everything okay in here?”

“It’s fine,” Dylan said.

“You sure?”

“Dylan, she’s there,” Raleigh said, tears forming in her eyes.

“I know this is hard…”

“You can’t know how hard this is!” Raleigh said louder than was necessary.

“Hey, she’s trying to find–”

“Ada, it’s okay,” Dylan interrupted her wife, who was likely about to defend her.

“I’m sorry,” Raleigh said to them both. “God, I’m so sorry. You’ve done nothing but try to help me. You’ve asked for nothing, and we’re so close to finding her. I’m sorry. I’m just freaking out.”

“I know,” Dylan said calmly.

“Dylan has this calming tea she makes me drink when I get a little heated. I’ll make a cup for you,” Ada offered, giving Raleigh an empathetic smile. “Okay?”

“Thanks, but I’m okay,” Raleigh replied. “I just don’t know how to do this.”

“Water, then. I’ll be right back,” Ada said, turning to go.

“Babe, can you just give us a minute?” Dylan requested.

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