Page 119 of The Kidnapped

“Yeah, sorry. I heard yelling, so I came running.”

“I’m sorry,” Raleigh said again.

Ada reached for her hand, took it, and gave it a squeeze.

“It’s okay. I just don’t like it when people yell at my wife. Only I’m allowed to do that.” Ada winked at her before she let go of her hand and left them alone in the office.

That moment of levity allowed Raleigh to gather herself, and she said, “Dylan, thank you.”

“It’s just going to be a little longer, okay?”

“What if it’s not her?” she asked, allowing herself to really think about that question for the first time.

“We’ll keep looking until we find her.”

Raleigh sat back down and said, “You’re the only one who’s found any leads so far. And I can’t expect you to work on this forever. You’re not even getting paid.”

“I worked Noah’s case until we found him.”

“He’s your wife’s brother,” Raleigh said, wiping tears from her cheeks.

“And Eden is your daughter. Everyone who’s missing out there belongs to someone in some way. I can’t help them all, but I can help you find your daughter.”

“So, what do I do, then?”

“Go home,” Dylan told her. “There’s nothing you can do to help. That’s me being honest, Raleigh. Just wait for me or the FBI to call, and we will call. I’ll tell you what we find in Alabama as soon as I know, and I’ll keep you updated on San Antonio.”

“Okay,” Raleigh relented. “I guess there’s nothing else to say, then.”

???

Raleigh didn’t call Hollis on the way home nor once she got there. She knew that if she did, Hollis would just tell her to come over or that she’d go to Raleigh’s house and spend the night with her there. Hollis needed to be alone with her mother, though, and Raleigh needed to be alone in her misery, impatience, and tears. She cooked herself a dinner for one and sat in the living room eating it, trying to focus on anything other than her daughter. When a commercial advertising an upcoming episode of Kenna’s show came on, she turned the TV off. Hearing about someone else’s tragedy was the last thing she needed right now. Being reminded of her own was up there on that list, too, so she just did the dishes and went into her office to work. Thankfully, while she was out, she’d gotten two messages from possible clients requesting a meeting to talk about her services. She sent them her calendar to book times and closed the computer, unable to do anymore.

Hollis texted right before Raleigh was about to take a shower, and she replied that everything was fine, but that she was about to shower and would call her later. Then, she took a long, hot shower and emerged feeling just as miserable as when she’d climbed into it. Walking down the hall, she entered Eden’s room and fell onto her daughter’s bed. Despite Raleigh having not washed the bed set since before that day, Eden’s scent wasn’t there any longer; it just smelled a little of dust now. She cried into Eden’s pillow as she contemplated packing up, getting into her car, and driving straight to San Antonio, but she talked herself out of it because, unfortunately, Dylan was right, and she just had to wait.

“Hey. You sound like you’ve been crying,” Hollis noted when Raleigh called her back while still lying on Eden’s bed.

“I’m fine,” she lied.

“Babe, what’s going on? Did therapy not go well?”

“I forgot I even went to therapy,” she said, laughing a little.

“You forgot? What–” Hollis paused. “What happened? Did something come up with Eden?”

Raleigh told Hollis everything she knew then, which wasn’t much.

“I’ll head over.”

“No, it’s okay,” Raleigh said. “Stay with your mom.”

“The nurse is–”

“You and I both know it has nothing to do with the nurse being there, Hollis. I’ll be fine. I think I’m just going to sleep in Eden’s room tonight, and there’s not really room for you in this toddler bed.”

“I miss you,” Hollis said.

“I miss you, too,” she replied.

---