Page 29 of The Kidnapped

“I know… You’re right,” Raleigh said, sighing. She picked up the ice water that had been placed on their table when they arrived and took a small sip, needing to coat her suddenly dry throat. “I don’t remember anyone looking or staring at her. We had a pretty normal week. I work from home, and my days can be flexible, so I didn’t have to worry about a babysitter or daycare. Eden spent all of her time with me. I think we went to the grocery store a couple of times that week. We went to the park a few times, too. I took her for a walk around the block once a day.”

“Same time every day?” Dylan asked.

“Usually. I took my lunch break, and we’d walk. Well, she was usually in the stroller for at least half of it. Then, we’d go back, and I’d make us lunch. At least once a week, she’d have a playdate with some of the kids from the neighborhood, but that happened on different days and at different times to work around the parents’ schedules, and there hadn’t been anyone new there in months.”

“And the parents all still live nearby?”

“Yes. I still see them every now and then. They helped with the initial search and gave statements, too.”

“So, you had a routine, for the most part?”

“As much as you can with a toddler. Do you have kids?”

“No, it’s just Ada and me,” Dylan said.

“Well, the books tell you to make routines as much as you can, but toddlers have other plans,” Raleigh told her, laughing a little. “But, yeah, I tried to work until five, and if we had to go out to the store or something, we’d do that after so I could get us back and make dinner, do the bath, play and read, and then put her to bed.”

“Do you have any pictures of that week?”

“Yes. And I also gave them to the FBI and the local cops.”

“Can I see them, too?”

“Sure. They didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, though. I have a file of them all put together since I had to send them to so many agencies. I can forward them to you right now.” Raleigh pulled out her phone.

“And you know I have to get the okay from the locals here to work this, right? I can’t just come in and stomp all over their case. I’d be working this when I’m off-shift, so I can’t spend all my time on it, either.”

“I understand,” Raleigh replied. “And I can pay you. I don’t have a lot left over–”

“No, I don’t need your money,” Dylan said, waving her off.

“Please, you have to let me–”

“I don’t help out when I can for money; I help out because I want to help. If I can make a difference, I want to. I’m also a police officer, and I make a paycheck already. I’m not a PI.”

“Why?” Hollis asked, and Raleigh turned to her. “I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’m just curious why you do this.”

Dylan leaned back and looked out the window next to the booth at the night street and the cars passing by.

“A long time ago, I was new to the force, and a little boy went missing. His name was Noah. I made a promise to his sister, who was with him when he disappeared. I told her I’d find him.”

“Noah Cramer, right?” Hollis asked. “I read about that one online when I looked you up.”

“Noah Cramer, yes. I searched for him for ten years before I reconnected with his sister. I’d tried day in and day out to find out what happened to him, and I couldn’t. I did find out that he wasn’t technically related to the family. He’d been switched at birth, and his sister had a biological brother out there. I’d promised her that I’d find her brother, and she reminded me then that I did. Technically, though, I found her brother Oliver. Noah was still missing. But I told her that I’d never give up.” Dylan paused and looked back at them. “And I didn’t.”

“You found him two years ago,” Hollis recalled.

“You could say that,” Dylan replied. “He probably died the day he went missing, though we’ll never know that for sure. We found his body.” She paused again. “Anyway, I’ve watched his sister go through this, and his parents, too, and it’s awful, the not knowing. I’ve seen the changes in them ever since they had a funeral and a proper burial for him. Now that they know he’s gone and not out there in pain, it’s a little bit better.”

“You keep up with the families you help?” Raleigh asked.

“Sometimes. But this is different,” Dylan replied, smiling. “I married the sister. Ada Cramer is my wife.”

“And she’s here.”

Raleigh looked up at the woman with dark-blonde hair and blue eyes who had just walked in and instantly sat down next to Dylan.

“Hey, babe,” she said.

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