Page 86 of Unforgotten

“She’s your sister. I would’ve thought you would be more anxious to get answers.”

“I am anxious, but they can’t give answers they don’t have. And what I’m trying to tell you is that getting angry isn’t going to help anyone. I carried anger inside of me for years. You know that.”

“So we should just sit here and wait?”

“Yeah.”

Even if it was the right thing to do, Jay couldn’t spend another minute staring at the Hostetlers’ kitchen phone or Mr. Evans’s cell lying in the center of the kitchen table.

After standing up, he put his coffee cup in the sink. He needed to put on his boots and get out of there.

“Jay, what are you doing?” John asked.

He was tempted to lie and tell Bethanne’s daed that he was going to go home. Maybe going home would be the right thing to do too. He knew his parents were worried about Bethanne and him. But he wasn’t up for playing games. He wanted to be truthful. At the very least, the Hostetlers deserved his honesty. “I’m going to go out to the woods and look around.”

John stood up. “I know you’re worried and feel at loose ends, but I don’t think it’s wise for you to do anything but patiently pray. The police told us to stay near the phone. We should all do that.”

“I know what they said. And I’ve been praying. I promise I have. John, I’ve even tried to be respectful of you and Martha and the Evanses’ decision to let the police handle everything. But Bethanne means something to me.” He shook his head, mentally correcting himself. “Nee, she meanseverythingto me. I’ve loved her all my life. She’s finally my girl. I ... I can’t sit here any longer.”

“I’ll go with you,” Lott said.

Jay turned to him in surprise. “Why?”

“You know why. That’s my sister out there.” He pulled a cell phone from his back pocket. “I have my work phone too. If something happens, I’ll have a way to call for help.”

Lott’s cell phone was a good idea, but Jay didn’t want the guy to start telling him what to do. “Listen, I’m determined to find them. I’m not going to change my mind, even if the police tell us to go home.”

“We’re on the same page, Jay.”

John frowned. “Boys, what are you going to do if you find the girls’ abductor?”

“I reckon I’ll do whatever I have to in order to get the girls free,” Jay said without missing a beat. He knew they weren’tsupposed to use violence, but he couldn’t think of a single man in their community who wouldn’t do the same thing.

Bethanne’s father didn’t flinch. “All right then.”

“If we don’t see anything in a couple of hours, we’ll come back home, Daed,” Lott said.

“If the girls return home before then, I’ll let you know,” John said while he turned around and went back to his chair in the kitchen.

Then they were outside. After mutually deciding to start where Candace’s car had been found, they headed toward the small, well-known trail that led into the woods. After walking a bit, Jay glanced at Lott. “Are you surprised that your father didn’t argue?”

“Nee. I’m pretty sure he’d be with us if he thought mei mamm would be okay with that. But he’s not going to leave her side. Not with Bethanne in trouble again.”

“So, do we need a plan?”

“For walking in the woods and trying to find my sister and cousin?”

“Yeah.”

“Keep your eyes open, your ears ready, and pray as much as you can.”

“I’d say that about covers all the bases,” Jay said in a dry tone as they entered the woods.

As they walked along the path, the first thing Jay noticed was that it was far from being unused or abandoned. “Look at some of these patches of grass,” he said as they walked. “They’ve been trampled on recently.”

“You’re right. Someone’s been here.”

“Maybe the guy took the girls this way.” Sure, he might be jumping to conclusions, but it did make sense. At least, he thought so.

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