Page 72 of Missing

Pan is safe.The words echoed through my mind. They’d found Chase.

My heart raced in anticipation of seeing him, holding him in my arms again.

Chapter 36

Doug

Beth jumped out of the car before it came to a full stop and ran to Chase. He started squirming as soon as he saw her, so I quickly put him down.

“Mommy Mommy Mommy,” he cried as he ran to her.

Tears of joy filled my eyes.

Beth fell to her knees as Chase crashed into her. She hugged him close as tears streamed down her face.

“Mommy, you’re crushing me.”

She relaxed her grip, and said, “I’m sorry, I’m just so happy to see you.”

“Uncle John and everybody saved me,” he said as he pushed away from her.

“He did,” she said as he asked why she was crying.

“I was scared because I didn’t know where you were.” She brushed his hair off his face then straightened his t-shirt. Her head tilted to one side when she noticed the construction truck. She put her hand on Chase’s chest as fresh tears filled her eyes.

“The crazy lady gave it to me.”

“Chase.” Beth choked on his name as she hugged him again.

“Mommy, who’s Scotty?’

She looked up at me, then at John. I could tell she didn’t have it in her to answer. Before I could say anything, John answered. “Scotty was Mrs. Smith’s little boy. She misses him so much it made her sick.”

Chase looked confused but the police car coming up the long driveway distracted him.

“More police.” He pointed.

“Let’s go wait in Mr. Dean’s car,” John said. He gently led them back the car, motioning for me to follow. He whispered, “Stay with them while I talk to the officer in charge. They’ll need to talk to Chase eventually, but I want to buy Beth a little more time.”

“Of course.” I had no intention of leaving them.

“Beth, Doug and Dean are going to stay with you while I talk to the officers. Have Doug reach out if you need anything.”

Beth nodded and looked at the cabin before saying, “Okay.”

I helped Beth and Chase get in the backseat, then got in with them. John’s voice was soft in my ear, “I’m going to ask them to take Smith out the back, but they’ll still have to drive by. Keep them distracted so they don’t see it.”

I couldn’t answer without Beth hearing, so I tapped my mic twice to let him know I’d heard.

We thought it’d be better for everyone involved if Beth and Chase couldn’t see Smith, and Smith couldn’t see them. There was no telling what kind of a scene any of them might cause, given how high emotions were running.

My attention was split between Chase telling his mom what happened, and John’s conversation with the local LEOs. When the officer questioned the presence of the FBI, John explained, “They're here as a personal favor to us, the missing child is family.”

The officer sounded skeptical, but let it slide. We were all on the same team, and that was all that really mattered.

Ignoring my need to hold them, I watched Beth and Chase. I could wait: they needed their space.

Chase said, “She said I could have ice cream anytime I wanted, but I didn’t like her kind.”

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