Page 58 of Missing

Knowing I was in no condition to drive, I didn’t argue.

Waiting back at the SSI office wasn’t any better despite the added support of Meg and Emily. Meg was still working, getting regular updates from WPD and relaying information to John and the guys in the field, and Emily was offering friendly support.

I wore a path in the rug of the lobby as I paced, glancing at my phone every couple of minutes to see if I’d gotten a message from Chase. I’d made him memorize my phone number as soon as he was capable, and he knew to ask an adult to call me if he got lost.

It was after ten when John called Mary. He told her they were stopping for the night, and asked her to order food.

It was too late to order delivery, so Emily went to the store and stocked up. When I tried to give her my credit card; she refused.

I started crying again as I thanked her. There was no way I could have handled this without these women. My friends.

They’re family.

It was almost eleven by the time John and the rest of the SSI team returned.

They look exhausted.Defeated.

I thanked each of them with a hug as they came in.

Doug apologized softly when it was his turn. I told him he didn’t need to apologize; I didn’t blame them for stopping for the night.

When John said, “we’ve stopped the ground search, but we’re not done.” Everyone nodded and agreed. “We’ll eat, then do what we can from here.”

Jamie glanced at his phone. “Emily’s on her way back.”

Sammie came out of her office. “I’ve filed the missing person’s report, and put in the request to get access to the traffic cam footage around the park for the two hours before and after the 9-1-1 call came in. We should get access first thing in the morning.”

“Campbell, thanks for staying, but we’ve got it from here.”

“Copy that. Holler if you need me before my scheduled time tomorrow.”

As soon as the door closed behind her, John turned to Doug. “Sharpe.”

“On it.” Doug dropped his hand from my back before taking my hands in his. “You can come sit with me anytime you’d like.” Then he kissed the top of my head and went to his office.

I didn’t want to distract him from whatever assignment he’d been given, so I stayed in the lobby.

“Meg, do you think you can contact Agent Jones and see if he’d be willing to help us out?”

Agent Jones. I’d never met him, but I remembered Meg telling me he was the FBI agent who’d helped her change her identity and relocate after she testified against a mob boss in Boston. She’d mentioned he’d recently transferred to Dallas.

My breaths started coming faster and faster.

“Sure thing.” Meg sounded like she was underwater as she answered.

The FBI. If we needed the FBI this was bad.John thinks Chase has been kidnapped.Which meant he was in grave danger.I may never see my son again.

“The FBI?” It sounded like a whimper as I sank onto the couch. I put my face in my hands and tried to calm down, but I couldn’t slow down my shallow breaths.

John kneeled in front of me and pried a hand from my face, taking my pulse as he said, “Jack, bring some water and a wet cloth.”

“Got it.”

“Beth,” he pried my other hand away, “I need you to take a few slow deep breaths. Can you do that for me?”

I nodded, but my breathing didn’t change.

“Here, do it with me. Breathe in, nice and slow. There you go. Hold it for two, three, four. Good. Release it, nice and slow.”

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