Page 34 of Hank and Elsie
That possibility hadn’t ever occurred to him. He opened his mouth to refute her idea, when through the open door, he heard his name shouted.Torin! Something’s wrong!His stomach leaped into his chest, and he ran for the door.
Outside, he saw Torin carrying a rifle and running toward the house but without Jewel. That in and of itself wasn’t alarming—Torin occasionally made brief visits while his daughter slept. Sometimes, the girl stayed with Hank or Brian if Torin wanted to go hunting or just have some time to himself. But the panicked expression on his friend’s face told him otherwise.
Elsie rushedout the door after Hank just as a hatless man ran toward them, yelling Hank’s name and carrying a rifle.Had he been hunting? Is a bear chasing him? Panther? Wild pig? Moose?She went on tiptoe to better see behind him but spotted no ravening animal.
He stopped in front of Hank, panting too heavily to speak.
“Torin, what’s wrong?” Hank grabbed his friend’s shoulder.
The stranger looked at Dr. Angus and Miss Taylor, and then at Elsie, fear in his dark blue eyes. He shook his head, obviously holding back from saying more.
“Is it Jewel?” Hank asked. “Torin, we can’t help if you don’t tell us.”
Again, Torin swept a reluctant glance at the three of them.
Hank jerked a finger at Dr. Angus. “He’s a doctor. If something’s wrong with Jewel, now’s not the time for secrecy.”
“She’s gone, and I can’t find her,” Torin blurted, running his hand over his head, making his mink brown hair stick out.
“Brian Bly, do you think?” Hank released the man and glanced at Dr. Angus. “Brian’s our neighbor,” he explained, pointing in the direction of the lake. “Lives the farthest away.”
Torin shook his head, an expression of despair on his face. “I checked with him first. Brian hasn’t seen her, but he’s searching his area.”
Angus needed more information. “If you’d tell us who’s missing…”
“His daughter,” Hank explained. “She’s?—”
“She’s not right,” Torin said in a defiant tone, jutting his chin. His eyes held guilt. “My sweet girl. She’s eleven, but really maybe three. Jewel wanted to go for a walk by the lake. I told her wewould later because I was busy weeding the garden. She wasn’t long out of my sight.” Frowning, he shook his head. “I didn’t think Jewel would go off on her own. She never has before.”
Fear clutched at Elsie, and she remembered when her sister was a toddler and had wandered off. How Ma screamed Anna’s name, and Pa ordered Elsie to search the barn and Ricky to run down the road, his frantic tone unlike any she’d ever heard. Luckily, not long after, Ricky had found Anna in a cluster of wildflowers, playing with the blooms.
Hank glanced around, searching. “Jewel can’t be far. She walks too slow.”
“I called and called.” Torin’s voice was ragged. “I’d hoped she’d come here. You know how she loves watching the swans.”
“She might have,” Hank said. “But I was in town.”
“We’ll help you look,” Miss Taylor offered. “What is she wearing?”
Torin glanced at Miss Taylor, and then his gaze sidled away. He appeared torn, as if afraid to trust them. “Red,” he mumbled.
Dr. Angus touched the man’s arm. “What do ye mean by ‘not right’?”
Torin narrowed his eyes and shot Angus a defiant glare, as if expecting judgment.
“It’s all right, Torin,” Hank said, in an encouraging voice. “Go ahead and tell them.”
He nodded, but still didn’t make eye contact. “When Jewel was a few months old, the doctor said she was anidiot.” He spat out the word, and then crossed his arms as if shielding himself from their reaction. “But she’s not! She might not be like other children, but she’s mine.”
“I understand.” Dr. Angus kept his expression sympathetic and his tone compassionate. “Is Jewel afraid of strangers?”
“I have no idea!” Torin said, desperation on his face. He uncrossed his arms. “She only knows Hank and Brian, and they keep our secret.”
“Well, we first must find her,” Dr. Angus said matter-of-factly. “If yer daughter’s afraid when she sees us, we won’t approach her until ye’re there.”
“That would be best.” Torin glanced toward the lake. “What if she’s drowned?”
“We came from along the shore, and she wasn’t ana’where there.” Dr. Angus patted the man’s shoulder. “Ye head back in the direction of yer home in case Jewel returns. Ye can search more carefully in her familiar areas. Ye might have missed her earlier in yer haste.”
