Page 15 of Stolen Angels

“I don’t know, Lara,” the detective said gently. “Hopefully Jasper has her. But I have to consider every possibility.”

A knock sounded at the front door and Lara jumped, then the two of them walked to the door together.

“It’s Emily,” Lara said when she spotted the young woman on her porch.

Lara swung open the door. “Thanks for coming, Em.”

Fear and worry flashed on Emily’s face, then she pulled Lara into a hug. “I’m here, sweetie. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

Lara felt her heart splintering, the floodgates opening all over again.

“Come on, I’ll make us some tea,” Emily said.

Lara nodded and leaned into her friend as they walked back to the kitchen.

“Do you want some too, Detective?” Emily asked.

“No, but thank you. I have work to do.”

Reeves patted Lara’s shoulder. “Keep your phone line open, Lara. Once the search teams are underway, I’ll track down Jasper’s girlfriend. Maybe she’ll have some answers.”

Fifteen

Somewhere on the AT

Six-year-old Kaylee Wilkinson stared through the window of the upstairs bedroom, looking out into the dark woods behind the house. The trees looked like giant statues with arms that could reach out and grab you.

Just like last year, when the lady had brought her here, lately the lights had shone down the hill. She’d seen cars and knew there were people going to the farm to find a tree. If only she could have gotten to them, someone might have saved her and taken her home.

Except the lady said she didn’t have a home to go to. That her mama was dead. She’d even showed her a picture of her mama’s grave.

Fresh tears welled in her eyes and she blinked, searching for the lights down the hill again.

But tonight it was dark on the farm and the lights were all gone.

Kaylee pictured Mama singing to her at night, sewing her costume for the Christmas pageant and handing her reindeer antlers to wear when they decorated their tree.

Her heart hurt so bad she could barely catch her breath.

Even if her mama was dead, maybe Mama’s sister would take her to her house. She liked Aunt Priscilla—Prissy, she called her. When she smiled, her eyes looked sweet just like Mama’s did.

She pulled out the picture of her mama she’d tucked beneath the mattress and looked at it. She missed her so much. Could hear the sound of her singing to her when she’d been sick. She’d made her grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup that she drunk from a coffee cup like she was a big girl.

“Feel better, my sweet girl,” Mama had whispered as she tucked her in bed at night.

A few weeks later, when Kaylee got better, Mama took her to the beach. They packed sandwiches and beach toys and their water bottles and built sandcastles.

Her heart started drumming in her chest. Her chest heaved. The salty air smelled so good. She heard the waves crashing on the shore. Then Mama stretched out on the towel. Her water bottle tumbled over. She closed her eyes and Kaylee thought she was sleeping.

The sun was bright, even though it was nearly Christmas, and the wind was chilly. This morning they’d bundled up in jackets and hats to hunt for seashells.

Kaylee finished the grapes Mama packed and all her water. She’d wanted to play in the waves, but it was too cold today, so Mama said they’d come back in the summer. Mama said never to go in the ocean alone either. The big waves could grab you and throw you out to sea with the sharks.

The sun started to go down into the ocean and she hunched inside her jacket with a shiver. Fewer and fewer people were walking by or stopping with their own picnics. Suddenly scared, she shook her mama. “Wake up, Mama,” she whispered.

But her mama didn’t stir. Then the lady came along. At first Kaylee couldn’t see her face for the baseball cap and sunglasses. She leaned down and touched her mama.

“She’s gone, honey,” the lady said. “Come on. We’ll get help.”

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