“David Yarnell,” the voice answered, and Jed felt the blood drain from his face. “I’m sorry to call, Jed. I know it’s been a long time, but I need your help. I desperately, desperately need your help.”

Anger, indignation, and a wave of other conflicting emotions swirled in his mind and made his guts ache.

“How did you get this number?” he asked and instantly realized what a ridiculous and inappropriate question it was. As far as he knew, his childhood best friend still lived in Murfreesboro and David’s parents still lived three doors down from the house where Jed had grown up. Even if David had moved, he could still just call Jed’s parents to get Jed’s mobile number. It had been a long source of strain on Jed’s relationship with his parents that they’d stayed in close contact with David all these years, despite his own bitter estrangement from his childhood friend.

“Please, Jed.” David’s voice choked. “You have to help me. They took her.”

Jed felt his chest tighten as if he had just taken a blow to the ribs. “Took who—Rachel? Is Rachel okay?” he blurted.

“No, not Rachel,” David said. “Sarah Beth—our little girl. They took my little girl. Please, Jed, you have to help us get her back.”

Jed loosened his tie even further and started down the block, walking away from Hot Tuna, toward the corner where he could cross over to the beach side of the road.

“Take a deep breath, David,” he said. “Start from the beginning and tell me exactly what happened.”

He heard only uncontrolled sobbing from the other end of the line.

“David, listen to me. I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”

His former best friend coughed and cleared his throat. “Okay . . . I’m okay . . .” David breathed, gaining his composure. “I didn’t know who else to turn to. The police are looking for her, but so far they’ve got nothing. I know you’re a Navy SEAL, and I . . . I just thought that if anybody could find my baby girl, it would be you.”