BooksBarbecue
Back Until I Find You
Chapters (60)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  57. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  58. Also by Rea Frey
  59. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  60. Newsletter Sign-up

Jess enters the kitchen and pulls another glass down. “What are we talking about?”

“Chief Holbrook.”

“Pussy,” Jess says. Her foul mouth warrants a reprimand from Rob.

“Don’t say that about the chief.”

“What? It’s true. He’s so concerned with Elmhurst’s reputation that he overlooks most things.”

I almost remind her that she’s overlooking her own feelings to help me, but refrain.

“We need to know whose kid this is,” she continues. Jess situates her laptop on the island.

“What are you going to do, Google ‘Elmhurst babies’ and hope he turns up?” Rob asks.

“What do you think Facebook is for?”

“Not that.”

“Okay, genius. Do you have a better idea?”

“This is so ridiculous,” I say.

The two of them stop bickering. “What is?” Jess asks.

“That we’re sitting here, in your kitchen, on a laptop, when someone has Jackson.” My voice shakes, but I center it. “How do parents just sit and wait? No, I can’t do this.” I slip off the stool and grab my purse.

“Rebecca, what are you doing?”

“I’m going for a walk to clear my head, okay?” I head upstairs to the nursery, grab the baby, and strap him in.

“I’ll be quick,” I call to them in the kitchen and then retrace my steps toward the front door, unfold my cane, and hurry down the porch steps before they can stop me. Where to?

I falter on the sidewalk. I could go home and wait. I could take the Metra into Chicago, bang on Jake’s door, and demand he help me instead of his unit. I could go to the Elmhurst police station and beg Officer Toby to just issue the damn Amber Alert. I could call Dr. Gibbons and ask for an emergency session. I could paste flyers throughout the entire neighborhood, get a band of mothers together, and go door-to-door until I find Jackson.

The baby coos on my chest and yawns, and I reach down and automatically kiss the top of his head. “What should I do?” I whisper.

“Bec!” Jess swiftly approaches, her feet pounding pavement. “Rob is on the phone with Toby right now.”

“Can he get the Amber Alert issued?”

“He’s trying.” She hooks an arm around me to guide me back, but I pull away. “Come inside,” she insists.

I waver on her front porch—if I go inside, I’m waiting on the police. If I go on my own, I’m what? Walking in circles? The impatience sears my brain, but I do as I’m told because I can’t think of a better option.

Jess holds the door for me. I step inside. Rob’s booming voice expands through the entire kitchen. I sit on the sofa, my fingers digging into the cushion. After a few interminable minutes, he appears.

“Let’s go,” he says. “We’re heading to the station.”

26

CRYSTAL