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Back Until I Find You Save as PDF
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

The one with the bracelets waves her arm. “Oh, no. It was a false alarm. The woman was mistaken. Everyone’s talking about it. She thought her baby was missing or swapped or something, but then she changed her mind. I mean, she is blind, so…” She shrugs. “All babies look alike, right? Isn’t that what they say?”

Crystal’s face heats once again and she fans herself with the flyer. “Thanks.” She turns and speed walks back to her car, starts it, and blasts the air-conditioning toward her flushed face. She voice dials Rebecca, this time leaving a serious message. “Rebecca. It’s Crystal. I just saw the flyer. Tell me where you are. I want to help.”

She ends the call and drums her fingers on the wheel. Who would know what’s really going on? Jess?

She puts the car in gear and drives to Jess’s house. Her heart breaks thinking that Rebecca didn’t come to her first. But she understands. She probably thought she’d be bothering her. Both women hate to ask for help. Well, you’re going to get it whether you want it or not, Crystal decides. Bec has done enough on her own. It’s time to be there in the way she wishes someone had been there for her.

It’s time to help her friend.

30

BEC

Jake and I arrive in Chicago after a maddening rush-hour crush. The baby sleeps the whole way in Jackson’s car seat. The store isn’t yet open, but Jake pulled some strings and the manager is getting here early to let us in. We park on a side street and Jake feeds the meter an exorbitant hourly rate with a credit card. “Chicago parking. Taking over the world,” he mutters.

I fit the baby into a sling and offer a tight-lipped smile. It’s one of the things I’m thankful for—not shuffling my car from place to place in the city, though I would do that any day of the week if it meant I could get behind the wheel again. He guides me toward the shop, which is in Wicker Park.

City energy buds around us, even this early in the morning. It brings me a sense of peace. No matter how long I stay away from the city, it’s always like coming home.

“Detective?” A hesitant voice approaches us. Male. Young. The click of dress shoes on concrete.

“Thanks for meeting us, Dan.”

“Sure.” Dan shuffles keys and sticks one into the lock. He turns and the dead bolt releases. “Come in.” A few lights flip on, and I immediately smell cleaning supplies covered up by some expensive fragrance.

Since I can’t see what I’m looking for, I extract the onesie. “I’m trying to see if this onesie was bought here.”