BooksBarbecue
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

“I don’t.” Jess wipes her hand on a dish towel. “I haven’t heard from her this morning. We were all at the police station late last night. I heard through the grapevine—aka Officer Hot Pants, aka Officer Toby—that she had a change of heart and said she made the whole thing up to get attention. It’s a mess.”

“How did you find that out?”

“Rob. He and Toby are friends.”

Crystal processes this information and turns to leave. “Will you please just have her call me if you hear from her? I’d really appreciate it.”

Jess nods and resumes baking. Crystal lets herself out and stands on the porch, contemplating her next move. The wealth of Elmhurst consumes her, all of these million-dollar homes and manicured lawns as far as the eye can see. This is a safe, respectable town, and yet something awful has happened to her closest friend.

And you weren’t there to help.

She knocks away the voice as she climbs into the car. She glances at her phone. She could call Bec again, or she could just show up and wait. That’s what friends do, she thinks. She puts the car in gear.

They show up.

32

BEC

Jake pulls into the driveway and parks.

“Bec, what the hell happened back there? Are you really going to shut me out?”

After a few uncomfortable moments, I speak. “Dr. Gibbons thinks I need a psych evaluation. And I’m not shutting you out—I’m just trying not to waste your time.”

As if on cue, Jake’s phone rattles. He answers. I close my eyes and release something—some version I had of us reconnecting after so long. How it might turn out. Instead of another friendly coffee or a meal to reminisce about old times, I’ve sent him on a wild-goose chase for a child he doesn’t even believe is out there.

He ends the call and sighs. “Well, you got your wish. I’m on a case.” He presses something into my palm. “This is the address of the Cornerstone you need to go to. The Oak Brook location was a bust.” He recites the address, and I pocket the piece of paper to be safe.

He walks me to the door and sets the car seat at my feet. “Let me know what you find.” He kisses my temple. When his car reverses down the driveway, I head inside. The baby wakes and starts crying again, and I pull him into my arms. The regularity of feeding, rocking, and placating him is the only comfort I have left.

Once he’s down for a nap, I concoct a new plan. I call Cornerstone in Wisconsin and see how long they’re going to be open. I map it on my phone. At least ninety minutes in traffic.