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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

“So what are you hoping to find exactly?” Jess asks.

“I want to know who bought this onesie. It’s what the baby came home in.”

“Store owners aren’t allowed to give up that type of information though, are they?” she asks.

I shrug. “Maybe she’ll make an exception.” I wish I could see the passing trees, the road below—the perspective of something other than the voices in my head. “I’m just going to close my eyes,” I say.

Crystal turns the music lower, and the conversation dies.

My thoughts wander in various directions. I miss my son’s face. I miss his smell. I miss being his mother. Memories of my precious baby rattle me to my core, while a hard truth wedges itself firmly in place: if I don’t find him, no one else will.

Time is running out.

33

CRYSTAL

Lake Geneva is one of Crystal’s favorite towns. She stayed here with Paul at the Grand Geneva Resort shortly after they were engaged. He’d regaled her with tales of the former Playboy Club Hotel. While Paul played golf and she’d indulged in the overpriced spa services, she couldn’t shake the vivid image of Playboy bunnies straddling Hugh Hefner in their massive suite. She almost shares the amusing memory now but refrains when she senses the tense mood.

Jess busies herself with senseless scrolling on her phone. Crystal wants to break the ice with her—to find some semblance of common ground besides their joint friendship with Rebecca—but her mind is too caught up trying to figure out real ways to help Bec. It makes her nervous to think about being called into the police station to verify that this baby is Jackson, but she assumes they will. When Savi was born, Paul would constantly urge her to spend time studying her daughter’s features, holding her, and bonding, but she just couldn’t make herself get close. Honestly, she couldn’t pick Jackson out of a lineup.

The audible directions interrupt her circuitous thoughts and tell her to turn right. She navigates the adorable downtown shops and parks in front of Cornerstone Shop & Gallery. She cracks the windows and they all exit. She waits for Bec to strap the baby in. Crystal averts her eyes until the carrier mostly blocks him from view.

“Ready?” Jess asks.

Crystal opens the door. A set of bells rattles as they enter. Bec takes a deep breath.

“What is it?”

“The bells,” she says. “Makes me think of Jackson.” Her fingers trail down to his bare ankles.

Crystal glances around. “Did you lose them?”

She nods. “That day at the park.”

Jess waves at the shop owner, who meanders over. The two chat like old friends. Crystal takes in the strange mix of art, kids’ clothing, and various oddities scattered about. Somehow, in all her visits to Lake Geneva, she’s never come into this store.