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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

I descend the steps carefully but quickly and almost ram straight into Crystal on the last stair.

“Please let me explain. Please.” Crystal’s voice tips toward hysterical. She reaches for me, and I claw at her hand like a wild animal.

“Don’t fucking touch me. Don’t you ever come near me again, do you hear me? You are going to jail.”

“Mommy!” Savi begins to cry, and my heart aches for this child with such a duplicitous monster for a mother.

“Rebecca, please. I need to tell you what happened. I—”

I run out the door and trip on the stairs. I right myself, flick open my cane, and snuggle my child. My heart beats so hard, I’m afraid I’ll collapse from a heart attack before I can get to the police station. I call Officer Toby, who answers on the first ring.

“I’ve got Jackson!” I scream. “He was at Crystal Turner’s house. I took pictures. I found a nursery upstairs.” I recite the address from memory. Officer Toby tells me to go to a neighbor’s and stay put. In the back of my mind, I wonder if Crystal will come after me. I realize I have no idea what she’s capable of.

I sink to the ground on the sidewalk and hold my baby against my chest. I thank God he’s back in my arms. It’s all I’ve wanted over these last few hellish days. I inspect every inch of him and make sure he’s okay. Holding him makes me worry for Oliver. Who is Oliver? Why was Jackson in Crystal’s house? I sit in the dewy grass and wait for the police. I send an audio message to Jake and repeatedly kiss and rock Jackson on a stranger’s lawn. As I wait, I forget the questions.

Now I want answers. And I will do anything to get them.

45

CRYSTAL

Panic.

Crystal’s entire life flashes before her eyes. Her in jail. Her without her daughter, without anything. She can’t shake the image of getting handcuffed and being hauled away.

She looks at Savi, who appears as scared as she feels. “We’ve got to go.” She softens her tone. The last thing she wants to do is scare her daughter further.

They hurry into the car and head to the police station. Crystal drives cautiously, searching for flashing blue lights at every turn. The way Bec had screamed at her, accusing her. She’d never forget that look. Everything she’d gained—all gone in a second.