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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

“Rebecca, we can take it from here.” It’s Officer Toby, not Jake or the chief.

I stand and comfort Jackson, who stirs on my chest. “I won’t be pressing charges. Just make sure they get the help they need, please.”

I resist the urge to give Savi a hug or tell Crystal good-bye. These two have been a lifeline for me over the past few months, but it was all a mirage. Crystal wasn’t really my friend. Savi wasn’t really my prodigious student. They are liars.

They are thieves.

As I step into the hallway, Savi bawls behind the heavy door. “I’m sorry, Ms. Rebecca!” she shrieks. “Don’t leave! Please!” Tiny fists pound on the steel door, and I flinch. I hesitate, then force my legs to keep moving. It’s not my job to comfort her. It’s her mother’s.

Jake meets me in the hall. “Do you need a minute?”

“I need to go home,” I say. “I just want to go home.”

“We need to clear a few things with DCFS first, take your final statement, and make sure you don’t want to press charges.”

“I don’t.”

“I know you say that, but just think about it before you decide.”

“I’ve already decided.” I just want this to be over and to move on with my life.

He ushers me down the hall. “You’ve got the whole damn town out there backing you, you know.”

“I don’t care about any of that,” I say. I think of Caroline, Jess, Beth, Rob, and all the neighbors who attended the vigil. I don’t want Crystal and Savi made out to be villains, but I know I have zero control over that. Unless I can get Caroline to do damage control. “This is all such a mess.”

“You’ll get through it.” He claps a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “You always do.”

His hand is a welcome reminder. I do always get through it, but now I want to be past it.

I want to move on.

He holds the door open to Chief Holbrook’s office, who offers me coffee and a warm seat. I sink into the chair, close my eyes, and realize this nightmare is almost over. I know the truth. I have my son.

I survived.

EPILOGUE

7 MONTHS LATER

The hard, frigid winter has passed, and the first hints of spring prick my senses on the walk to Wilder. I pass Mrs. Jansen’s rosebush and inhale. Jess chats noisily beside me, Beth on my other side. Jackson kicks in his carrier, so close to walking, he’s eager to get down. I grip the harness in my left hand. “Beethoven.” My guide dog instantly slows, and Jess laughs.

“Only you would get a dog named after a nineties movie,” she says.