She sighs dramatically.
“Mom is being a bitch.”
“Sawyer…”
“Well, she is, Dad. This weekend is the last chance I have and she won’t take me.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache forming.
“Last chance for what?”
“The dress for the athletic banquet at school next week. I told you,” she adds accusingly.
“I thought you already had a dress?”
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recall her mentioning something on the subject a few weeks ago.
“But it’s green, Dad.”
My head is still reeling with earlier events, which is perhaps why I find myself confused and more than a little irritated. Seeing Kate on the ground, against the curb in front of the library, when I tore around the corner had shaken me.
She was already trying to get to her feet by the time I got to her side and I may have barked at her to stay the fuck down.
The vehicle—according to Kate, a dark-colored SUV—was long gone, as was the girl it had apparently aimed for. She’d pushed Kaylie out of the way, then was able to jump on the hood of the moving vehicle, grabbing on to a windshield wiper, which she still had clutched in her hand when she’d been thrown off.
Kate was lucky, scraped up, a few deeper cuts, and probably black, blue, and sore by tomorrow, but without apparent broken bones or other serious injury. Still, when emergency services showed up, I insisted she get checked out.
One of the library’s employees who’d come rushing outside at about the same time I got here had already called 911, so I quickly dialed Matt while we were waiting for first responders to arrive. I needed him to check and make sure someone has eyes on Kendrick since he was the first person to come to mind. He assured me the guy was in view of his detail, having dinner at a restaurant in Lexington.
With Kendrick accounted for, my first concern was finding Kaylie Bentevigna. I wanted to make sure she got away unharmed and asked Matt to get on it. Last thing we need is another girl missing.
“Dad!”
Right. Sawyer’s dress.
“I thought green was your color?”
“But Kimberly’s dress is green! Exactly the same green. I can’t wear that one.”
I have to bite my tongue not to go off on my daughter’s conceived life crisis when there are kids out there in real trouble depending on me. The color of a fucking party dress is not what I should spend my time on.
“Sawyer, sort it out with your mother. I have to go.”
As I move the phone away from my ear I can hear her whine, “But, Dad!”
I ignore the pang of guilt as I slip the phone back in my pocket, only to be almost knocked off my feet when I’m shoved in the back.
“You were supposed to keep an eye on her!”
Swinging around I find Pearl standing there, her stance wide and her hands on her hips, glaring at me.
“Where were you, huh?” she challenges, not giving me a chance to answer before she takes a step forward and shoves me again, this time with her hands on my chest.
I grab on to her wrists before she can manhandle me again.
“Janey! Knock it off!” I hear Kate call from the ambulance behind me. “I’m fine!”
I’m sure she doesn’t mean to let Pearl’s real name slip. Not that it tells me any more than the name Kate does, both names are common. If I put any energy into it, I’m sure I could find out more information, but that’s not my priority right now. Besides, I’m sure there’s a good reason they don’t use their own identities.
Pearl quite easily breaks my hold on her wrists by abruptly rotating her forearms in and down. A move commonly taught in self-defense classes, but what is surprising is the strength in the small woman’s arms. There’s a lot of compact power packed in that petite little body.
Without saying another word to me, Pearl rushes toward the ambulance and starts questioning Kate at the rear of the rig. A police officer blocks my path when I try to follow.
“Sir, we need some information from you and the victim.”
So far, the responding police officers have focused on the small crowd that has formed, but I knew it was only a matter of time for them to focus attention on us.
“Ask away,” I volunteer.
With as much patience as I can muster, I do my best to answer his questions, knowing I don’t have a hell of a lot to contribute. The officer is aware of the ongoing investigation into Georgia’s murder and the other, still-missing children, and doesn’t keep me too long.
Then he moves to the ambulance where Kate is being treated and I follow. I’m surprised to notice her colleague has already disappeared. It’s a safe guess she’s probably trying to chase down Kaylie, before the girl disappears as well.
My foot hits something and I notice I kicked the discarded windshield wiper still lying next to the curb. I’m doubtful any information can be gleaned from it but it can’t be left lying in the street.
“…Can’t be a hundred percent sure, but I think it may have been a Chevy. I only got a flash of the grill for a second before I jumped.”
“And you’re sure it was an SUV?” the officer probes, scribbling in a small notebook.
“Yes, I’m positive. I managed to see as much as it was speeding away.”
“Were you able to catch the size? Chevrolet SUVs range anywhere from compact to large.”
Kate nods. “Larger model for sure.”
“About the size of a Tahoe? A Suburban?”
“Either one is possible, I guess.”
He jots down another note when I tap him on the shoulder.
“Ten feet back you’re gonna find a windshield wiper lying near the curb. Make sure to pick that up and have it processed. It came off the SUV.”
“I pulled it off when I ended up on the hood,” Kate clarifies.
The officer calls over a colleague and instructs him to collect the wiper as evidence before he turns his attention back to Kate.
“Any chance you saw what happened to the girl?”
“I honestly have no idea where she went,” Kate answers. “One minute she was there and then she was gone.”
“Is it possible she got into the SUV?” he asks, piquing my interest.
Kate’s eyes find mine as I listen from the open ambulance doors.
“I hope not,” I hear her mumble before she turns to the EMT. “Are you done with me?”
“I’d still recommend you go to the hospital to get thoroughly checked out,” he suggests but Kate is already up and off the stretcher.
I offer my hand to help her down, which she takes without protest. My guess is the incident shook her more than she’s willing to admit and she’s downplaying her injuries. The slight hiss of air from between her teeth as she takes the last step to the ground confirms it.
“If you need anything else from us, get in touch with FBI Special Agent Matt Driver. He’s the CARD team leader,” I tell the officer as I wrap a steadying arm around Kate’s waist.
“Where are we going?”
“My hotel, after we pick up some dinner.”
“No. We need to look for Kaylie,” she states with a stubborn lift to her scuffed chin.
“My team is already looking and if my guess is correct, so is yours. We need to eat and you need to take it easy. You’ll be sore enough tomorrow as it is.”