Chapter 66

sixty-six

PAUL

I added butter to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. I needed to take my mind off what had happened this morning and making a batch of cookies would help.

"Is everything all right?" Jonathon asked. "You haven't said very much since you arrived."

I looked up from the bowl. "We had a rough morning. Amy wanted Liam to visit us this weekend. I told her he's moving to Chicago and couldn't see us anymore."

"I'm assuming she didn't take the news well?"

"She cried and then she completely shut down. When I left her in her classroom, she didn't say goodbye."

Jonathon closed the lid on the container of fudge he was unpacking and stood beside me. "It'll be okay. Amy was upset but, by tonight, she'll be back to her normal self."

"I hope so. She doesn't normally act like that."

"Maybe you could do something together after school? The recreation center has a great climbing wall."

The thought of dangling from a harness thirty feet in the air gave me goosebumps. "I don't like heights. Amy would have to rescue me. "

"It would be exciting."

Despite feeling miserable, I smiled. "It would give Amy something to tell the rest of her class tomorrow."

"Exactly. She could even draw some pictures of what happened. She'd love it."

My cell phone rang. I wiped my hands on my apron and frowned at the caller display. "It's Amy's school."

Jonathon looked just as worried.

"Hi. It's Paul Stevens speaking. How can I help you?"

"Paul, it's Harry O'Donnell from Sunrise Bay Elementary School. Amy wasn't in her classroom when the bell rang. We know you brought her to school, but did you take her home?"

My gaze shot to Jonathon. "I left her in Mrs. Polanski's class at half-past eight. Are you sure she didn't go to the library or somewhere else?"

"We've looked everywhere. If she left the school grounds, she could get into difficulties. Does Amy have her own cell phone?"

"No. I didn't think she needed one."

"That's okay. I'll call the police and ask them to look for her."

With my heart pounding, I ran to the coat stand. "I'll drive to the school, then go home the way we usually travel."

"That's a good idea. Keep your cell phone with you. I'll give the police your number so they can contact you directly."

"Thanks. I'll let you know if I find her." I ended the call and pulled on my jacket.

Jonathon handed me the keys to my truck. "I'll ask Kathleen to look after the store while I help look for Amy. Where do you want me to go? "

I thought about the places we'd visited in Sunrise Bay. "You could try the library and the general store. I don't know where else she would have gone."

Jonathon slid his arms into his jacket. "Amy's probably hiding somewhere in the school building."

"I hope you're right. If you find her, let me know."

"I will. I'll talk to you soon."

I ran out of the store. It wasn't just cold, it was freezing. Amy's jacket was insulated, but it wouldn't keep out the bone-numbing cold for long. And then there was the scenario that I didn't even want to consider.

If someone had abducted Amy, she might be lost forever.

Taking a deep breath, I unlocked my truck. This was Sunrise Bay. It was a safe community. If someone found Amy walking along the street, they'd call the police or take her back to school.

There must be somewhere else she'd gone.

Liam.

I grabbed my cell phone. While I was working, Liam had taken Amy to visit other places around Sunrise Bay.

With trembling hands, I found his number and called him. If anyone could think of out-of-the-way places Amy might have gone, Liam could.