We split up. Moose will circle the park, and I’ll cut through the side streets.
“Savvy!” I yell out.
As I start out of the parking lot, a police cruiser pulls up.
“Something wrong?” the officer asks.
I quickly explain the situation to him.
“Wait,” the officer says. “I’ll call in some guys to help.”
“Thanks for the help, but we aren’t waiting,” I say.
I hope she’s hiding nearby. Because if she’s been walking since she left the church, she could be anywhere.
I run down to the road and turn left.
“Savvy!” I call out. “Savvy!” I yell out again.
And again, no response.
“Where are you?” I ask myself.
What if she’s bleeding out behind some shed? What if I’m already too late?
My phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s Reed calling.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Any luck?”
“Savvy wasn’t at the church. Apparently, a woman there thought she was homeless and kicked her out.”
“Any chance whoever kidnapped her found her again?”
“No. We found her kidnapper at the vacant house. Marco.”
“You sure it was Marco?” Reed asks.
“Yes. Now he’s in Moose’s trunk. Moose is calling Stevens to come get him.”
“Is he alive?” Reed asks.
“Yes. I want him to suffer for this, not die.”
“I’m going to contact the officer in charge of the town you’re in,” Reed says. “Somehow, I doubt Stevens will get there soon, and we don’t want to risk Marco escaping.”
“Sounds good.”
He ends the call, and I pocket my phone.
“Savvy!”
No answer. I walk until I come to a cross street. I turn and make my way down to the next block and turn again, heading back to the church, yelling every few feet.
I’ve saved lives before. Tracked suspect across continents. But this, this is different. This is her.
I meet Moose halfway down the road.
