Chapter 22 – Jennie #2
I don’t try to argue with her, because—well, there’s no point. I know she didn’t do it on purpose, and that’s what really matters.
Chris texts me.
Chris: Micah, Jack, and Ruth are on their way
Me: Thx. Pls keep me posted.
Chris: Will do. And three deputies are out looking. I gave them her pic.
“It shouldn’t be too hard to spot an eighty-year-old woman wandering around the neighborhood in a floral bath robe and pink slippers.”
Emotionally exhausted, Dawn lays her head on my shoulder. I reach for her hand in hopes of comforting not just her, but myself, too.
Granny, where are you? Please come home. Please let them find you.
* * *
I’m mentally and physically numb. Time crawls by, minute by minute, and then an hour passes as we continue to wait for news.
When I hear the kitchen door open, I jump to my feet and race into the kitchen.
Ruth walks in, her demeanor stoic as usual. She wraps her arms around me. “I wanted to check on you, sweetie, to see how you’re doing.”
Now it’s my turn to fall apart. I’ve been trying to be strong for poor Dawn, but now with Ruth here, her strong arms around me, I crumple. She’s the closest thing I have to a mom these days. “I’m so scared.”
“I know, honey.” She runs her hand up and down my back.
“Have they heard anything at all? Has anyone seen her?”
“No, surprisingly, no one has seen her. But given the time of day, most folks are busy with supper, so it’s unlikely they would have seen her walking through the neighborhood.
Owen has joined the search. Robyn’s out there, too.
Hannah and Killian are mobilizing the rest of the search and rescue team.
They’re on their way. And Hannah’s bringing Scout.
This is what Scout is trained to do—find people. ”
Hannah’s been training her Belgian Malinois for a year and a half now to find missing people. Already, the dog has been credited with locating several missing hikers up in the mountains. The dog even located a kidnapped woman once.
As frightening as this situation is, I know these people—these friends of mine. They’re capable of extraordinary things, including finding my grandma.
The side door opens once more, and Chris and Micah walk in. With a cry, I run into Chris’s arms, and he holds me close, wrapping both arms around me.
“Your shoulder,” I say, my voice muffled against his shirt.
“It’s fine, honey,” he says. “You don’t need to worry about me.” Then he kisses my forehead.
Ruth crosses her arms over her chest. “Is there something you two need to share with the rest of us?”
Chris and I break apart.
“Oh, right,” I say. “We haven’t had a chance to tell you guys.”
“Tell us what?” Micah asks, raising a curious brow.
“Jennie finally took pity on me,” Chris says with a pleased grin. “We’re, um, dating.”
We hear a lot of commotion outside as multiple vehicles arrive. A moment later, Hannah McIntyre and her husband, Killian Devereaux, walk into the house. Hannah unfolds a county map and spreads it out on the kitchen table. “We’ll use your house as our command center, if that’s okay.”
“Of course,” I say. “Anything you want.”
Hannah notices Chris’s arm around me, but doesn’t say anything. I guess now is not the time.
Killian pulls out a pen and starts drawing a search grid on the map.
“We searched the town in all directions,” Chris says, “but we didn’t see her. We’re going to have to expand the search grid.”
“But she couldn’t have gotten that far,” I say. “She doesn’t have enough stamina. Unless someone gave her a ride.” That thought terrifies me. I pull Chris aside. “Do you think David could have anything to do with this? Could he have picked her up and driven her somewhere?”
Chris isn’t surprised at my question. “That has occurred to me,” he says, his voice low. “I’ve put out an APB on him as well. We’re looking for him, if only to rule him out as a suspect.”
My stomach plummets at the thought of him having my grandmother. She already doesn’t like him, or trust him. I find it hard to believe she’d get in his car.
Chris’s phone rings. “It’s Jack,” he says. “Go ahead, Jack.” He listens a moment, and then he says, “I’m putting you on speaker, Jack. Repeat what you just said.”
“We found a pink slipper at the mouth of a trail leading into the woods two blocks east of Jennie’s house. I’ll send you a picture.”
Her slipper? That means she’s heading into the woods with at least one bare foot.
Chris’s phone chimes, and he shows me the image Jack sent him.
It’s a very familiar fuzzy pink bunny slipper. “Yes, that’s hers,” I say.
While Killian redirects his focus to the start of the trail, he draws new search patterns on the map. Hannah starts assigning teams.
Maya McKendrick and Travis Hicks walk into the house then, followed by Maggie.
Maggie hugs me. “I’ll stay here with Dawn so you can join the search,” she says.
“Thank you,” I whisper as I hug her back. “You’re a mind reader.”
“I figured you’d want to be there.” She presses her hand to her abdomen. “Owen doesn’t want me out looking. Actually, it was his idea. Paul is watching the store.” Paul is her brother and a co-owner of Emerson’s Grocery.
“Thank you,” I say. “I need to be out there looking, but Dawn shouldn’t be here alone. She’s distraught.”
“Where is she?” Maggie asks, glancing around the crowded kitchen.
“She’s in the living room.”
“Jennie, I need a piece of clothing Granny wore recently,” Hannah says. “Maybe her pajamas from last night? Something that would have her scent on it.”
I run to Granny’s room and grab the nightgown she wore to bed last night and hand it over to Hannah.
“Do you mind if I take this with me?” she asks.
“Go right ahead.”
“All right, everybody, listen up.” Hannah announces the team assignments. “We need to find Mrs. Johnson soon. The temperature tonight is going to drop, and we’re expecting rain.” As Killian hands out radios, she adds, “Keep in touch. Report anything you see that might be relevant.”
While I grab my jacket and put on my hiking boots, Chris grabs a backpack from the coat closet and stuffs it with Granny’s sneakers and a jacket.
Soon, we’re all out the door. I’m shocked to find nearly two dozen people loitering in my driveway—the search and rescue team members, deputies from Chris’s department, and quite a number of neighborhood volunteers.
Hannah hands out grid assignments to the leader of each group. The teams will spread out and search as much of that section of the woods as possible.
Chris takes our instructions. We’re teamed up with Micah and Robyn. “Let’s go,” he says.
Hannah, Killian, and Scout are already heading toward the path where the slipper was discovered.
“Let’s go find her,” Chris says to me, taking my hand.
For the first time since I heard Granny was missing, I finally have hope we’re going to find her safe and sound. We have to. The alternative is something I can’t even bear to contemplate.