The Concert
The crooked-nose cop lets out a ‘well this isn’t what I need right now’ sigh. He gives Lisa a hard look. “You’re positive the kids aren’t in there with the other VIPs?”
“It’s a small section,” she answers.
Trish nods. “They’re definitely not there.”
He pulls his walkie-talkie out of its holster.
Within minutes, Claudia finds herself surrounded by four police officers, two paramedics, twelve security guards, and a growing crowd of crew members and celebrities, none of whom have seen the children and all are wearing facial expressions that make Claudia feel much, much worse.
As if the outcome is inevitable, but they don’t dare say it out loud.
No, she won’t think like that. They’re fine. She’s sure they’re fine. She suddenly feels stupid, like she has, in fact, overreacted over a situation that will turn out to be nothing.
Another police officer joins them. He introduces himself as Sergeant Chambers and appears to be in charge, based on how the other officers are looking at him for instructions.
Claudia smiles weakly and apologizes. “I’m sure there’s been a mix-up and the kids will turn up any moment.
There’s probably no need to make such a fuss. ”
Sienna and Kitty appear, wide-eyed with concern. Upon seeing them, Claudia’s rage returns. It’s their fault for raising irresponsible humans. She shouts that Elliott is missing, and that Ivy and Poppy had him, her voice strained and screeching. “They’re missing too.”
Parker hurries over, looking as if he’s trying not to worry.
Then Dean arrives, and Claudia collapses into his arms, sobbing.
Dean is calm and in control, as usual. Dean has a plan.
They’ll go back to the trailers. Fan out and search every inch of them.
The police and security team will come along.
Dean reassures Claudia that the children are in one of the trailers, safe and sound.
Everything will be fine. She nods and fights to regain control of her emotions.
Sergeant Chambers agrees to Dean’s plan but says they’re going to need descriptions of the children.
Full name, age, hair and eye color, clothing when last seen.
Even just hearing the questions causes the air to be sucked from Claudia’s lungs.
Her mind shuts down, and she winds up feeling incredibly dumb because she can’t remember which sleeper he was in when she left him.
“It was the navy blue one without feet. No, it was the one with the monkeys on it. No, definitely the blue one.”
Sienna knows exactly what both Poppy and Ivy were wearing.
Of course she does. She’s not a new mom.
She’s an expert. Sienna acts like Claudia isn’t even there, and Claudia wants to grab her and shake her while screaming an apology at her, immediately followed by begging her to make her daughters bring Elliott back.
She doesn’t do it. But she thinks about it while she watches Sienna calmly describe the jean jacket Poppy had on.
The second she finishes, all the lights at the venue go out at once and everything goes black.