Chapter Three
Ella
I frown at the far too ruggedly handsome man who just suggested that I sit around while my baby is missing.
His brows pinch tight as he heaves a sigh.
“Look, I understand you want to be doing something to help, but right now the best thing you can do is wait. It’s a delicate process searching for a trail.
One best left to professionals. Well-meaning untrained people can easily destroy evidence because they don’t know what to scout for. ”
My heart sinks at his reasonable explanation.
I certainly wouldn’t have any idea what I should be looking for and could easily be that person.
I’d never forgive myself if I inadvertently did something to ruin the chances of finding my girl.
My pulse races at the thought. I bite down on my bottom lip to keep it from quivering, swallowing the lump in my throat before attempting to speak.
“I might have done that already,” I acknowledge, wringing my hands.
“I ran out here calling for Maisie when I couldn’t find her in the house.
I looked all around the property, but I was just looking for her.
I never thought to scan for what signs she might’ve left behind.
I wouldn’t know what to look for anyway. ”
This time I fail the battle to keep the burning in my eyes at bay. My vision blurs as tears track down my cheeks. My arms circle my waist in a futile attempt to hold myself in one piece. I’m worthless as a mother. First, I lose my baby girl, and now I can’t keep it together enough to help find her.
“Hey, it’s okay. We’re used to dealing with situations just like this. I promise we’ll do everything we can to bring her back to you.”
His big hand lands on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Electricity shoots over me again at the contact, same as it did when our hands touched. The heat from it sears my skin through the thick material of my flannel.
Awareness crackles in the air. What an inopportune time for my body to remember what attraction is. It’s as if it wants to prove what a shit mother I am. Pulling myself back from the edge, I shake off the unwanted feelings to focus on what’s most important.
“Please, just find my daughter,” I plead.
His lips press together tightly before he dips his head.
“I’ll start doing a preliminary search now while we wait for my team to get here.
” He turns to Deputy Hollis. “Alana is coming with the trailer. The rest of the team should be here any minute. I’ll take a look around and see what I can find to get started. ”
The deputy nods. “Got it. I’ll fill them in when they arrive.”
Tanner gives me a small lift of his chin before stepping down off the porch, scanning the ground as he slowly circles to the right side of the house. I can’t keep myself from going to the end of the porch and tracking his movements.
“He’s the best I’ve ever seen. If anyone can find your daughter, I’m sure it’ll be Tanner.”
Deputy Hollis’s voice startles me. I was so caught up in watching the man who will hopefully be my daughter’s rescuer, I all but forgot about the deputy.
“I sure hope so,” I murmur, eyes glued to Tanner, who has now paused near the corner of the patio in front of the sliding glass door leading into the dining area of the house.
He kneels down. His fingers brush across the grass, and he looks off toward the wooded area on the east side of our property.
Rising, he continues shuffling forward at a pace that has me wanting to tear my hair out.
I understand doing this properly takes time, but the urgency to find Maisie has me itching to scream at him to hurry his ass up.
My fingers wrap around the unforgiving wooden railing. The edges biting into my flesh as I anchor myself in place to keep from running after him. He moves with such purpose, he must be finding clues. It’s all I can do to follow instructions and stay where I am.
He slips into the forest as if he was never here in the first place and was only a figment of my imagination.
“Maybe we should get you inside, where you can sit and wait,” Deputy Hollis suggests.
I shake my head in response, refusing to tear my gaze away from where Tanner disappeared into the trees.
Even when more vehicles arrive and Deputy Hollis leaves me glued to the porch to greet the newcomers, I continue my vigil. There’s a flurry of activity happening in my driveway, but it’s nothing but white noise buzzing in the background.
More bodies step into my line of sight, and my heart clenches as they vanish into the forest at the same location as Tanner. Time loses all meaning. My limbs become numb, and the sting of pain from the sharp splinters of the railing in my hands vanishes.
People attempt to converse with me at some point, but they give up when they get no response because my brain cannot comprehend what they’re saying. My eyes burn, not from tears, but because I’ve been forgetting to blink as I stare at the spot on which all my hopes are pinned.
I have no idea how much time passes when there’s another flurry of activity in the driveway and the buzz of noise in the background increases.
“Ella,” Deputy Hollis barks, squeezing my left bicep. “Tanner found her. She’s just fine. He's bringing her back now.”
My head whips in his direction. Relief has my knees giving out. His arms encircle me, keeping me from hitting the ground. His touch is so different from Tanner’s. I feel none of the electricity I did with him.
“You’re sure? She’s okay?” I sob.
“That’s the confirmation we got. Let’s get you inside to sit down until they get here,” he suggests.
I suck in a sharp breath, my gaze shooting back to the spot I’ve been watching. “But…”
“As soon as they’re close, I’ll take you to meet them. I promise. You need to sit and relax for a while, or you won’t be able to do that,” he coaxes soothingly, as if talking to a small child.
I glance forlornly at the forest once more before letting myself be led into the house to wait some more. At least now I know I’ll be seeing my baby girl again soon.
And that is my ultimate gratitude for today.