Between Now and Forever

by Barbara Freethy

  "So we're here," Drew said, pausing by the gate to the schoolyard.

  "Yes." He turned his focus back to the present. "Nicole said Brandon was playing in the bushes over there. He likes to collect rocks and match them up."

  "Yeah, I know," Drew said. "He's a little obsessed with that."

  They walked into the yard and stopped next to the bushes. Ryan's gaze swept the grounds, and he silently measured the distance from the street to this part of the playground. It was only about thirty feet. Even with the Halloween carnival in full swing, it seemed unbelievable that anyone could have drawn Brandon away without Nicole realizing what was happening.

  "How did they do it?" he muttered. "How did they get Brandon away from Nicole? Or from his rocks?"

  Drew shrugged. "Brandon must have seen something that drew his interest."

  Ryan stared back at Drew, his words striking a chord. "Oh, my God, why didn't I think of that?"

  "What?"

  "Brandon's brother, his identical twin, was probably in the car. If Brandon saw his mirror image, he might not have been afraid at all." Ryan's mind raced as a piece of the puzzle fell into place. "He might have run to the car."

  "That makes sense," Drew said slowly. "If his brother was in the car. Of course, that doesn't explain how they got Brandon's brother."

  "Kyle disappeared from a miniature golf course arcade. Maybe it was easier to get him away from a busy place. But with Brandon, there needed to be some special enticement."

  "At least they're together. I know that's not much consolation."

  "It's something," he agreed. "The brother is the key."

  "The key to what?"

  "I'm not sure yet."

  "But there's a plan brewing in your mind."

  "There is," Ryan said, feeling like he finally knew what he needed to do next.

  Chapter Seven

  "You're going to Angel's Bay?" Emma asked as Nicole threw some clothes into her overnight bag just before five o'clock Friday afternoon. "Are you sure that's the right move? Wouldn't it be better to stay close to home? Angel's Bay is at least a four hour drive from here."

  "I have absolutely no idea if it's the right move, but after spending the day waiting for the phone to ring, taking any kind of action is appealing. And I think Ryan's plan is a good one."

  "That's the first time in a while that you've given Ryan credit for coming up with a good idea," Emma said pointedly.

  "Well, I guess he was due," she retorted. "When he told me that he thought Brandon was enticed into the car by his brother, everything fell into place. I have been beating myself over the head trying to figure out how anyone could have snatched him out from under me, and I finally have an explanation."

  "But what good will going to Angel's Bay do? The boys aren't there."

  "We don't know where they are. But the other child's family is there, and maybe if we put our heads together, we can come up with a lead or something that neither one of us has thought of yet."

  "I suppose that makes sense."

  "Mom said she'd stay here in case Brandon comes home on his own, although that's extremely doubtful. And Sara said she could also hang out here if Mom needs to do something since she's on maternity leave. If Sara can't be here, then someone else will take over."

  "I know the family will make sure the house is covered," Emma said. "And of course I'm happy to do whatever you need, I'm just worried about you, Nicole. It might be best to let the police investigate."

  Nicole frowned. "You would never stand around and do nothing, Em. You took on a serial arsonist all by yourself."

  "Because I'm a trained fire investigator. I knew what I was doing. You're not a detective. And we don't know what kind of people you're dealing with." She frowned. "Maybe I should come with you. I can get some days off work."

  Nicole shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but I need you here, Em. You and Max can stay on top of the investigation. Inspector DeCarlo seems like a good investigator, but I know that as time passes, Brandon's case will lose priority."

  "Max and I won't let that happen."

  "I know you won't."

  "So what are you going to do when you get to Angel's Bay?"

  "Probably knock on the Schilling's door."

  "You could call."

  "Ryan already called. He wasn't able to speak to Mrs. Schilling, but he talked to a neighbor who did give us a little more information. Apparently, Mrs. Schilling's husband died a year ago, so she's a single mother now."

  "That's sad."

  "Yes, and it's already been three long days for her. I guess she finally passed out from exhaustion. Anyway, we'll figure out a plan on the drive. I know I want to ask her about her adoption process. Perhaps her attorney will be more forthcoming than ours." She took a breath. "And I want to talk to her about her son."

  "Nic…"

  She glanced at Emma and saw a question in her eyes. "He's not autistic. That's what you wanted to ask, isn't it?"

  "Actually, Max already told me that that the other child was fine. What I wanted to ask was how you're going to handle dealing with that fact?"

  Nicole wanted to pretend like it didn't matter, but this was her sister, and they'd always been honest with each other. "It shook me up to see a picture of a child who looked exactly like Brandon but had all the life and light that Brandon is missing. It's like Brandon is a dim shadow of his brother. And I have to say it made me sad."

  "I'm sorry."

  "I know you are. I am too, but it is what it is. And I love Brandon unconditionally. I'll do anything I have to do to bring him home." She zipped her suitcase. "I think I'm ready."

  "Good luck," Emma said, giving her a quick hug.

  "Thanks. I could definitely use some good luck."

  * * *

  Ryan walked restlessly around the living room of Nicole's house. After convincing Nicole to go to Angel's Bay, he'd run back to his apartment, showered and grabbed some clothes. Now he was back and eager to get on his way, but Nicole was upstairs with Emma. He hoped Emma wouldn't try to talk Nicole out of making the trip. He'd already had Max caution him against getting in the way of the investigation.

  He knew the cops wanted to handle things on their own, and he'd been assured that both police departments were working together, but he didn't give a damn about their partnership. He wanted—needed—to talk to Kyle's mother. The boys had been taken together, and it made sense to him that the two families should be together. Nicole hadn't taken much persuasion. Like him, she was itching to do something else besides wait.

  For the first time in a while they were a team again. He'd missed being her partner, seeing her turn to him for advice or support, and being able to help. And while he hated the reason that had brought them together, he was determined not to let her down this time. Nor did he want to let Brandon down.

  He'd told himself for a long time that Brandon didn't care about him, didn't notice him, didn't even realize they were father and son, but maybe that wasn't true. The pictures that Brandon had sketched of him had revealed at least a snapshot of what was in Brandon's head. Maybe Brandon knew a lot more than he let on. If that were true, then Brandon was counting on his parents to come and get him, and that's exactly what they were going to do.

  He turned as the front door opened. It was his sister-in-law, Sara Davidson, now Sara Callaway. Sara had married her first love, Aiden, several months ago. In fact, they'd moved up the wedding date to accommodate Sara's unexpected pregnancy. Judging by the size of her belly, she was getting close to her due date.

  "Hi Ryan," she said with a compassionate, worried smile. "How are you doing?"

  "Hanging in there. Can I help you with that?" he asked, noting the casserole dish in her hands. "You really don't need to be cooking for us."

  "I didn't. Your neighbor stopped me on the way up the walk. She didn't want to bother anyone by ringing the bell. And, no, I've got it," she added as he reached for the dish. "Is Lynda here?"

  "In the kitchen.
"

  "And Nicole?"

  "Hopefully almost done packing. We're going to meet the family of the other child. You heard about Brandon's twin?"

  She nodded. "Yes. It's unbelievable. You must be incredibly curious about this other family."

  "I'm more interested in the attorney they used for their adoption." He suddenly remembered that Sara was a lawyer, too. "The guy we used is not cooperating, Sara. He claims he can't do anything without the consent of the parents, probably the same people who kidnapped Brandon."

  "Aiden told me that you used Jim Reynolds. I don't know him, but he has a good reputation. Opening sealed adoption records in California is a difficult process. You have to have the consent of all parties or get a judge to open the records. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear, but it is the truth."

  "That's what Reynolds told me. Max said they're working on getting a court order. How long will that take?"

  "Hopefully not long, but it will depend on how strong a case the police have for believing the records are crucial to finding the boys."

  "They seem convinced someone wanted to reunite the kids, and who better than the biological parents?"

  "Or it could be one parent and not the other. Were you given any information about either of them at the time of the adoption?"

  "Only that the mother was a young teenager and the father was unknown."

  "Which would make her still pretty young," Sara commented. "If she was sixteen when she gave birth, she'd only be about twenty-two now. Kind of young to pull off a double kidnapping all by herself."

  Another piece of the puzzle fell into place. "You're right. I hadn't added that up. Nicole kept wondering why now, and suddenly it makes sense. The mother had to grow up first."

  "Or the father may not have been party to the adoption and now wants his children," Sara suggested.

  "Another good point. And he could be older than the birth mother."

  "I hope the other family can give you more information. If there's anything I can do, let me know."

  "Thanks."

  As Sara went into the kitchen, Nicole and Emma came down the stairs together. Emma shot him a thoughtful look. Emma and Nicole were very close, and he had no doubt that Emma had heard about some of his less than stellar qualities. But right now he wasn't interested in her opinion of him, so he was happy when she didn't say anything.

  "I'm ready," Nicole said.

  He grabbed her overnight bag out of her hand.

  "I can carry that," she protested.

  "So can I." He disliked the fact that she couldn't accept even the smallest offer of help when it came from him.

  "All right."

  "Ryan," Emma said, drawing his attention to her.

  "Yes?" he asked warily.

  "Bring our boy home."

  He gave her a nod. "I will," he promised. There was no other option.

  * * *

  It was six by the time they got on the road, and traffic leaving the city was predictably heavy for a Friday night. Ryan hated the slow pace. Patience had never been his strong suit. "We should have flown," he muttered.

  "The closest airport to Angel's Bay is an hour away," Nicole said. "And we're going to need a car to get around down there."

  Which was exactly why he hadn't insisted on flying. "I know." He flung her a quick look. "I just want to get there as fast as possible. At this rate, it will be ten before we arrive. We may not be able to speak to Mrs. Schilling tonight."

  "Then we'll do it first thing in the morning, or maybe we won't have to talk to her. Maybe the police will find Brandon before then."

  "That would be my hope."

  She sighed. "Are we making the right move, Ryan? Should we be at home waiting for Brandon? What if he wasn't kidnapped? What if he was just hiding or lost? He could still find his way back to the house."

  He heard the hope in her voice and wondered why he was always the one who had to kill her dreams. He'd done it so many times over the past few years. She'd come to him with some crazy idea for a cure, and he would have to be the one to point out the flaws or the unscientific evidence. And she always hated him for it.

  "Ryan?" she said when he remained silent.

  "I think we've made the right decision." He didn't want to address her other concerns. He'd used reason before, and it had never gotten him anywhere. Nicole was all about heart and emotion and rarely about logic. It used to be one of the things he loved about her. And his practicality was one of the things she used to love about him. But somewhere along the way, their strengths had turned into flaws.

  Nicole turned her gaze out the window and for the next half hour they didn't speak. The traffic eventually thinned as they got south of San Jose and the scenery became more rural. With more open space, he pressed down on the gas pedal, eager to make up some time. He already felt a little better now that there was some room to breathe.

  As Nicole shifted in her seat, he glanced over at her. She wasn't looking at him, and seemed lost in thought as she played with the ring on her finger. It wasn't her wedding ring that she was twisting around her middle finger; she'd taken that off months ago. This ring was a silver band with some odd etchings on it. Nicole's biological father had given it to her on her birthday a few years back. He'd told her he'd bought it in Greece and that it would bring her good luck.

  Ryan didn't think they'd had a speck of good luck since Nicole had put that ring on her finger. And he'd been a little surprised that Nicole had even wanted to wear it. Her relationship with her father, David Kane, had been awkward and distant for most her childhood and adolescence. But when Nicole had gotten interested in history and in teaching, her father had suddenly reappeared in her life. Since he was a professor at UC Berkeley, apparently he felt he now had something in common with his daughter. But where the hell had he been for most of Nicole's life? He didn't know how she could let him off the hook.

  "Have you spoken to David?" he asked.

  Nicole started and turned to look at him. "What?"

  "Your father—David. Have you talked to him about Brandon's disappearance?"

  "No, he's in Greece. I sent him an email, but he's on an archaeological dig, and I don't know if he has access." Her gaze narrowed. "Why did you suddenly bring him up?"

  He tipped his head toward the ring on her finger.

  Her fingers stilled. "Oh. Bad habit." She took a breath. "I'm scared, Ryan."

  He was shocked that she'd admit it. It was probably the most honest thing she'd said to him in years.

  He wanted to reach out to her, to put his hand on her leg, to tell her it would be okay and have her believe him.

  But Nicole was already looking away. She'd gotten really good at putting the brakes on her emotions. Unfortunately, putting her feelings on ice had turned their relationship very, very cold. And that coldness was so at odds with the passion that had sparked so hot and so fast when they first met. Sometimes, he wished they could go back to seventeen and remember what it felt like to be in love, to have hope, to see their whole lives in front of them, no obstacle too big, no mountain too high. Being together had made everything seem manageable.

  He smiled to himself as the range of mountains in front of them reminded him of a very special hiking trip they'd taken the summer in between sophomore and junior year in college. They'd been twenty years old, and the hike was going to be their last big adventure before school started again.

  Nicole had not been as in love with nature as he was, but she was in love with him. When he'd told her that he wanted to show her the amazing views from the Skyline Trail near Big Sur, she'd agreed to go with him.

  As his hands tightened on the wheel, his mind drifted back to the past.

  They were four miles into the hike with another quarter mile to go, the terrain growing steep as they headed toward the summit. As Nicole paused, he put his hand on the small of her back. She glanced over her shoulder.

  "I don't think I'm going to make it," she declared, her breath coming fast.<
br />
  "You'll make it. You're strong."

  "I can barely breathe. The view is good from here. Isn't this high enough?"

  "It's better at the top. Trust me, it will be worth it. You'll feel just like one of your Greek Gods looking down from Mount Olympus."

  "Nice," she said dryly. "You think you know me so well."

  "I do know you. And you're not a girl to back down from a challenge."

  She sighed. "Okay, but after this you're going to owe me."

  "Oh, yeah? What am I going to have to do?" he teased.

  "Take me to the Modern Museum of Art and not complain for at least one hour."

  He groaned. "Really? That's what you want?"

  She smiled back at him. "Take it or leave it."

  "Fine. I'll take it."

  "Do you want to think about it for a few more minutes?"

  "No, I'm good," he said with a grin. "Stop stalling."

  "It's steep. I don't want to fall."

  "If you do, I'll catch you. Trust me, Nicole."

  She gazed into his eyes. "You know I do, Ryan."

  His chest tightened, his heart overflowing with love for her. The fact that she could trust him was amazing. As a kid, he'd been told so many times that he was a worthless piece of shit by his father that sometimes it was hard to believe that not everyone thought that way.

  Nicole turned back to the path in front of her and started to walk.

  He followed close behind, just in case she slipped, but they made it to the top of the mountain without incident.

  As they reached the summit, they stopped and looked out at the spectacular view. There was nothing but hills below and the wide, blue Pacific Ocean in front of them.

  "Oh, my God," Nicole whispered. "It's amazing."

  "Told you." He dropped his backpack on the ground. Inside the bag was water and snacks, but their picnic could wait.

  "Thanks for not letting me quit," she said.

  "You're welcome." It was about time he'd returned that favor. She'd kept him going on more than a few occasions.