“Cute kid,” he said with a small smile, and she nodded because she couldn’t speak past the tears that clogged her throat.
The doorbell rang again. This time she didn’t run to answer it. Didn’t believe that somehow Brady would magically appear on the porch, tired and scared but with some explanation that would make sense. Maybe some story about sleepwalking or thinking that Mrs. Daphne’s dog was outside whining for his attention.
She walked into the living room, her heart heavy and aching, her chest tight.
Captain Slade McNeal stood near the front door, his dark hair mussed, his face drawn and weary. “Eva, I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner. I had to wait for my son’s babysitter to arrive.”
“It’s okay.” Her voice sounded hollow and old.
“Have you found any evidence, Cunningham?” Slade turned to the patrol officer.
“I checked the back window. It looks like someone popped the lock on it. I’ve already called for an evidence team.”
“Good. Are you going to take Justice out to track Brady, Austin?”
“Yes. We’ll start around back and work our way from there.”
“I’ll come with you.” Eva pulled her old wool coat from the closet near the door. There was no way she could put Brady’s life in someone else’s hands. No way she could trust that anyone else would look as hard or as long as she would. He was her son, after all. Her responsibility.
“The best thing you can do for your son is stay here and answer the captain’s questions. The more information you provide, the faster we can narrow down our search.” Austin walked onto the porch, and she followed.
He might not want her to help with the search, but she had no intention of staying behind. Brady needed her, and she needed to be there for him. That was the way it had been from the moment he was born, the bond between them so strong that she’d thought that nothing would ever tear them apart.
Something had.
Someone had.
She clenched her fist.
Brady was okay. He had to be.
“I’ve called in Lee Calloway. I’ll have him question the neighbors while I work with Cunningham and the evidence team.” Slade stepped outside, and Eva walked down the porch stairs, letting him approach Detective Black. They could talk all they wanted. She was going to look for her son.
Please, God, just let him be okay. Please, help me find him.
Please.
She could not lose her son.
Wouldn’t lose him.
If that meant searching alone while the police collected evidence and speculated on the who and why and how of Brady’s kidnapping, so be it.
ISBN: 9781460310755
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Explosive Secrets (Texas K-9 Unit) Page 20
