“What about bringing in the county or state police?” a man somewhere behind us yelled.
“If it comes to that...”
My mother’s shoulders quake as she covers her face with her hand.
Chapter
Fourteen
“...When enough time has passed,” the sheriff continues. “However, you’re here because you care. The law says forty-eight hours before a person is declared missing. I’m not here to tell the Thompsons or the Thornes our hands are tied. I’m here to mobilize the people of Blue Gil and of Mills County. We look after our own.”
It is a rally cry. I look around and scan the faces of the men and women. They’re proud and determined. I have a flashback of when McKenzie Wilde disappeared. That was summertime and the fair was on the outskirts of town.
Do these people only mobilize for children? Did they band together when Craig went missing?
Sheriff Manes goes on, “You know your land better than any outside law enforcement. You know your neighbors. You know if something is unusual.”
“Yeah...” Murmuring rumbles through the air.
“Three weeks ago,” he continues, “we learned about a break-in of a house on Ruby Lake. The culprits were from Milltown, high school students. They were charged with criminal mischief. According to the owners, nothing was taken.” He turns toward his deputies. “Deputy Ford has been doing some research and going back through complaints in the area over the last five years. It seems there is a trend of juveniles illegally entering houses where they don’t belong. We don’t know how long they stay, but their intention doesn’t appear to be vandalism or theft, only to inhabit for a period of time.”
According to Becky, this has been happening with consistency for a while. Is it possible that the sheriff was oblivious or didn’t care?
Sheriff Manes raises his hand to quiet the simmering crowd. “It could be that the Thompson and Thorne girls are in one of those houses. Could be they don’t even know they’re considered missing.”
As I look around, I see the affirmative nods of many around us.
“The more experience you have with this land, the more valuable you’ll be to our search. We are going to form straight lines, each person roughly twenty feet apart, and will walk as a unit, covering the McKenna and neighboring properties until we find the girls or night falls. In the meantime, I’ll ask the rest of you to go back to where you live and search. You know that house, the one with the owners that are out of town. You know the shed, garage, or barn that stays abandoned. You can help by inspecting each of those structures for any sign that someone is there.
“If you find anything you deem useful, call the station. If you believe the situation is dangerous, do not enter yourself. Call. Georgia Lee is in the office manning the phones. She can get word to us. We also have messages and pictures going out on social media.”
“Can some of us help Georgia?” a woman asks with her hand raised.
“The Ladies Auxiliary has already volunteered...”
Questions continue as the deputies corral their volunteers.
I don’t move from my family as I listen and continue scanning the crowd. There are faces I recognize, those I feel are familiar, and those I don’t believe I’ve ever seen.
“Jillian,” Ollie says as he turns toward me.
“Hi,” I mutter softly.
In one stride my brother is next to me. The boy I left six years ago is a man I barely recognize.
“We’re going to find her,” he says softly. “This” —he peers around the crowd— “...it’s because of Coach.”
“Did they do this for him?” I ask.
Before Ollie can answer, Mom and Dad turn and we all come together. It’s the first time I’ve seen my father since their trip to California. In this moment, he appears older than I remember.
“Jillian, maybe some of that research you do can help,” he says, both acknowledging my presence and that I could be helpful.
Nodding, I peer between Liv and Ollie. As the most recent Blue Gil graduates, they would have the most insight. “What Sheriff Manes is describing, the phrogging, do you think Julie would do that?”
“Phrogging?” my mother questions.
“Yeah,” Liv answers, “it’s the term for what the sheriff was describing. The goal isn’t to steal or destroy. It’s to just use the house.”
