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“Hurry, boys. Call me.” She didn’t want to think about Maddox or Zane or kisses or anything.
Tasha stretched out on the floor by her feet.
As she took her first sip of her wine, the call came in.
She clicked on the blue video camera icon on the screen and Joel’s image appeared. “Hi, young man.”
“Mom, I have something to tell you but don’t panic.”
“What do you mean don’t panic?” Of course, that was exactly what she did. “What’s wrong? Where’s your brother?” Normally, they were side by side during these calls.
“He’s missing, Mom.”
“Missing?” She felt her breath catch in her throat as a sense of helplessness washed over her. Oh my God, they’re so far away. “What do you mean missing?”
“We were supposed to meet at the Student Center yesterday after our last classes, like we always do. I had the car keys and was waiting for him, but he didn’t show. So I started calling all our friends. No one had seen him. Not even his professors. In fact, he didn’t attend any classes yesterday. I wasn’t too concerned until he didn’t come home last night.”
Anxious and feeling powerless, she knew she had to get to her boys as quickly as possible. She was trying to sound positive for Joel, even though every nerve in her body was shaking. “Have you tried to call your brother?”
“Yes. It just goes voice mail.”
“Honey, why didn’t you call me last night?”
“I’m sorry, Mom. I thought maybe he was running around with this new girl he likes.”
Her boys were eighteen-year-old young men now. She had no illusions of them being virgins, even if she still saw them as her little boys. “Did you try to call this girl? See if Restin was with her.”
“I didn’t have her number, but I got it from a friend of hers this morning. Neither her nor her friend have seen him.” Joel’s face darkened. He was worried about his brother. “He didn’t go to any of his classes today either, Mom.”
Panic-stricken, she asked, “Have you gone to the police?”
“Yes. I just got back. I filed a missing person’s report. There is no time requirement as long as you are a close relative of the person who has disappeared. I thought I’d have to wait at least three days since Restin is an adult but I didn’t.”
Her insides screamed. Restin, isn’t an adult. He’s my boy. I have to get to Joel and find him. “What are the police doing now?”
“I don’t think much. Yes, I filed the report but the officer tried to get me to reconsider. He said I needed to be absolutely sure Restin was really missing. He asked me if Restin was angry or depressed and if he’d ever gone missing before to cool off or just to be alone.”
“That’s not like your brother.”
“That’s what I told him, Mom. The officer informed me that it wasn’t against the law to be missing. I swear it was a waste of time to go there, but I didn’t know what else to do.” Joel’s voice cracked and his eyes welled up. “Mom, I keep trying to call him but it just keeps going to voicemail.”
“You did great. Everything is going to be okay.” Please, God, let everything be okay. Protect my boys. “I’m going to get on the next flight. Keep trying your brother’s phone. If you reach him or he shows up, call me.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Did that officer at the police station give you his card?”
Joel reached in his pocket and pulled one out. “Yes. Right here.”
“Text me his contact info. I’ll call him.”
“Okay.” Joel brought up his cell phone and began typing.
Toni touched the image of her son on the screen.
The text popped up on her phone.
“Got it. Thanks, honey. Don’t worry. I’m sure there’s a simple explanation for this. But when I find your brother there’s going to be hell to pay.”
