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“Which neighbors did you already call?” I ask.
He tells me, then decides we need a master checklist. We start writing names, and he adds Bryant and my parents.
“We’re supposed to contact people wetrust, remember?”
This man is seriously getting on my nerves. Although it could be the stress. I just want to focus on finding the kids, and I’m already on edge since the police won’t do anything. None of the people on this list will have any idea where my babies are.
“They might know something,” he says. “It’s worth asking.”
“Great. You call them. I’m calling the babysitters. But be warned, Bryant will use this against me. Maybe not today, but eventually. Mark my words.” I go to my contacts and make my next call.
A half hour later, we’ve gone through the entire list except for my parents and ex-husband.
Peter gives me a sympathetic glance. “I’ll call Bryant if you call your mom.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know that. I’m offering.”
“Just don’t let him know our kids are missing.”
“Believe me, that’s the last thing I’m going to say to him.” Peter pulls out his phone.
Calling Bryant will be a mistake, I’m sure of it. But on the off chance he knows anything, I’ll take the mind games later.
I stare at my phone for a moment before calling my mom. Even if I did have a memory lapse and pick up my littles from preschool, I would have never taken them over to my parents’ house. Unfortunately, Dad’s particular form of dementia causes him to have violent episodes. That’s why I hate being there alone.
And I never bring any of the kids. When my mom wants to see them, she comes here when one of his nurses is watching him.
She answers before the first ring even finishes. “Thank God.” She sounds out of breath.
“What’s going on?”
“As much as I appreciate you dropping the kids off here after spending time with Dad, it’s too much for me. You’re coming to get them, right?”
My lunch threatens to come up. “Sophie and Owen are with you?”
“Do you think I lost them?” she asks. “Yes, they’re here. They’re both hungry, and they don’t want anything we have here.”
I lean against the nearest wall. “Can I talk to them? I need to hear their voices.”
Peter looks at me with wide eyes. “You found them? Where are they?”
“The last place I’d ever willingly leave them.”
His eyes widen. “With your brother?”
My husband is right, of course. That would be the last place I’d leave them.
But with my dad isn’t much better. I would never leave them there with him.
Ever.
ChapterSixteen
Owen and Sophie are still chatting over the phone as Peter pulls into my parents’ driveway. I’m still trying to wrap my head around them being there.
Whoever brought them here knew what they were doing—taking them somewhere I would never think to look. That means whoever took them knows me. Knows my family. Knows the decisions I would and wouldn’t make. They even know about my favorite summer shirt.
