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She hung up and turned to Lacey with a distressed sigh. “I’m terribly sorry. You’re going to think I’m so rude, but I have to go to the store. That was the air-conditioning man and he says I have to sign some papers.”
Lacey stood, relieved. “That’s fine. I understand. We’ll just plan to do this again after Bethany’s home and you can meet her, all right?”
“Sure.” Lacey stood and Janice waved her back into the chair. “No, no. Finish your coffee and then you can just see yourself out. No hurry, okay? I’ll take the flyers with me and pass them out while I’m there.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks.”
Janice turned into a whirlwind and was soon out the door.
Lacey took another swallow of her coffee, picked up the newspaper that had been discarded onto the table and realized what she was doing.
Subconsciously, she realized that if she hung around long enough, Mason would come upstairs. She flushed at her teenage actions then frowned.
Maybe she’d just make her way downstairs and see what the men were working on. No doubt it had something to do with Bethany.
She left the kitchen and walked into the family room. Just as she reached the steps located on the far end of the room, she heard footsteps coming up.
Mason appeared with his cell phone stuck to his ear and stopped short when he saw her. “Bethany? Just tell me where you are so I can come find you.”
“Bethany!” Lacey cried as she darted to his side, hope and joy filling her.
Mason nodded, his eyes intense. He put her on speaker phone so the others could hear. Lacey waited for the sound of her daughter’s voice.
“I—I can’t.” A muffled sob. “He’ll kill her.”
“She’s right here with me, Bethany. I’m not going to let anything happen to her, I promise. Now tell us where you are.”
“Let me speak to her.” Lacey reached for the phone.
Mason shook his head and gave her the “wait a minute” signal, one finger raised.
Daniel also had his cell phone out and nodded to Mason.
What did that mean?
Impatience raged through her. She wanted, no,neededto speak to her daughter. “Please!”
Mason shook his head again. “Bethany, I’m your father, okay?”
A gasp came through the line and Lacey felt her stomach swirl. That hadn’t been the way she wanted to break the news, but maybe it was the right way. The only way. The way to get Bethany to tell them where she was.
Then Bethany said, “How? What’s your name? Why do you have Georgia’s phone?”
“Your mother came to me when you disappeared. My name’s Mason Stone and I’m a U.S. Marshall, okay? One part of my job is to find people. I’ve been looking for you since you disappeared.”
For a moment, all that was heard was Bethany’s labored breathing.
Mason tried again. “I’ve been wanting to meet you ever since your mom told me about you. Now, who’s after you, Bethany?”
“I don’t know,” she cried. “But I can’t let them hurt my mom. Okay?”
“No one’s going to hurt her. She’s standing right here.”
He handed her the phone and shot another look at Daniel who waved his hand as if to say keep going.
Lacey pulled the phone to her and said, “Bethany? Honey, I love you so much. Where are you? Please tell us where you are?”
“Mom! I’m sorry,” the girl blurted. Lacey heard the tears in her voice. “I’m so sorry. I can’t let him hurt you.”
