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Shocked, everyone clamped their mouths shut and looked at him.
“Kim, you go with Ava and Mark up the staircase on the hill and Desi and me will take the road.”
Kim started to protest. “But—”
Lane stopped her right there with one look.
“Do you realise the amount of time that has passed since anyone saw mom? Nine hours. And do you know that the first 24 hours when someone is missing is the most crucial time in finding them?” He felt like an ass when he saw Kim’s lip start to quiver. Softening his tone, Lane said, “I’m sorry but standing here bitching about what we are going to do is not helping her right now.” He turned away and said, “C’mon Desi.”
They walked in silence until Desi knew for sure they were out of earshot. She glanced at him, and saw his handsome face lit up from the glow of their flashlights. “You didn’t have to be so hard on Kim you know.”
“No. You’re right. But I used to do this for a living, finding missing people, among other things. We don’t know where my mom is other than what you told us. For all we know she might not even be in Pearl Lake anymore.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sure she will turn up soon.”
“Let’s hope so,” he said, as they came to the top of the hill. “Where exactly did you see her?”
Desi shone her light around their surroundings then walked a few more feet towards the left. Turning, she flashed her light to where Lane was waiting. “From where you’re standing, she was about five feet towards the edge of the road.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” Desi pointed the beam of light at the bushes growing along the side. “Because I remember those flowers there behind her.”
Lane aimed his light at the ground. “With any luck we’ll see some footprints in the dirt.”
Desi did the same and saw nothing but tire tracks...wait. “There!” she pointed the light excitedly.
Lane swung his flashlight to where she was aiming it, then past her. He chuckled. “Those are yours.”
“Oh.”
He flashed his light back to where Desi had said she’d seen his mom last. “Wait a minute...” He squatted to get a better look. “But those aren’t. Do you see them?”
Desi bent down and peered over his shoulder. “Hmmm.” She shook her head. “Nope.”
Lane craned his neck around to look at her and wished he hadn’t. With her so close he caught a whiff of her shampoo and something else. A light musky scent that had to be a body spray or perfume, he couldn’t tell which. Whatever it was it sent a shock to his loins; a distraction he didn’t need or want.
She jumped back as he stood suddenly and scowled at her. Without a word he turned and started walking. Not waiting for her, he said over his shoulder, “They’re there, trust me. “
She ran to catch up with him and just about slammed into his back when he stopped abruptly. He was standing there, staring towards the village square. There had to be at least a hundred people gathered outside of Mack’s store.
“Holy crap,” Desi whispered. “I didn’t know there were so many people that lived here.”
“Neither did I,” he said absently as they started walking again. “Mom said she had a six-mile walk, right?”
“That’s what she said. I don’t see how; Pearl Lake isn’t that big... unless—”
“She was heading out of the village and looping back.” Lane pulled his cellphone from his back pocket then opened an app. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner.”
“What?”
“A lot of the time I’d travel over seas for a job. Sometimes for weeks. Mom being the paranoid mother that she is, was always worried if she didn’t hear from me every day.”
Desi looked at him. “Aww. That’s the kind of mother you want. At least you know she loves you.”
“Yeah. Well, we both downloaded this app on our phones that allowed us to find each other at any given time.” He moved closer to her and showed her his phone. “Watch.”
Heads together they stood there while Lane put Abbi’s number in.
