in the first place and not tried to figure this out on my own. Then, you wouldnât be here.â
Dylan figured heâd led this guy straight to her. What happened earlier was on him. His ringtone broke through the awkward moment. He immediately answered when he saw Brodyâs name, noticing that he had a missed call.
âThereâs no good way to put this,â Brody started, and an ominous feeling rolled through Dylan.
âJust come out with it.â This wasnât going to be good. Waiting never made it better.
A deep sigh came across the line. âI wanted to notify you before the Amber Alert was issued. Maribel is missing.â
Chapter Four
Dylan dropped to his knees. A dozen emotions pinged through his chest, rapid-fire like an AR-15 and with the same devastating effects. Rage battled to the surface, making him want to rip apart the first thing he could get his hands on. Ten years agoâhell, threeâand he wouldâve done just that. He was a different man now, and especially since Maribel had come into his life.
The image of his little girl waving to him at the kitchen door wearing the Mickey Mouse backpack that was almost as big as she was assaulted him. His military training kicked in, and that was the only reason he didnât explode in anger. It was the only thing keeping him from putting his fist through the nearest wall.
âTell me exactly how it happened,â he said through clenched teeth.
âFirst of all, Mrs. Applebee tried to call. She didnât want to lose time, so she immediately phoned me when she couldnât reach you or Ms. Anderson.â Ms. Anderson was first on the emergency call list. Brody and Rebecca were second.
âMaribel was on the playground at the Dinosaur Park,â Brody continued, âand teachers were stationed at each corner. Mrs. Applebee blew the whistle. Kids lined up. Teachers counted heads. They turned up one short.â Brodyâs voice was racked with agony.
Dylan knew his friends loved Maribel, too. That wasnât the thought he intended to focus on at the moment, and yet his brain didnât want to accept the reality that she was missing.
This had to be a mistake.
âAny chance sheâs inside somewhere? Hiding in one of the bathrooms at the ranger station?â he asked.
âThe headmaster checked each one personally. She and the staff looked in every possible nook and cranny. Mrs. Applebee called the sheriff to file a report immediately.â
Dylan was four hours away in Austin while his daughter was probably scared half to death wandering around somewhere, lost. He didnât even want to go there with the possibility she could be lost in the woods overnight. What kind of father was he to let this happen?
He pushed to his feet.
âWeâre all searching for her. Weâll get her back. Stay positive, bro,â Brody said. His solemn tone belied his words. âThis is not your fault.â
Yes, it is.
Guilt raided Dylan. He was supposed to be on that field trip. If heâd kept his schedule as planned, then Maribel would be safe right now and not out there alone, stranded, scared.
It wasnât like his daughter to wander off.
Maybe Lyndsey had had good reason to be afraid that Dylan would be a lousy parent. Sheâd never really told him why sheâd kept their daughter from him.
Samantha took Dylanâs fisted hand, opened it and, palm to palm, wrapped her fingers around his. He squeezed hers and then let go. He walked across the room, turned toward the door and spoke low into his cell. âHave you spoken to the sheriff?â
âRebecca is trying to get through to him now. Sheâs been getting the runaround.â Brody paused a beat. âSheâs sick about this. Said itâs all her fault for asking you for a favor.â
âShe couldnât have known this would happen.â The hope that this could be a mistake drained out of Dylan like water
Charles Murray, Catherine Bly Cox