What Follows After: A Novel by Dan Walsh Read Free Book Online Page A

you’ve done in your search so far?”
    Both of them began to answer. “You go ahead, Gina.” Scott listened as Gina recounted her efforts on the phone. He described his drive around the neighborhood.
    “Do either of you think there’s a chance the boys just ran away? Because if not, we’re talking about the possibility of a kidnapping.”
    “Kidnapping,” Gina repeated. “I hope not. Please, Lord, don’t let it be that.” She dropped her face into her hands.
    “I’m not saying they were kidnapped, ma’am.”
    “I’m thinking they’re just off doing something stupid,” Scott said. “Like boys do sometimes.”
    “You’re probably right,” Officer Franklin said. He looked at Gina. “I don’t mean to upset you, Mrs. Harrison. Just trying to cover all the bases. You have any recent pictures of the boys? We’llneed those. And I’d like a detailed description of both of them, including what they were wearing when you last saw them.”
    “I’ll get the photographs, Gina,” Scott said. “Why don’t you give him the description?”
    Without thinking, Scott walked back to his dresser to get a framed picture of the boys. Then he remembered, he’d brought it with him to the apartment. He looked around the room, noticed a similar picture taken the same day on Gina’s nightstand. Grabbing it, he walked back toward the living room. He glanced down at his sons smiling back at him as they sat balancing on a large coquina rock. The picture had been taken almost exactly one year ago at Cypress Gardens, on one of the few days he’d actually taken a Saturday off for the family.
    If he had only known then what he knew now, he’d have taken off every Saturday and been home every night for dinner at five-thirty. And he’d have turned down that big promotion he’d gotten at GE a month after this picture had been taken, which required even more time away from his family. But would it have been enough? Would it have kept Gina from believing that he had been having an affair with Marla, that redhead who had kissed him at the office Christmas party last year?
    Then he realized that if he hadn’t taken that promotion, he’d never have met Marla. They had worked in two totally separate buildings in two different parts of town. But none of this matters now, he thought as he stepped into the living room. You can’t go back in time and fix your mistakes. The best you can hope for is to learn from them and not make the same ones ever again.
    But would he get that chance . . . with Gina? Or with his boys?
    “Is that a picture of your sons?” Officer Franklin asked.
    Scott looked down at it again. Lord , he prayed, please let them be all right .

11

    Gina watched Scott’s face as he handed the picture of Colt and Timmy to Officer Franklin. She could see the strained expression he tried to hide, but it was clear. He was deeply worried.
    The police officer looked at the picture a few moments then said, “We’ll get this back to you soon, after we make some copies. This is recent, right?”
    “Last year,” Scott said. “They look pretty much the same, both just a little taller.”
    “Timmy’s hair’s a little shorter,” Gina said.
    The officer looked at it some more then looked up as if he had something else to say but stopped himself.
    “What is it?” Scott said.
    “I’m trying to understand the situation, that’s all. What we’re dealing with here. We don’t have a lot of experience with kidnapping, thankfully. But from everything I’ve read, kidnappers don’t usually go after two children, not unless there’s a lot of money in the deal.” He looked around their living area. “Y’all have a nice place here, but . . .”
    “No, you’re right,” Scott said. “We don’t have a lot of money. I’ve got a pretty good job, but we don’t even have a savings account. Used up most of it when we bought this house.”
    Gina thought about Scott’s parents. They had quite a lot of money and that huge