cheeks. “No, I…uh, yes, I’m fine.” She blinked and avoided eye contact with the red-haired woman next to her.
“Aren’t you Karen Manning?”
Karen flinched at the woman’s question and glanced up at her. “Yes, I was. It’s Karen Cooper now.”
“I thought so! Do you remember me? Emily DiSanti? We went to school together. You were a year ahead of me.”
“Emily?” Karen squinted at the woman’s face. “Oh! You had an older sister, and I was in the grade between you two.”
“Yeah, you’re thinking of Rose. She and her family live in Mill River now. I do, too.”
“I moved back a few years ago myself. My husband—” Karen paused. Why was it that every conversation circled back to Nick? She swallowed and tried to keep her voice steady. “My husband served in the Air Force for years, so we moved from place to place for a long time. We came back here to live once he decided not to reenlist.”
“Mill River seems to have that effect on people. It calls to you when you’ve been away for a while.” Emily furrowed her brow and hesitated before she said anything more. “Karen, are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” Karen said, but her shoulders sagged as what was left of her composure slipped away. “It’s just that…my husband is working in Saudi Arabia, and he went missing yesterday. I was trying to keep it together today, but I overheard your conversation with that man, and when he mentioned being stationed in the Middle East…”
“I’m…I’m so sorry,” Emily said. “I don’t know what to say. Does your family still live here? Do you have anyone close by?”
Karen smiled as Emily squeezed her arm. “My mother passed away years ago. Dad’s nearby, in Rutland, but he has Alzheimer’s. He lives in a memory care facility there. Sometimes he recognizes me, but he doesn’t know who Ben is anymore, and he doesn’t talk much.”
“Who’s Ben?”
“My son. He’s thirteen. I can’t believe he’s a teenager already, but he is, and he’s a great kid.” She smiled at Emily through her tears. “My brother, George, lives in Seattle. Nick’s family is in Texas, spread all over the state. His parents and sister live in Houston. I’ve been in touch with everybody. We’re all just hoping and praying we’ll get a call saying he’s been found.” Karen pulled her phone from her pants pocket and looked down at the screen.
“I hope so, too.”
“They’ve got lots of people searching, lots of private security people from the company he’s with, and some military. They’ll find him.”
“They will, I’m sure they will,” Emily said quickly.
They stood in silence for a moment. Karen glanced at the ropes on the wall and then over at Emily. “I came in here for…lightbulbs. I’m all out of sixty-watt bulbs, or whatever fluorescent kind gives the same amount of light.”
“Sure, we have them,” Emily said, and she turned to lead Karen to a different area of the store. “How many do you need?”
Karen selected a box of bulbs and paid for them at the register. She gamely kept up small talk with Emily, but inside, she longed to rush home, climb into bed, and pull the covers over her head. Sleep would be a welcome, if temporary, respite. Perhaps the thick bedding would persuade her body and mind to relax enough to let it come.
—
Carrying a small brown bag and a steaming cup of coffee, Claudia left Ruth’s bakery-café and headed up the street toward the police station. Even though the walk was short, it was wonderful to be out in the crisp autumn air with the bright sunshine warming her face. The sunny day and the brilliant fall foliage made everything in Mill River vibrant and happy. The fact that she was planning her wedding and on her way to surprise Kyle with lunch bolstered her upbeat mood, too.
She reached the door of the police station just as Kyle was coming out. “Hi,” she said. “I brought you lunch.” She held up the bag and the coffee
“Aren’t you Karen Manning?”
Karen flinched at the woman’s question and glanced up at her. “Yes, I was. It’s Karen Cooper now.”
“I thought so! Do you remember me? Emily DiSanti? We went to school together. You were a year ahead of me.”
“Emily?” Karen squinted at the woman’s face. “Oh! You had an older sister, and I was in the grade between you two.”
“Yeah, you’re thinking of Rose. She and her family live in Mill River now. I do, too.”
“I moved back a few years ago myself. My husband—” Karen paused. Why was it that every conversation circled back to Nick? She swallowed and tried to keep her voice steady. “My husband served in the Air Force for years, so we moved from place to place for a long time. We came back here to live once he decided not to reenlist.”
“Mill River seems to have that effect on people. It calls to you when you’ve been away for a while.” Emily furrowed her brow and hesitated before she said anything more. “Karen, are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” Karen said, but her shoulders sagged as what was left of her composure slipped away. “It’s just that…my husband is working in Saudi Arabia, and he went missing yesterday. I was trying to keep it together today, but I overheard your conversation with that man, and when he mentioned being stationed in the Middle East…”
“I’m…I’m so sorry,” Emily said. “I don’t know what to say. Does your family still live here? Do you have anyone close by?”
Karen smiled as Emily squeezed her arm. “My mother passed away years ago. Dad’s nearby, in Rutland, but he has Alzheimer’s. He lives in a memory care facility there. Sometimes he recognizes me, but he doesn’t know who Ben is anymore, and he doesn’t talk much.”
“Who’s Ben?”
“My son. He’s thirteen. I can’t believe he’s a teenager already, but he is, and he’s a great kid.” She smiled at Emily through her tears. “My brother, George, lives in Seattle. Nick’s family is in Texas, spread all over the state. His parents and sister live in Houston. I’ve been in touch with everybody. We’re all just hoping and praying we’ll get a call saying he’s been found.” Karen pulled her phone from her pants pocket and looked down at the screen.
“I hope so, too.”
“They’ve got lots of people searching, lots of private security people from the company he’s with, and some military. They’ll find him.”
“They will, I’m sure they will,” Emily said quickly.
They stood in silence for a moment. Karen glanced at the ropes on the wall and then over at Emily. “I came in here for…lightbulbs. I’m all out of sixty-watt bulbs, or whatever fluorescent kind gives the same amount of light.”
“Sure, we have them,” Emily said, and she turned to lead Karen to a different area of the store. “How many do you need?”
Karen selected a box of bulbs and paid for them at the register. She gamely kept up small talk with Emily, but inside, she longed to rush home, climb into bed, and pull the covers over her head. Sleep would be a welcome, if temporary, respite. Perhaps the thick bedding would persuade her body and mind to relax enough to let it come.
—
Carrying a small brown bag and a steaming cup of coffee, Claudia left Ruth’s bakery-café and headed up the street toward the police station. Even though the walk was short, it was wonderful to be out in the crisp autumn air with the bright sunshine warming her face. The sunny day and the brilliant fall foliage made everything in Mill River vibrant and happy. The fact that she was planning her wedding and on her way to surprise Kyle with lunch bolstered her upbeat mood, too.
She reached the door of the police station just as Kyle was coming out. “Hi,” she said. “I brought you lunch.” She held up the bag and the coffee
Similar Books
