on every ounce of strength she possessed, Glynnis got herself under control again.
“Okay, now calmly tell me everything,” Kat said. She put her arm around Michael and drew him close.
When Glynnis finished, Kat wore her determined look, the one that meant she was going to take charge. “What’re the police doing? Besides checking people at the exit? Are they searching all the stores? Did they put out an Amber Alert? Contact the TV stations? Who’s in charge? Do you know? Is my brother here?” The questions tumbled out in a rapid-fire barrage.
“I don’t know who’s in charge,” Glynnis said. “I can’t remember his name. I was in such a fog when he got here, I didn’t hear what he said. He seemed to know what he was doing, though.”
“I hope so. You do know my brother moved back and is now working for the Ivy Police Department, right? I told you, didn’t I?”
“Yes.” But until now, Glynnis had forgotten.
“Well, we need to get him out here if he’s not here already. He’s got all kinds of experience that these small-town cops don’t have.”
“For all I know, he might be here. The two officers who came initially sent for more backup.”
“I’ll call him just to make sure.” Kat whipped out her cell phone and punched in a few numbers. She tapped her small, booted foot impatiently as she waited. “He’s not home. I’ll call the station.”
Glynnis watched her. If she hadn’t been so worried and frightened she might have been amused. Kat was never unsure of herself; she never hesitated. She saw a problem, she decided on a course of action and she jumped in with both feet. Glynnis wished she could be like that. Anytime she’d made a quick decision, it had turned out to be a bad mistake. Now caution was her watchword. Except for today. Today you weren’t cautious at all.
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Oh, really?” Kat grinned at Glynnis and made an O with her thumb and forefinger. A few seconds later, she switched the phone off. “Dan is here. He’s the detective in charge of the case.”
“You’re kidding.” Glynnis pictured the detective who had been so kind—the dark, unruly hair, the world-weary blue eyes, the tall, athletic body. Now that she knew he was Kat’s brother Dan, she immediately saw the resemblance. “He was so nice.”
“Does he know who you are?” Kat asked. “And by the way, where is he?”
“I don’t know. To both questions. He said he was setting up a command post in the management office, so he could be there.”
“Is the management office down by the food court?”
“Yes, I think so. I’m sure I’ve seen a sign when I’ve used those rest rooms down there.”
“Want to walk down and see if we can find him?”
“I don’t think I should. He told me to stay here…just in case.”
“In case what?”
“You know.” Glynnis realized they’d already said too much in front of Michael, but what could she do? He was avidly listening. “In case Livvy should come back here looking for me.”
“But…” Kat stopped at the expression on Glynnis’s face. She glanced down at Michael. “Of course. That was silly of me. All right. I’ll go down and see if Dan’s at the management office and try to find out what I can. Want me to get you guys anything to eat or drink while I’m there?”
Glynnis looked at Michael. “Do you want something to eat from the food court, honey?”
He nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“Yes, please,” Glynnis corrected automatically.
“Yes, please,” he echoed.
“What would you like?” Kat asked.
“Chicken nuggets and a Coke?” he said hopefully, eyeing Glynnis.
“Whatever you want,” she said.
“Some french fries, too?” Kat said.
“Okay. And will you get me lots of ketchup?” He turned to Glynnis. “Mom, can we get some for Livvy, too? ’Cause when she comes back, she’ll be hungry.” The worried look was back in his eyes.
“Livvy will probably want to pick out her own food.” It was all Glynnis could think to say.
“I know what she likes,” he said stubbornly.
“Tell you what,” Kat said. “Why don’t you come with me, Michael? That way you can see everything they have and if you decide you want something else, you can get it. You can also tell Livvy everything they have, since she can’t read yet.”
Glynnis shot Kat a grateful look. “That’s a good idea.” She opened her handbag to get her wallet.
“Put that money away,” Kat said in her I-won’t-tolerate-any-argument voice. “What can I get you, Glynnis? Sandwich? Coffee? A Coke? A bottle of water?”
“Just coffee.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Okay. We’ll be back. See you later.” Kat took Michael’s hand. “Let’s go, slugger.”
Glynnis followed them outside and watched as they walked away. The ache in her chest was so huge that it was hard to breathe. Michael looked so little and so vulnerable. Every instinct told her to run after them and snatch Michael back. She knew that was crazy. Nothing bad would happen to him in Kat’s care. After all, Kat was not a screwup. She’d never lost a child.
Unlike you, who’ve now lost two.
The dark thought, which had been trying to surface for hours, slammed into Glynnis with the force of a hurricane.
Shaking, she stumbled back into the shop.
Dan was halfway back to Corinne’s Closet when he saw his sister Kat and the March woman’s little boy walking toward him.
“What are you doing here?” he said.
“Glynnis called me.”
“Glynnis?”
“Have you met Michael, Dan? Michael, honey, this is my brother, Lieutenant O’Neill. And Dan, this is Michael. His mom is Glynnis Antonelli, my best friend. Michael, why don’t you go look at the puppies?” There was a pet store a few feet away. “I’ll just be a minute.” To Dan she said, “It’s okay if he goes over there, isn’t it?”
If there had been people around, Dan would have said no. He sure didn’t want another kid going missing. But all the pedestrian traffic had been cleared out of the inner part of the mall, so there was no danger to Michael. “Sure, it’s okay.” Dan would keep one eye on him anyway. Once Michael was out of ear-shot, Dan said, “I thought her name
