the mere thought of the word victim, in reference to J.T.’s little girl, chilled Madison. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the anguish J.T. and his family were going through, and yet he was in the middle of the investigation as though the child missing was someone else’s. Professional. Staunch.
She’d tried to get him to back off and let his deputies and the FBI work the case, but he wouldn’t. Since he was the sheriff as well as the parent, he wanted to be in on it every step of the way. There was a part of her that understood his need, and yet she also knew the danger of being so emotionally invested in a case. Ashley wasn’t her child, but she knew the little girl from the summer before. J.T. and his family had made her feel welcome when she had been here with this department working on the murder. Her emotions were involved more than she wished.
Madison found J.T. standing in front of the time line her boss had constructed on a large dry erase board. At the moment there was little information about Ashley posted. The bleak look in J.T.’s expression spoke of how taxing the situation was for him. But he was going over the information on the board with Matthew Hendricks as though this wasn’t his daughter they were discussing.
J.T.’s faith was strong like hers. Was that what was holding him together? What a test of his faith! Throughout the past night she’d prayed silently on a number of occasions for Ashley’s safe return. From the distant look that would appear from time to time in J.T.’s eyes, she suspected he had, too.
Heavenly Father, give us some kind of direction. We’ve got everything set up and ready to go but no leads to speak of. Where do we start? Where do we go from here?
“I made some fresh coffee.” Susan placed a steaming mug in front of Madison. “That’s the least I can do since I returned to the station. There’s no arguing with J.T. when he sets his mind on something. I didn’t want to go home to sleep.”
“A few people needed to get some sleep. I hope you were able to.” Madison put her hands around the warm mug.
“Not much, but I did manage to close my eyes for a while. Then I’d see Ashley’s face and I just couldn’t get any sleep. She is so dear and sweet. J.T. dotes on her. You should see them together when she comes down to the station. Such patience, showing her what he does. I just don’t understand how someone could take—” Distress on her face, Susan shook her head. “Sorry. I shouldn’t go on like that. And certainly J.T. doesn’t need to hear me carrying on. He’s got enough to deal with.”
“I don’t see how anyone could ever take a child, but it happens and the parents’ lives are never the same.”
“Even when the child is found?”
“Their sense of security is stripped away.”
A thoughtful expression appeared on Susan’s face. “Ah, I never considered that.”
The aroma of the brew flavored the air and for a few seconds Madison shut her eyes and relished the smell. “Thanks for the coffee. I was about to tape my eyelids open.”
J.T.’s secretary chuckled. “I know the feeling. It’s been a long night for everyone here.”
“And today will be a long day.” Madison rose from the desk she had commandeered from one of the deputies. “How’s J.T. holding up?” She’d been reviewing the neighbors’ statements and had been working on a list of people to interview again while J.T., her boss and Kirk had finalized the search protocol and gone over the case to date.
“I don’t know how he keeps going. I would have fallen apart hours ago.” Susan walked to the next desk to hand one of the FBI agents a mug of coffee.
Madison again searched for J.T. in the large room, realizing that periodically throughout the night she had done that very thing. By the time she’d left last summer they had become friends. She hated seeing a friend going through such pain. She wished she could do more for him.
J.T. moved away from the dry erase board and stopped in front of a table where a map of the region was spread out. He pointed to an area and said something to Matthew. The lead agent nodded, then gestured to another place.
Exhaustion carved deep lines into J.T.’s face—a face that under normal circumstances had a lot of character. At the moment it just looked plain tired. Even in the middle of the murder investigation last year, J.T.’s gray eyes would sparkle with life and humor. What she saw now was a dull pewter color. A sudden urge to comfort him flooded her. Surprised by the emotion, she turned away and picked up her list to give to Rachel.
“These are the people I want to interview again, with Mrs. Goldsmith at the top.”
Rachel glanced up. “She usually gets up early.”
“So six-thirty won’t be too early then?”
“Nope, and knowing Mrs. Goldsmith, she wouldn’t mind being awakened—if she even got any rest.”
“I suspect there are a lot of townspeople who aren’t sleeping right now.”
“Yeah, J.T. is a good sheriff and friend to many.” Rachel clicked the computer program she was working in shut. “You aren’t going to participate in the search of the lake area?”
“Not until I’ve interviewed all these people. They may remember something they didn’t last night.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No, I’m sure even with the added volunteers from Central City J.T. could use everyone possible to help in the search. He’ll need you there.”
“First, I’ve got to finish up here. Then I plan on being in the thick of things. I’d do anything for J.T. He believed in me when no one else did.”
“He did?”
“Yeah, I’d always wanted to be a law enforcement officer, but no one around here thought I would be any good. Too petite, not to mention the fact I’m a woman.”
“I always wanted to be in law enforcement, too.”
“It wasn’t easy at first. I had to prove myself, but each one of these guys is my friend now. Everyone at the station would do anything for J.T. and his little girl.”
She knew what Rachel meant. She could feel the respect and friendship when she watched J.T. work with his staff. She hadn’t been with the FBI long enough to form that kind of bond yet. She was the one who was the new kid on the block and had to prove herself.
Madison peered over her shoulder at J.T. He now stood at the window with the blinds open. With his coffee mug cupped between his hands, he stared into the dark, as though holding vigil until dawn appeared. His lonely vulnerability drew her across the room. They had less than an hour until the sun came up and everything that could be done had been done. Now they just had to wait for dawn.
His rigid stance told Madison more than words what a toll the past hours had taken on J.T. Susan might think he was holding himself together, but Madison knew it was a very fragile connection that any second could give way.
She came up beside him with her own mug nestled in her hands, relishing the heat that warmed her cold body. She faced the darkness and saw their reflections. He was only a few inches taller than her five feet eleven inches, but where she was slender, almost reed
