Page 80 of Dark of Night

Annie stepped to his desk. “Doug, could you give me a printout of the pings you got off Lissa’s phone?”

He barely looked up as he grabbed a paper and handed it to her. “Here’s your copy. The sheriff knew you’d be asking. How’s it going in there?”

“Slowly. She keeps lying, but Cheng shifts with her. I think she’ll wear her down, but we’re going to go out searching.”

His gaze still glued to his screen, he nodded. “I’ll let the sheriff know when he’s done.”

Jon followed Annie to the hall, and when she stopped to study the map, he peered over her shoulder. He jabbed a finger at a spot outside Houghton. “There were a bunch of pings here, like she spent some time there, but that’s not her house.”

Annie nodded. “Maybe it’s a friend’s.” She ran her finger in a circle around the area. “This is all forest here. Maybe we could pick up Kylie’s scent with the dogs. I’ll text Bree the coordinates and ask her to bring her team while we get there and do a once-over first.”

The pain in his head had increased until he was having trouble seeing, but Jon nodded and followed her out to the truck. She headed for the driver’s side, and he didn’t object since he wasn’t sure he could manage driving anyway. He couldn’t let her know how much he was struggling.

He had to find his daughter. She might be in danger this very minute, and he wasn’t about to lie in a hospital bed and not do something to help her.

***

The small cottage was set off by itself with no neighbors. Annie parked in the gravel drive. Towering oak and spruce trees crowded the edge of the lawn and threw deep shade over the ground. The SAR dogs would be here shortly, but she could look around.

She glanced at Jon and saw he was sleeping. Good. Let him rest a few minutes. He hadn’t spoken much on the drive up from Rock Harbor, and she didn’t like his pasty color. He was stubborn,though, and she knew she’d have no luck convincing him to go to the ER with Kylie missing.

She rolled down her window before she got out and gently closed the door. The late-afternoon sun slanted through the tops of the trees and illuminated the porch of the house. Was it locked? She went up the steps and tried the door. It wouldn’t open.

She rang the bell and pounded on it. “Kylie? It’s Mommy. Sarah? Are you guys in there?”

When no one answered, she peered in every window she could reach. The place appeared empty. The only window she couldn’t see into was a back bedroom. Maybe Jon could help her reach it. Or maybe he could see in.

She retraced her steps to the truck as Jon moved his head and opened his eyes. He saw her looking in the window and managed to smile, but she thought it was more like a grimace. Alarm shot down her spine at his appearance, and she opened the door. “Jon, is your head hurting?”

“A little.” He stumbled as he got out. “Anything?”

“Nothing yet. No answer at the door. I checked the windows, but there is one I can’t reach.” Her terror for Kylie vied with her worry over Jon. She needed his help, but he should be in the hospital.

“Show me.” He sounded stronger and walked with his head high toward the cottage.

Maybe he was fine. The doctor said he needed rest, and after they found Kylie, she’d make sure he went straight to bed. She had a feeling their daughter was close, but she couldn’t explain it. Mother’s intuition, or was it just plain hope?

She scurried to keep up with him. “That window.” She pointed out the back bedroom.

He stepped to it, but the ground fell away there, and his eyes barely got to the edge of the windowsill. “I can’t see much. Just the ceiling and the posts on the bed. I can’t even see the mattress. Let’s get you on my shoulders, and you can check it out.”

He led her around to the porch and settled on the ground. “You get on the porch and climb on my shoulders.”

“Should you be lifting me?”

“Go on. We don’t have much time.”

She noticed he didn’t deny he was struggling, and her anxiety increased. But the sooner they found Kylie, the sooner she could talk him into seeing a doctor.

She climbed the porch steps and went to the side where he sat. Hanging on to a post, she looped her right leg over his right shoulder and managed to clamber onto him. She clung to his hair and could feel the swelling near his right temple. Had it been there before?

“Hang on.” He grabbed the posts on the railing and hoisted himself up. Staggering a little, he stopped to steady himself. “I’m ready. Hold tight.”

She let go of his head and held on to his chin with both hands. He moved toward the window and stopped under the center of the glass.

She leaned forward a bit and peered into the room. It held a twin-size bed with a pink coverlet. A stuffed animal she didn’t recognize lay on the pillow. The cover looked wrinkled as if someone had slept on top of it. She looked around for some sign of her daughter. Nothing jumped out at her at first.

Then she saw a small flip-flop and gasped. “Kylie’s sparkly flip-flop is on the floor. It has aKon it. I know it’s hers!”