Craig knelt beside the standalone counter and helped Eddie pick up the last splinters of the broken glass. All four officers were on their phones, coordinating the search for Zach.
Kara, too, was on her phone. After sweeping most of the glass into a pile, she had thought to call Ben and tell him they had heard from Zach, that he was alive somewhere in Seattle. Ben would pass the word on to Derek and the others.
She put her phone away and rejoined them in the kitchen a moment later as Eddie emptied the dustpan full of glass into the waste basket near the side door. "Ben's sent out a message asking all the church members to pray for Zach," she told Craig, her voice tight with emotion. "He sent it half an hour ago. Twenty people had written back before I hung up."
"That's impressive, this early in the morning," Craig replied.
Officer Garrenton approached them. "Mr. and Mrs. Fleming?" She made eye contact with Kara and Craig in turn. "We're leaving to help with the search. Would you come with us? I think you'll want to be there when we find Zach."
"Yes," Craig nodded, grateful for her determined optimism. "I'll get our jackets." He slid past her on his way to the coat rack.
Moments later, he and Kara climbed into Officer Garrenton's patrol car. Kara gave Eddie a questioning look as he hung back. "Aren't you coming, Eddie?"
"Yeah, I just—I need to run home first," he told her. "I'll catch up with you in a few minutes. I'll find you."
He hurried away. Kara closed her door, and Officer Garrenton, with lights flashing and siren blaring, sped them off to Queen Anne Hill.
*****
The Boy Who Appeared from the Rain Page 94