“Lindsey, I mean. She didn’t make it.”
“Oh no.”
He ran his hand across his face. “I just kept hoping she’d bring Beka back safe and sound as Luke prayed last Sunday. Then disappear quietly into the night. Without me having to have her prosecuted. But also without me or Beka ever having to deal with her again.”
“Nobody could blame you for hoping that,” Crystal said.
“No? Why not? No life is disposable. But that’s how I thought of her at this point. A means to an end. I hated her.” His laugh was humorless. “Truth is ... I’m still so mad at her I can hardly stand it.”
“Jeremy, you prayed for her. You told me last night that you tried not to hate her.” She took a step toward him. “You didn’t want her to die.”
The haunted look in his eyes tore her heart out. “I didn’t. She looked so...” His voice drifted off. “It was terrible seeing her like that.”
“I know it was.”
After a few seconds, he took a deep breath. “Since she never regained consciousness, no one knows where Beka is.”
CHAPTER 16
Crystal’s legs wobbled. But he was still standing, so she wouldn’t give in to her weakness. “Oh no. What can we do?”
“The police are trying. And I knocked on as many doors as I could in the area around the fleabag hotel where they found her. I did that all day yesterday until it got too late last night.”
“Nobody knew anything?”
“If they did, they weren’t talking. But it was hard to cover a lot of area.” He ran his fingers through his hair that was already standing on end. “I’m about to take a shower and drive back over there to start again.”
“Have you told your parents about Lindsey?”
He shook his head. “I can’t. This is the first time they’ve even tried to get away from everything. I’ll call them later.”
“Hopefully, soon you can call and tell them that Beka’s back home with you,” Crystal said absently, an idea germinating in her mind. “You need a flyer. Do you have a picture of her? The most recent one?”
He nodded. “I have one I took door-to-door with me yesterday.” “Give me your phone.”
He squinted at her, but he handed her his phone. She quickly mashed some buttons and handed it back. “I set your alarm. That will give you an hour and a half more sleep.”
He looked like he was going to protest but she shook her head. “You can’t help Beka if you’re dead on your feet. Right?”
He nodded.
“So you’ll sleep until the alarm goes off at nine then get up and take a shower?”
“Okay.”
“Good. Now I just need that picture and a pen and paper.”
He stepped into the house then back out with a small notepad, a pen, and a framed photo of the cutest little girl Crystal had ever seen. Blue eyes, blond hair, and adorable dimples. “She’s beautiful.” She clicked the pen and poised it over the paper. “Do you know the address where they found Lindsey?”
He gave her the name of the hotel. “Why?”
“I’m going to get you a map of the area and I want to know where the central point is.”
“Oh.” He looked confused but didn’t argue.
“Now go to bed.”
He nodded again and stumbled back into the house.
She practically ran back to the truck. If she was going to put her plan into action, she was going to have to hurry.
***
Jeremy slipped into his clean jeans and shirt and rubbed his hand across his clean-shaven jaw. He wouldn’t have taken time to shave, but he figured the more respectable he looked, the more likely someone would be to help him. Although in that neighborhood it might work the opposite. Still, he felt better.
Partly because Crystal had insisted he go back to bed. As he put on his socks and boots, he wondered about how knowing she was doing something—even something as small as making a flyer—had made it easier for him to sleep.
The doorbell rang and he jumped up. Perfect. Another minute and he’d have been on edge waiting. Any earlier and she’d have been waiting for him.
He opened the door. “You have perfect ti–ming,” he finished weakly as he took in the crowd on his porch and in his driveway. There were at least thirty people, mostly from church. They all held up papers, the clear bright picture of Beka smiling at him.
“I—” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know what to say.”
Daniel Montgomery held out his hand. Jeremy took it gratefully. The big man looked out at him through sorrowful eyes. “I’m so sorry, Jeremy.”
“Me, too,” Jack Westwood echoed.
Jeremy nodded to the local deputy. Jack had been a big support when Lindsey had first taken Beka and in the long months since, rallying the sheriff’s department around the search. It was amazing how many people hadn’t seemed to care since the kidnapper was the mother. But Jack had.
Jack’s wife, Rachel, had tears in her eyes, but she nodded.
Luke clapped him on the shoulder. “We’re with you, man.” Behind him, sympathy shone in Elyse’s brown eyes.
“Thank you.” He still couldn’t believe all these people were here to show their support. He was overwhelmed.
Crystal stepped forward. “We’ve already divided into teams of two. We’ll carpool to the area and go on foot door-to-door around the place where Lindsey was found.”
He stared out at the crowd. “Everyone’s going to Memphis?”
“Yes, Memphis,” Crystal said, readjusting her white cap over her blond ponytail. “Vans are filling up first, folks. Then we’ll go to cars. At one o’clock, we’ll meet at Corky’s BBQ for lunch and report in.” She turned to Jeremy. “If it’s okay, since your truck is a crew cab, Luke and Elyse and I will ride with you. We’re willing to stay as long as you want to.”
He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Crystal started off the porch.
“Crys, wait.”
She turned back and tilted her head to the side.
He cleared his throat again. “You’ll never know how much this means to me. This morning ... before you got here ... it looked pretty hopeless.” He waved out at the people climbing into vehicles. “And now this.”
She brushed aside his thanks and rushed off to make sure everyone had directions, but he wasn’t fooled. He was blessed that Crystal McCord had come into his life.
For however long she chose to stay.
***
Crystal glanced over at where the others were wearily climbing into their vehicles then back to Jeremy’s tense face. “Do you want to stay a little longer and keep knocking on doors? Elyse and Luke said they don’t mind at all.”
“I guess we may as well go on home.” Defeat punctuated his words.
“We left some flyers. Maybe somebody will recognize her and call.”
He nodded tersely. “Maybe.”
“Someone knows where she is.” She kept her voice hopeful. “Maybe we’ll get some calls tonight.”
“Maybe.” Jeremy’s attempt at a smile faltered just before reaching his eyes, as though the effort proved too great.
Crystal would have given just about anything to take away his fear, his anguish. Anything to bring back that little girl for him. The depth of her emotions took her aback, frightened her a little.
The trip home was unbearably quiet. She searched her brain to find something ... anything to say that might make a difference. Jeremy’s anger and despair were almost palpable.
Outside of Jonesboro, about an hour from Shady Grove, he spoke suddenly. “I can’t believe so many people from church went all the way to Memphis.”
She nodded. “Everyone was glad to help.” And they had been. Thrilled to be able to do something hands-on to try to find Beka. Crystal had to admit she’d been impressed. It had been a long time since she’d felt the presence of a church family. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it.
“I called this morning and made the a
rrangements for Lindsey.” Jeremy’s voice sounded tight.
Crystal could feel his anger and she didn’t blame him. “That was good of you.”
His face inscrutable, he turned his head slightly away from her. “Don’t give me any praise. I didn’t feel like I had a lot of choice. When Beka grows up and wants to know where her mother is buried, how would I explain to her that I have no idea?”
“So what did you decide?”
“We’re having a graveside service Tuesday afternoon at the Shady Grove cemetery. That way Mom and Dad will have time to get back.”
Luke leaned forward and touched him on the shoulder. “I can’t imagine how rough this must be. Wish there was more we could do.”
Jeremy glanced in the rearview mirror. “Today was enough, man. Thanks.”
“If there’s anything else you need, let us know,” Elyse said, her voice sleepy. “If we need to feed the family...”
Jeremy blew out his breath and kept his gaze on the road. “No family. Just me and Mom and Dad. And I doubt we’ll be hungry. But thanks.”
“I’m sorry,” Crystal said softly and rested her hand in the seat between them. Just in case. A moment passed and she felt a little silly, but then his warm hand enfolded hers. In the darkness of the truck interior, they maintained that connection the rest of the silent trip home. She didn’t know if he got any comfort from the simple act of holding her hand.
But she definitely did.
Back at Jeremy’s house, Luke and Elyse said quick good-byes, jumped in Luke’s truck, and were gone.
“Want me to stay around for a while?” Crystal asked softly as they gathered their things out of the truck.
The look he gave her was one of apology, as if he had anything to be sorry for. “I’m probably better off by myself right now.”
She nodded. “I understand. It’s been a long day.”
He walked her to the farm truck.
She set her purse inside and turned to face him. Worry and anger etched lines in his face so deeply she could see them in the moonlight. “Jeremy, don’t give up.”
His jaw muscle tight, he shook his head. “I can’t.”
She started to turn to climb into the truck, but he took her hands and pulled her to him. In his arms, she tried to memorize the rhythm of his heart. Maybe it was just the solemn mood of tonight, but she had a foreboding feeling that someday she’d want to remember.
When he released her, she shivered. He looked down at her, his eyes tender. “Thanks again.”
She stood up on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. “Take care.”
She jumped in the truck, revved the motor, and fled down the driveway. Who was she kidding? She glanced in her rearview mirror. She was the one who needed to take care. Her heart was in imminent danger of being lost to the cowboy standing back there in the moonlight, still watching her.
It was natural, she reminded herself firmly, as the farm truck bounced along in the ruts, for him to lean on her right now. But when he didn’t need her anymore and it was time for her to go back to the city, what would keep her heart from shattering into a million pieces?
CHAPTER 17
Jeremy gazed out at the endless current of the river rushing over the boulders. In a hurry but never getting anywhere. That’s how he’d felt since Beka’s kidnapping. Lord, why isn’t anything happening?
“You do know this is private property, don’t you?”
He spun around to face Crystal.
Her mischievous smile froze on her lips. “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have interrupted you.”
He forced his lips into an answering grin. “That’s okay. I’m glad you did.” And he was. “How’d you find me?”
“I was actually driving over to your house to talk to you when I saw Nacho standing patiently down here by the bridge. I figured you couldn’t be far away.”
She’d been coming to see him? For some reason, he’d thought she was avoiding him at church this morning. She’d slipped in even later than he had and sat on the opposite side of the aisle from him and her family. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I had a brilliant idea.” She narrowed her eyes as if gauging his interest. “How do you feel about being on TV?”
“TV? Me?” He shook his head. “No, thanks.”
“Wait. It’s for a great cause. The best cause, actually. I talked to the station manager at Channel Six, and they’d love to do an interview with you to help get the word out about Beka.” Her blue eyes sparkled.
He frowned. “I approached them when Lindsey first took her. They reported the kidnapping on the news but weren’t interested in helping me. I asked them to let me do a televised plea for Lindsey to bring her back.” He’d begged actually. His gut tightened at the memory.
Crystal’s face clouded. “Yeah, apparently the anchorwoman is a divorced mother and she was sympathetic to Lindsey. But now that she knows the real situation...”
“And Lindsey is dead.” Bitterness he couldn’t hide dripped from his words.
“I know it’s hard. But Daddy always said, ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,’ Jeremy. She wants to make it right now. And it could really make a difference.”
“So how will we do it?”
“They’ll run the interview four times—morning, noon, and at six and ten in the evening. Channel Six broadcasts all over northern Arkansas, southern Missouri, and part of western Tennessee and Mississippi. It’s not a huge area, but she thinks it’s big enough that we’ll need to set up a local search center to field calls after the interview runs.”
His heart pounded at the possibility of that many calls about Beka. He stared out at a leaf in the water whooshing away on the current. Things were happening. He just couldn’t always see it. He sent up a silent thank-you and nodded to Crystal. “Okay.”
“I called Mama and Daddy while I was trying to find you, and they said we should use their house as a search center. There’s an extra phone line there already—from when we were teenagers. The phone company will just need to activate the second line and fix it so that calls will roll over to the next line when one is busy.”
“That sounds great. Tell them I really appreciate it. When can we do the interview?”
“They want to tape Thursday and run it Friday.”
“We can’t do it sooner?” Patience was the one commodity he was running short of these days.
“She thinks Friday is the best day to catch more people watching. Besides, that’ll be after the funeral. And it’ll give us time to get the phone lines ready.”
He nodded, and in unspoken agreement they turned to walk back to where the four-wheel drive “ute” was parked beside Nacho. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t heard Crystal coming. When their hands brushed, he slid his easily around hers. She glanced over at him but didn’t say anything.
“I’ll need to let the sheriff know what we’re doing. He’ll probably want to have his deputy, Jack Westwood, or somebody available to check out tips as they come in.”
The Reluctant Cowgirl Page 15