MacKenzie escorts us out the back door. She whispers, “Good luck!” as we edge our way down the stairs. I noticed the post office when we got off the bus. There is one corner of exposure to the reporters in the parking lot. I hope the diversion works. I slide my arm around Kendall’s waist and hope we look like a couple on an afternoon stroll as we head toward the sidewalk. I remember why I leave the fieldwork to Tristan and Isaac. This is incredibly stressful. I feel like everyone in the whole town must be watching us. I haven’t felt this way since I was serving in the sandbox.
By the time we reach the car and get Asher situated in his infant seat, we are both a little breathless. “Who knew I would need a degree in engineering to buckle a baby into a car seat?” I ask as I pull out of the parking lot.
Kendall chuckles as she shrugs out of the sweatshirt and front carrier. “I’m definitely out of practice, but it gets easier when you do it all the time. It’s always more challenging with a brand-new seat.”
I reach out and interlace my fingers with Kendall’s as I ask, “Do you think Bethany and Edwin have any idea that we are bringing Asher to them?”
Kendall draws in a quick breath. “Oh ... I don’t know. If they don’t, that’s going to be a huge shock. I’m glad they get to do it in private, without a million cameras and cell phones and reporters around. This is not a time when they need to worry about censoring their reactions because someone else is watching.”
“That was one of the reasons that my parents were reluctant to restart the search for Toby. They remember the intense, claustrophobic feeling of always having someone scrutinize every reaction and decision they made.”
“I hate it when people you don’t know feel like they have a right to judge what it’s like to be in your shoes.” Glancing over her shoulder at Asher, Kendall says, “Even though the outcome in this case is as happy as they come, I know for sure I’m going to need some Kleenex.”
“I might need some too. I hope someday my mom gets a surprise like this,” I admit. “Although it’s going to look a little different. Toby is almost an adult now. It’s hard for me to envision that in my head. In my mind, he’s still a quirky kid who likes Percy Jackson and Harry Potter.”
Kendall’s eyes tear up. “I hope Bonnie gets her happy ending too. We’re doing pretty well. So far, two out of three. Let’s hope our lucky streak continues.”
“I think Toby is going to need a little more than luck. He’s going to need divine intervention and who knows what else.”
“Stranger things have been known to happen.”
By force of habit, I scan the hotel parking lot as I pull into the private parking area. It is the middle of the day, and everyone appears to be gone. “It might be extreme, but with the number of reporters just up the street at the hospital, I think we should use the same protocol we used to get him to the car. Can you get the carrier and sweat shirt on from where you’re sitting?”
Kendall nods. “That should be easy enough, getting the baby from the car seat into the carrier might be a little trickier.”
“I think I can do that. I used to be the quarterback in high school; Asher’s not much bigger than a football.”
“Do you guys come standard with an identical playbook or something? Lyle used to say the same thing about Quinn.”
“What? It’s true,” I protest as I hold my hands up in front of me as if I’m measuring Asher. “I can’t guarantee people walking by won’t think we’re up to some kinky shenanigans in here but I think it’s doable.”
Kendall wiggles around in the front seat as she struggles to buckle the last buckle. “Definitely should’ve left this on. But I think I’ve got it now.”
I examine the situation a little closer and make a decision. “I’m going to have to do this from outside the car. I don’t want to take the risk of dropping him. I’ll just bring Asher around to you. There’s no one in the parking lot. Besides, we’re in the VIP section; there aren’t very many other hotel guests who have access to this space.”
“Good point. No need to play Twister if we don’t have to,” Kendall replies as she exhales roughly.
I lift Asher from his car seat and have to adjust my grip as he stretches and yawns. I stride over to Kendall’s side of the car and help her place him in the carrier. As soon as he is buckled in, she puts my sweat shirt on and we stroll hand-in-hand into the hotel as if something monumental isn’t about to happen.
The doors of the elevator close and Asher lets out an audible sigh. Kendall gently rocks from one foot to the other to soothe him. “Are you ready to make someone’s fervent prayers come true?” Kendall removes her phone from her pocket and sends a text message.
I’ve been involved in countless military operations, but I don’t think any of them have been quite as nerve-racking as this one. My heart is racing, and my hands are trembling from adrenaline. I have to steady my breathing as we wait for the private elevator to go up to our floor.
We barely make it to Bethany and Edwin’s room before the door swings open. “Please tell me you brought the test results with you?” Bethany asks. When she sees us, she breaks into tears. She staggers back to the elegant desk and grabs a tissue. She sinks down into the leather chair and watches us with hopeful eyes.
We step inside the door and wait for it to close. Once inside the door, I recognize Asher’s whole family from their media appearances. Agent Foxwell is standing in the corner looking stoic. His expression gives nothing away. I don’t think the same can be said for mine as I try to hide my grin as I help Kendall remove my sweatshirt before she turns around. “We brought you something much better.”
“Oh my God! Is that really Asher?” Edwin asks, when he can’t process what he sees.
I can’t help but grin as I respond, “Yeah, buddy, it is. With a 99.93 degree of certainty.”
Edwin looks over at me as he takes Asher out of the front carrier. “I’m sure at some point I’m going to care about the details of how this happened, but right now I just want to hold my son.”
“Is he okay?” Bethany whispers from a leather chair sitting by the desk. She seems frozen in shock.
Kendall kneels beside Bethany as she explains, “He’s good. The doctor said he was a little dehydrated and exhausted, but he is healthy.”
Edwin brings Asher over to his wife. “Look, he’s hungry. He’s doing that funny little thing with his face.”
Bethany reaches out and strokes her son’s cheek as tears flow down her face. She takes a deep breath as she picks Asher up and clutches him to her chest. She studies his face as if she can’t quite believe he’s real. When he lets out a distressed wail, she says, “There must’ve been a reason the breast pump failed this morning. I’m going to go lay down and feed this guy. It seems like I’ve been waiting months to do this. I honestly thought I might not ever get the chance to hold him again.”
“Bethany, do you need me to do anything?” Phyllis asks.
Bethany shakes her head as she cuddles Asher’s face to her cheek. “No, I’m fine. Everything is finally right in my world.” She turns toward us. “Thank you so much. There are not enough words.”
My face grows hot as I mumble, “Just glad I could help.”
“Bethany is right. We can’t thank you enough,” Edwin replies. He turns to his wife and asks, “Are you sure you don’t want Mom to grab you something to eat?”.
“You’re right. I was too nervous to eat. Can you pick me up a sandwich or something?”
“Why don’t I go pick up something from the deli for everyone? That way you all can enjoy some family time.”
When Agent Foxwell makes a remark, I jump in surprise because in all the drama of the family reunion, I forgot he was there. “I think that’s a good idea. No one knows that Payne is working with us. Another agent gave me a heads up about increased media presence at the hospital and near our hotel.”
Bethany’s father-in-law stands up and grabs his cane. “All right if I go? Nobody knows me either. I’m tired of
being cooped up in this hotel.”
Agent Foxwell nods. “Don’t see the harm. For the record, I’d like a Rueben and ranch with my fries. Coke or Pepsi works. I’m not choosy.”
Kendall looks up at me. “I’ll take whatever.”
“One turkey with avocado on sourdough it is. Would you like your tea hot or cold?”
“Iced tea please, sweet if they have it.”
“Any idea what Bethany might like?” I ask, nodding toward the bedroom.
Everyone in the room except Kendall answers, “French Dip.”
I laugh out loud. “Guess that’s clear enough. Phyllis?”
“Chicken salad, please.”
“Edwin, that leaves you.”
“I don’t care. At this point, it could be peanut butter and jelly, and I wouldn’t taste it. I’ve got other stuff on my mind. Just pick me up the special or whatever you think looks good,” he answers looking distraught.
“You okay buddy?” I ask as I watch him take a deep breath and wipe his eyes.
“No, I’m not okay. I don’t know if I’m ever going to be okay again. My wife went into the bathroom to change a dirty diaper, and someone stole my son. I know how close we came to never being able to have a day like this. How do I ever trust anyone again? Even though Asher isn’t old enough to remember what happened, I’m always going to. This is going to affect everything in his life. I’m too scared to let him go to daycare, start his first day at kindergarten, ride his bike in the neighborhood with his friends, go to his eighth-grade dance, go on his first date at the movies or his senior prom.”
“Honestly, I’m the wrong person to ask how you go about rebuilding normal. My brother disappeared more than four years ago and has not been found yet. I haven’t found a state of being that resembles normal yet. Maybe other people are better at it than I am, but I don’t pretend very well. I am who I am.”
“So, is that why you’re helping out Locate My Heart?” Edwin asks.
“Actually, that’s why I almost didn’t help Locate My Heart. When my brother went missing, a lot of people took advantage of my parents, and I was distrustful of organizations like Locate My Heart.”
“You were a bit snippy, but you had your reasons,” Kendall argues.
“Kendall is way too polite. I was incredibly rude to her and her supervisor. I questioned everything she stood for and called her a thief before I even understood who she was or what she was about. It’s amazing she still talks to me.”
“Are we gonna stand here and gab all day or are we going to go get some food?” Edwin Senior asks.
“I guess we’re going to go.”
“Hey, pick my wife up something with some chocolate. By the time this is all said and done, she’ll probably want some.”
Edwin senior claps me on the shoulder as I hold the door open for him. “I taught that boy right, didn’t I? Treat your wife well, and all will be right in your world.”
“Words to live by Mr. Livingston,” I answer as I wink at Kendall.
As soon as Mr. Livingston gets in my rental car, he turns to me and demands, “Tell me what’s going on in the case — not some politically correct answer. One military man to another, what’s the real SIT-REP?”
Something about his bearing makes me sit up straighter in my chair as I reply, “Sir, Kendall and I are here to help you deal with the onslaught of media that’s going to be focused in your direction. I don’t have any information on the case you don’t already have.”
“You think my family needs protection from a couple of newspaper reporters?” Edwin Senior asks incredulously.
“I don’t think you quite understand sir. The media business has changed a lot in the last few years. You’re going to be bombarded from all different directions. People are going to say things that are radically untrue about you all over social media, and you won’t be able to escape the accusations.”
“Why would they say anything about us? We were the victims.”
“In this day and age, truth doesn’t seem to matter. Rumors spread like wildfire.”
“How in the world can I protect my family from all of this? They have been through enough pain,” Edwin asks me as he puts his head back and sighs.
“You let people like Kendall do their jobs,” I reply.
“You trust her?”
“I do,” I respond candidly. “I’m still living the hell you were up until about a half an hour ago. I think if there’s anyone on the planet who can help me find my brother and my way out of that hell, it’s Kendall.”
CHAPTER 11
KENDALL
I HOLD MY BREATH AS I watch Bethany’s hands tremble. She swallows hard and starts her statement. Even though she’s nervous, her voice is clear and strong.
“I just want to thank everyone across the nation for helping us find our son. Because of your efforts, he is doing well. Asher is a born fighter, and he has shown he has more grit and determination to stay alive than anyone I have ever met. I want to thank the person who stepped forward and did the right thing even though she knew it might hurt people she cared about. You made it possible for my family to be whole again. There aren’t enough words of gratitude.”
Bethany takes a deep breath before she clears her throat. She grabs Edwin’s hand and smiles.
Looking directly at the television cameras in the back of the room she says, “To the person who took my child: I know you were trying to make a horrible situation better — but tearing my family apart was not the solution. I consider the other party involved in this to be an innocent bystander. She couldn’t predict the actions of another and never dreamed someone would go to those lengths to help her. She doesn’t condone the actions that were taken in her name.”
“Do you plan to sue anyone?” A reporter shouts.
Bethany seems nonplussed by the question. “I’m still in the process of recovering from the emotional trauma of this event and re-bonding with my son. I haven’t been able to make any plans beyond day-to-day living, let alone decide any comprehensive legal strategy. If you’re asking whether I’m going to sue someone because their family member did something unhinged, the question is no. It wasn’t her fault.”
“Why were you in that store? Did you know any of the people involved?” another reporter presses.
“No. My son was born prematurely and spent some time in the NICU. He became very attached to a particular kind of Binky. The kind they only have at the NICU. Well, the NICU... and this one children’s outlet store. Asher has been struggling with reflux or other issues which makes him cry a lot. I was at my wit’s end. So we went to the store in search of these crazy Binkies. By the time I went into the restroom to change his diaper, I was feeling pretty cranky myself. My mother-in-law thought I was upset with her for hovering too much. She left me alone to collect my thoughts. The next thing I know, I was on the bathroom floor, and my child was gone. There was blood everywhere, and I was so dizzy I could barely stand up. I screamed at the top of my lungs for help. I never saw the person who took my child until I saw her picture on the news.”
“Is it true Latrice Rann confessed?” A reporter shouts from the back of the room.
“I see the same news reports as you. I don’t have any inside information.” Bethany sighs. “Sometimes I wish I knew everything, but there are other times when what little I know is scary enough.”
Bethany’s breathing grows shallow, and I see a line of sweat on her upper lip. I lean forward and speak in my microphone. “Law enforcement officials have asked Ms. Livingston to refrain from commenting on an open investigation. There are many law enforcement agencies involved — both state and federal. As you might guess, investigations this complex can be a bit unwieldy and information can come out in fits and spurts. The Livingstons do not want to do anything to impede the investigation. I’m sure you understand. I know that the public is curious to know what happened to Asher. The drive to know all the answers immediately is natural. However, divulging any more information may put an
y future court proceedings at risk. Just know that Asher is an adorable, sweet and active baby. This family is grateful for the tips and messages of support that they have received from the public. Without your help, this case could have ended quite differently. That’s it for today’s press conference. If there are any significant developments in the case, we may be back to address additional questions. Thank you for your time today.”
“Who are you?” A guy asks as he holds up an iPad to film me.
“Kendall Kordes. I work for Locate My Heart.”
“Why do you work in such a difficult field?” he pushes.
“Because every heart deserves to be whole and your heart can never be whole if you’re missing part of your family.”
Agent Foxwell steps up to the mic, and I stand up and back away. “I would like to thank the Livingstons for their cooperation and thank them for their patience. Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the contributions of Locate My Heart for helping us achieve a positive outcome in this case. It was through their outreach efforts and their presence on the Internet that our tipster was able to put together the puzzle pieces she needed to understand there was a problem. Without the efforts of Locate My Heart, this case would not have proceeded as smoothly.”
Bethany leans toward her microphone as she says, “Yes, I would like to thank Kendall Kordes and her team. They were a voice of sanity in a world that was insane. I’m so thankful they were there to help me make sense of a process I couldn’t even begin to understand before I had to go through it.”
“Have there been any arrests in this case? What is taking so long? If you found the child, why haven’t you arrested the person who snatched him?”
Agent Foxwell steps up to the podium and straightens his tie before he answers. “As you well know, collecting evidence and sorting through it is a painstaking process. This is especially true when crime scenes cross state lines and multiple jurisdictions. We want to make sure that all chain of custody issues are handled properly, and that nothing gets missed in the process.”
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