“Oh dear heavens,” she muttered. “Hang on a second.” I could hear her voice in the background shouting out orders. “This isn’t a drill, ladies. Z’s son has gone missing from school after reporters showed up there. One of you get Mike Larson on the phone immediately so he can start implementing our legal options. Suzy, you get hold of his agent, Luke Hayward, let him know what is going on and ask him to see when and where we might be able to get a message to Z. We also need him to contact the studio and let them know what is going on, since it will affect Z’s filming in Paris if Dustin isn’t found. Jill, you look into available return flights in case Dustin isn’t found and we need to get him back here in a hurry. Hopefully we’ll find Dustin before Z lands, but we can’t waste a minute on this.” While I was thrilled that she seemed to have things well in hand, her words still brought me discomfort. “Aubrey? Where are you?”
“I’m just leaving the penthouse to go look for him. My parents are out driving the route between school and home. I think he’d try to go home.” It was becoming increasingly harder to speak and keep my voice from shaking.
“Okay, drive there, but go straight to your house. Someone needs to be there in case he shows up there. We don’t want him to be scared and go somewhere else.”
“I nneed to do something.” My teeth chattered and I recognized I was going into psychogenic shock.
“You are. You’re waiting for your son in the one place he’s been told to go.”
“I know, I just cccan’t lose—”
“We’ll find him, Aubrey. Trust me. We’ll spare no expense.”
“What if sssomeone took him?” I couldn’t stop crying, tears threatening to completely overwhelm me.
“Aubrey, let me send a car to drive you. You’re too upset right now. That way you can spend all your time looking instead of worrying about traffic.”
I understood the wisdom of her words, but I couldn’t. “I can’t wait. He’s out there, alone and scared.”
“Aubrey, wait. Seriously, one of the girls is calling a driver right now. They can be there in five minutes. I’d feel much better about it. Are you in the garage?”
“Yes.”
“Stay there. I’ll give the driver a passcode.”
“Tthank you,” I replied, releasing another flood of tears. “You’re always so good to us.”
“No worries. As soon as I know everything is being taken care of on this end, I’ll come to your house. You have my full attention for the rest of the day. I’ll have someone here take care of the rest of my clients today.”
“Okay, thank you. I’m ssorry.”
“Don’t even think about it. I’ll be there soon, Aubrey.”
Sinking to the floor, I let the tears I’d been holding at bay loose, my body shaking as I sobbed violently. “Please God, protect my son wherever he is. I can’t lose him. I can’t!”
Tears fell onto my shirt, leaving giant wet spots, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was finding my son.
Raising my phone, I dialed it again, listening to the message on Zane’s phone pick up.
“Hhey,” I said, fighting to make my voice sound steady, but not succeeding very well. “I know you’re on a plane right now, but I nneeded to let you know that Dustin is missing. The school called. They can’t find him.”
I took a deep breath, needing to calm myself so I could speak clearer. This phone call wouldn’t do any good if he couldn’t even understand me.
“I guess a bunch of reporters showed up there. The police are on the way and my parents are already out driving the neighborhood looking for him. Penelope has activated all your resources and has sent a car for me, because I’m a basket case.” Another sob, I couldn’t stop them. “I’m sso scared, Zzane. I wish you were here. Hopefully we’ll ffind him before you land and this message won’t even mean anything. I just wanted you to know. I nneeded to hear your voice.” More tears. “I love you.”
Burying my face in my hands, I’d never felt so helpless in my life. Not even when I was a lonely, pregnant girl trying to survive in an unfamiliar city. Now this city was my home, but my life was that little boy I’d been carrying. I couldn’t live without him—not for one minute.
The sound of the security gate lifting caught my attention and a few seconds later, a black sedan pulled into the garage. I didn’t even wait for the car to stop, instead jumping up and running toward it and getting in the front seat with the driver. If he was surprised he didn’t say so.
“Hello, Ms. Hart. My name is Ben Lackey. Penelope sent me. I’m at your service for the rest of the day. Where would you like to go?”
“Thank you. I’d like to take the route we drive from here to my son’s school, normally. I’ll stop to speak with the principal and authorities there.” I gave him the address and he left the garage.
“I’m sorry to meet you under these circumstances, but I’m happy to do whatever I can to help find your son.”
Unable to speak, I simply nodded and forced a half smile, grateful for his help. My eyes darted to every person we passed, even every vehicle in some instances, as I tried my best to search everywhere all at once. I knew I was missing things though. I didn’t have enough eyes.
My phone rang and I glanced down. “Mom?” I answered quickly. “Did you find him?”
“No, sweetie. We’re at the school now, and there’s been no sign of him. There’s at least half a dozen police cars parked in front. Do you want us to stop, or keep driving around the neighborhood?”
“Please keep looking. I’ll be at the school soon. Penelope sent a car and driver for me.”
“Oh, that makes me feel better. That girl thinks of everything. Okay. Let us know what’s going on as soon as you know.”
“I will.”
Silently, I prayed again, my eyes never leaving the window as I searched for my child.
Sitting on my bed, I wasn’t sure if I had any tears left in my body to cry. Dustin had been missing for over seven hours now. I still hadn’t heard from Zane, but his plane should be landing any minute. Hopefully he’d be checking his messages soon.
The news had leaked out fast. By the time I left the school and headed to my house, the entire street was filled with reporters trying to get some sort of statement.
It was nighttime now, dark outside, and despite the dozens of police officers crawling the neighborhood both by vehicle and on foot, there’d been no sign of my boy.
Numbly, I stared at the wall, feeling completely helpless. Everyone felt I should stay here, in case he showed up.
This was all my fault. I should’ve never agreed to attend that first event with Zane. That was what got all these rumors about us started. If I’d said no, I’d still have my son, but would I have Zane? I wanted them both in my life, not one or the other.
Proving myself wrong, a fresh onslaught of tears assaulted me, burning down my already tearstained, swollen face.
Right now, I wanted to burst outside and yell at every single reporter camped there, but it wasn’t just the paparazzi out looking for a story now. Legitimate news crews lined the street, filming updates. Penelope had distributed Dustin’s picture to all the major stations and every channel was abuzz with the breaking story, asking people to please look for my son. While I was extremely grateful for them spreading the word, this wouldn’t have been an issue if reporters hadn’t shown up to my son’s school in the first place. And if I heard one more person say how crucial the first twenty-four hours were in a missing persons case, I was going to scream.
I didn’t need statistics. I needed my baby.
This is why I was currently locked in my bedroom, away from the masses of people wandering around the rest of my house. I needed a few moments of peace. A few seconds to pretend Dustin was happily playing video games in the other room.
Jumping, when my phone started ringing, I quickly glanced at the number. It was a video call. I answered immediately, waiting for it to connect. “Zane?” I practically shouted, as soon as his face ca
me into view. I wanted to crawl through the phone and into his arms.
His face looked stricken. “Aubrey? Good lord, what is going on? My phone is flooded with dozens of messages from people. I checked your message first.”
“Dustin is still missing. There’s been an Amber Alert put out for him, but we’ve found nothing. He’s just . . . gone.” Fresh sobs shook me as I spoke, and I wasn’t even sure if he could understand me. “I’m sorry, Zane. I’m so sorry.”
“Baby, why are you sorry? This isn’t your fault. I’m just sad I’m not there with you. Let me call Penelope and Luke and see what we can do about getting me a flight home. I swear I’ll get back as fast as I absolutely can.”
“Okay. Please hurry, Zane. I need you. I’m so scared.”
“I am, too. We’ve got to keep the faith though. Okay, Aubrey? Promise me you’ll keep believing. We will find him. You hear me? We will.”
“How can you be so sssure?” I hiccupped, wishing I could believe but feeling hope slip away with every passing second.
“Because I won’t rest until we do. If I have to personally overturn every single stone on this planet to find him, I will. This search will never stop until our son is back in our arms.”
I gave a choked laugh. “That sounds so wonderful. I just want to hug him and never let him go.”
“Me, too.” He clenched his jaw and swallowed hard. “Listen, I don’t want to hang up, but I need to call some people and see what I need to do to get there. I’ll call you as soon as I know what’s happening on this end, okay? And you’ll keep me updated with any news you get?”
“I will.”
“Keep the faith, baby, and know that I love you both with all my heart. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
“All right. Love you.” Both of us seemed reluctant to push the end button.
“Damn, I wish I could hold you right now.” He pressed a kiss to the camera and I smiled weakly.
“I wish that, too. Go take care of things. I’m hiding in my bedroom, but there are tons of people here. Hey, do you want me to go get Penelope? She’s here. So is your lawyer.”
“I’ll just call them. Glad to know they’re on top of things. That makes me feel better at least. You try to rest if you can, and I’ll speak to you shortly.”
“Okay. I love you.”
“Love you, too,” he replied again and the phone call ended.
Sighing, I flopped back on the bed and covered my head with a pillow. Waiting sucked. I wanted to be out there doing. Wasn’t I the best person to be out there looking for my son?
Glancing at the sliding back doors, I wondered if I could sneak out while everyone thought I was resting. I could at least walk around the neighborhood again, not that it would do much good. The police had been crawling all over the neighborhood, even going door to door and showing his picture, trying to see if he’d gone to a friend’s house.
Nothing.
It was as if Dustin existed one minute and the next he didn’t.
Oh my gosh! A new thought dawned on me. What if this was someone trying to get to Zane, like a crazed fan, or a stalker? Heaven knew he had plenty of people obsessed with him. Was my son off somewhere with a demented psycho, being chopped up into little pieces?
A desperate cry escaped me at that thought. I’d tried all day not to let them get the better of me, but I was quickly reaching hysterical status. Anything could be happening to him out in this crime-ridden city. He must be so terrified.
Enough.
I put my shoes on. I didn’t care what anyone else said. This was my child, and I wasn’t going to sit here on my butt and wait another minute while he was out there. Putting my shoes on, I walked determinedly toward the sliding door.
A soft knock interrupted my escape. “Aubrey? Are you awake?” my mom’s voice came through the door and I ran to answer it, flinging it open.
“Did you find him?” I asked, hopeful. She and my dad had been out searching almost the entire time he’d been gone.
Sorrow filled her eyes. “I’m sorry, no. We went everywhere we could think of and to all the places he likes on the list you gave us. There was no sign of him anywhere. Your dad brought me home and now he’s continuing on foot. He hasn’t said much, but I don’t think he’ll be able to rest until he’s found. He loves that kid like he’s his own.”
“Maybe I can go walking with him. I can’t sit here anymore, Mom. Will you hold the fort down here so I can go looking?”
“Whatever you need, honey. Just tell me where you want me.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Penelope appeared in the hallway behind her. “Hang on, Z. Let me ask her real quick.” She moved the phone to her chest. “I’ve got Z on the phone. He asked if anyone has been back by to check his penthouse since you left? He said he gave both you and Dustin your own keys to the place, and apparently they were talking when he was on set with him about how to use the Metro to get around town. I don’t know if he would’ve remembered what he was told, but it might be worth a shot to check again.”
I didn’t have to be told twice. Pushing past them, I made my way into the living room, searching the crowd of people. “Is Ben Lackey still here? Ben!” I shouted, not caring that everyone was staring at me like I’d lost my mind.
Ben appeared from the kitchen area, holding a plate with some food that neighbors had brought over. “I’m here.”
“I need to get to the penthouse as fast as possible, please.”
He set the plate down. “Let’s go.” Taking me by the arm, he ushered me to the door. Several bodyguards stepped in front of us, opening the door. Immediately we were swarmed with reporters.
The guards pushed forward, clearing a path for us as we made our way to the car.
“Ms. Hart! Sandy Gibb, Nightwatch News. Are there any updates about your missing son?” A female voice shouted.
More microphones were shoved in my face as cameras continued to flash, blinding me.
“Hollywood Grapevine, here. Will you sue the school for losing your son?”
Pausing, I stared into the bright lights, anger consuming me. “If I sue anyone, it will be the reporters who showed up at my son’s school. When will you people get a grip and learn to quit hounding others and making their lives miserable? He’s a child. The reporters scared him. Why do you all feel the need to talk to him anyway? He’s not a celebrity. He’s a little boy—a normal little boy, not some plaything for you all to corrupt! He has no idea how to handle this kind of behavior.” I glanced around, even though I couldn’t see anything, the clicking sounds overwhelming me. “Now get out of my way, immediately! I have more important things to do than answer your questions. Talking to you isn’t going to help me find my son.”
Surprisingly, my words must’ve reached some people, because the press of bodies loosened, allowing me to reach the car easier. Ben ushered me inside, and the four burly bodyguards climbed into the back.
Except for the soft playing radio, the car was silent, all of us staring out the windows as we drove, searching for any sign of Dustin. My leg bounced nervously, and it seemed as if whole days had passed before we reached the penthouse.
The second the car pulled into the garage and began to slow, I jumped out and raced to the private elevator. Hitting the button to go up, I didn’t even wait for anyone else to join me. I stared up at the ceiling, as if that would make it rise faster.
The doors opened and I ran inside, searching the dark house frantically. “Dustin?” I shouted, checking the living room and kitchen and finding nothing. “Dustin!”
Frantically, I ran to the room he slept in, but it was dark and empty, too. A strangled cry escaped me as hope came crashing down around me.
“Mom?” A tiny voice spoke in the darkness, and a light flipped on, revealing him standing there rubbing his eyes. “Where’ve you been?”
Running to him, I fell to my knees scooping him into my arms as I sobbed hysterically. “You’re here! Oh, thank you, God! Thank you!”
I buried my face into his shoulder, tears flooding onto his shirt, but I didn’t care. My baby was safe! He was alive!
“What’s wrong, Mom?” he asked, hugging me as I continued to release the floodgates, my loud gut wrenching sobs echoing through the penthouse. Unable to answer him, I simply squeezed him tighter, as if doing so would make him permanently attached to me so he could never be taken from me again.
“Mom?” he asked, fear in his voice and I tried to calm down so I could speak to him.
“Haven’t you been watching any TV? The school called and said you were missing. The entire city has been out looking for you. The whole nation knows about it. We couldn’t find you.”
“You told me if the reporters bothered me to come home. I tried to, but there were a bunch of reporters around our house, too. Since we’ve been staying here, this is where I came. Daddy even drew me a map to his house one day.” He grinned widely. “You’d be so proud of me, Mom. I rode the Metro all by myself! When I got here and you weren’t home, I played Dad’s Xbox in his bedroom. I guess I fell asleep after a while.”
I laughed, relief pouring though me. Thank goodness no one had messed with him while he was on public transportation. “You’re growing up too fast.” Hugging him back to me, I didn’t want to ever let him out of my arms, and I definitely didn’t want to take him back to that circus at our house. “Let me call Grandma so she can tell everyone that I found you. Then we’re going to video chat with your daddy. He’s so worried and he’s stuck over there in Paris, unable to get here.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters to me. Nothing is more important to me. I love you so much!”
Smiling, he hugged me one more time. “I love you, too.”
Gripping him so tightly I worried I was hurting him, I sobbed again, my heart and mind trying to divest themselves of the hours of anguish I’d been through. Eventually, the fear faded and I was simply crying tears of joy.