Missing Child Read online

  A voice from the crowd called out, ‘Caitlin, you were the last one to see the boy alive . . .’

  The camera caught the startled look on her face.

  Sam Mathis shook his head at Caitlin. Then he turned back to the audience of reporters. ‘No questions. We can’t take questions. But we do appreciate your efforts to get his parents’ plea out to the public, in the hope of finding this child, and possibly saving his life.’

  Caitlin stared straight ahead into the glare of the lights, while she and Noah gripped one another’s hands. Was he hurt? Or hungry? Was he frightened? She tried to imagine Geordie looking into her eyes on the television screen.

  Don’t be afraid, she thought. I love you. We’ll find you. Try not to be afraid.

  SEVEN

  Extra personnel were put on the police department phones, and three officers took turns manning the phones at the Eckhart home. For the first twenty-four hours, the results from the televised plea seemed promising. Many tips came in, and all were checked out. Some were soon discounted. One woman who called the hotline claimed that she had heard whimpering cries in her building coming from the super’s locked workroom in the basement. The police went to the building and ordered the super to unlock the door. The super, it seemed, was concealing a litter of newborn pups in a building which allowed no pets. Another caller was a woman who said that her son claimed to have talked to Geordie at school on Monday morning. When two officers arrived to question the boy, his story became vague and more disjointed, until the boy admitted that it must have been the week before. A male caller with a slurred voice suggested that Mr Needleman was to blame, and that everybody knew it at the school. Mr Needleman broke out in hives, but insisted that he would not be intimidated.

  One lead was promising. A caller said that he saw a man and a boy walking away from the school that morning. This seemed to confirm what the teacher’s aide had witnessed. According to this man, who worked for a cable TV company, he was sitting in his truck when he saw them walk by. The cable guy was pretty certain that the man whom he saw was not wearing an Eagles cap, or any other kind of hat. The boy was crying and protesting. The cable TV man assumed it was a father and son. This morning, Sam was questioning the man himself. He promised to let the Eckharts know if this lead seemed to offer a direction to the investigation.

  The morning passed with agonizing slowness. Caitlin was alone in the house. Noah’s secretary, Lois, had called, apologizing for the fact that Noah was urgently needed in the office. An out-of-town client was only going to be in for a couple of hours and insisted on seeing his attorney. Noah was reluctant, but Caitlin told him to go, smiling bravely and telling him to take his time. But as she watched his car disappear down the driveway, Caitlin felt suddenly, unaccountably abandoned. She and Noah had not been apart since the moment at Geordie’s school when they learned that he was missing. They buoyed one another up through the day, each one offering hope when the other was low. Suddenly, without him, Caitlin felt the full weight of her loss.

  It wasn’t, she thought, as if she were actually alone. There were two officers arriving in the driveway, even as she looked out on the dreary, interminable morning. They greeted her as they came up the walk and entered the house. ‘There’s coffee inside,’ she said.

  ‘Any more of those cinnamon rolls?’ asked the younger officer, named Jack.

  Caitlin nodded. ‘They arrived this morning. Help yourself.’ Haley had left another sack of rolls on the front porch before they had even awakened. Caitlin felt overwhelmed by the kindness of people. Her kitchen counters were covered in plates of food but there was nothing which tempted her in the least. The desire to eat had left her, as had the ability to sleep. She could sleep for what seemed like minutes at a time, and then she would wake up, stricken, remembering. This morning, after Noah left, she had thought about taking a shower, but realized that she was too afraid. What if the phone rang while she was in the shower? She knew that her fear made no sense. She could always check to see if she had missed a call. But, still, she did not shower. She felt filthy and exhausted. Any task which flitted into her consciousness was immediately dismissed as impossible to even begin. She was paralyzed, and could not do the slightest thing.

  Suddenly, as she stared out at the gray day, Caitlin saw Sam Mathis’s car pull into the driveway. Her heart leapt up. She ran out to meet him in the drizzle. Sam rolled down the window.

  ‘What happened?’ she cried. ‘The teacher’s aide. Was she hypnotized?’

  ‘Last night.’

  ‘And?’

  Sam shook his head. ‘Nothing useful.’

  ‘Nothing?’ she asked. She could feel the frustration rising in her throat, choking off her breath as if she had eaten something she was allergic to. ‘How about the guy from the cable company?’

  ‘He wants to help,’ said Sam. ‘He really does, but the guy has no kids. I have found, over the years, that men with no kids barely even notice children, much less what they look like. I’m on my way to the school to get an array of photos of the kids in Geordie’s grade to try to jog his memory. I just stopped to give you a progress report. I’m afraid I can’t stay.’

  ‘No, wait,’ Caitlin said. She wanted to grab the sleeve of his jacket and cling onto it, to prevent him from leaving her there alone with her obsessive fears.

  Sam looked at Caitlin. ‘What?’ he asked.

  ‘I can’t bear this,’ she said.

  ‘I know,’ said Sam. ‘We’re doing everything we can . . .’

  ‘I know. I know that,’ said Caitlin. ‘I just feel so useless.’

  ‘It’s a terrible situation,’ he said.

  ‘Let me come with you,’ Caitlin blurted out. ‘I can do something. I can join the search.’

  Sam frowned at her. ‘I’m sorry. I know you’re frustrated,’ he said. ‘But it’s better if you just stay here at home.’

  Caitlin shook her head. ‘You don’t understand. I can’t,’ she said. ‘I just can’t. I’ve done everything exactly as you’ve asked. But I can’t spend the day just waiting around here. I want to go and look for Geordie with the other searchers. Let me do that at least. What harm would there be in that?’

  Yesterday, after their televised plea, she and Noah had been allowed to visit the church which served as the command center from which the teams of searchers started out or returned for a break. Sam had ordered one of the younger officers to bring along the blown-up display photo of Geordie to the church with them, probably to inspire the volunteers there. Concerned parents and senior citizens who had gathered there produced flyers and plates of cookies and urns of coffee for the search teams of ordinary citizens. Touched by the community support that they received, Caitlin and Noah had shaken hands with people and accepted their blessings and good wishes. Then the police had whisked them away.

  ‘I know this is difficult,’ said Sam. ‘But there’s a reason for these procedures. It’s difficult to control the situation if the parents get involved in the search. Reporters can harass you, and important information can inadvertently leak out. We can’t have that.’

  ‘I wouldn’t talk to anyone, I promise,’ Caitlin pleaded.

  ‘All those nice people who have volunteered to look for your boy? You wouldn’t want to speak to them?’

  ‘I know how to speak to people without running at the mouth,’ she said indignantly.

  ‘For all we know,’ he said, ‘the kidnapper could be among the volunteers. Sometime these perps get their thrill from being on the scene, seeing the suffering up close and personal.’

  Caitlin shuddered. ‘What a thought. How sick would you have to be?’

  ‘You don’t want to know,’ said Sam.

  ‘I’ve got to tell you,’ she said. ‘This is some special kind of hell, sitting around watching the rain and looking at the clock all day long. Is that what you’d want to do if it were your child?’

  Sam frowned and sighed. Finally, he said, ‘All right. I know you’re getting stir crazy. If you
like, you can ride along with me.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Caitlin sighed. ‘Oh, thank you.’

  ‘Don’t make me regret this,’ he said.

  ‘Just let me run in and get my rain jacket.’

  Caitlin felt wobbly, like a patient who was finally allowed to leave the hospital. She sat in the passenger seat of Sam Mathis’s SUV and felt almost dizzy with the air and the change of scene. For a moment, she didn’t think about Geordie. But only for a moment. Then she sighed.

  Sam glanced over at her. ‘There’s nothing worse than this,’ he said kindly. ‘The not knowing.’

  ‘That’s the truth. Do you have children, Detective?’

  Sam nodded. ‘Two teenagers. A girl and a boy. They worry me half to death.’

  ‘I know,’ said Caitlin. ‘I remember.’

  ‘Being a teenager?’ he asked.

  ‘No, I . . . I was thinking of . . . my younger brother. Those are difficult years,’ she added hastily.

  They rode in silence for a moment, the only sound the rain thrumming on the roof of the car. Then Sam said, ‘So, were you acquainted with your . . . Geordie’s mother?’

  ‘No,’ said Caitlin, shaking her head. ‘I feel like I know her, though. I think she must have been a wonderful woman.’

  Sam nodded thoughtfully. ‘And how did you and Noah meet?’

  Caitlin’s face burned, remembering. ‘Um, we met at a charity event,’ she said offhandedly.

  ‘Was this before or after his wife was killed?’

  Caitlin swiveled in the seat and glared at him. ‘After, of course. Is this why you let me ride along? Are you accusing me of something?’

  ‘Just making conversation,’ said Sam smoothly, but clearly noting her discomfort. ‘I’ve gotten to know and like you people since this happened. I was curious about what brought you together.’

  ‘Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I never had any interest in married men,’ said Caitlin. ‘I always figured, if they would cheat on their wives, what would prevent them from cheating on me?’

  ‘A good point,’ he said.

  ‘Besides, as I understand it, Noah and Emily were very happy together.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Sam. ‘I remember when she died. Your husband was just completely distraught. I always felt badly that we weren’t able to apprehend the driver who killed her.’

  Caitlin was silent, staring through the windshield.

  ‘Your husband has had unbelievable misfortune. First his wife dies in a hit-and-run accident. Then his son is kidnapped. It seems like more than a person should have to endure in one lifetime.’

  ‘Luckily, he is a very strong person.’

  Sam turned right, and then right again into a familiar parking lot.

  ‘We’re at the school,’ said Caitlin.

  ‘You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to,’ said Sam.

  Caitlin hesitated, her heart pounding. ‘I do want to.’

  Sam put the SUV in park and turned off the engine. ‘All right, but please, don’t answer any questions. Just keep to yourself.’

  The people in the main office looked stricken and uneasy at the sight of Caitlin. Caitlin knew that the secretary and the principal and many of the teachers had joined the search parties leaving out of the Presbyterian Church. She was grateful, and she felt as if she ought to try to put them at ease, but there was a part of her that was just too weary. She stood quietly by, avoiding their anxious gazes, while Sam Mathis signed them in and announced that he was here to see Mrs Hunt. He then gave Caitlin a visitor’s badge to wear. As she pinned it on her T-shirt she thought about Monday. If they had only been so careful on Monday . . . What’s the use? she reminded herself. The school prided itself on being welcoming to the public when there were programs. They wanted to encourage community participation. It was something she had liked about this school.

  ‘I’ll be right out,’ said Sam as he was ushered into the principal’s office.

  Caitlin sat in a chair beside the door, feeling conspicuous. She could tell that the secretaries behind the desk were stealing glances at her, as if she were some kind of circus freak. She wanted to yell out, ‘What are you looking at?’ but she knew better. The office door opened and she heard a man laughing. She turned to look and saw Mr Needleman talking to another young man who waved as he walked on down the hall. Mr Needleman entered the office, calling out, ‘Hello, my fair ladies.’ The secretaries behind the counter gave him a warning look. Mr Needleman turned to see what they were warning him against. When he saw Caitlin, he let out a cry. All the color drained from his face.

  ‘Hello, Mr Needleman.’

  ‘Mrs Eckhart. I didn’t know . . . Is there news about Geordie?’

  Caitlin shook her head.

  ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be laughing just then,’ he said, pointing vaguely in the direction of the hallway. ‘I was just talking to the music teacher . . .’

  Caitlin’s face reddened at his words. It was as if all happiness was forbidden in her presence. ‘Don’t be silly,’ she said softly, avoiding his gaze.

  There was a brief, awkward silence. ‘So, no word yet?’ he asked.

  ‘No. Nothing,’ she said. She could tell that he wanted to flee from her. She felt like someone with a contagious disease.

  Mr Needleman hesitated, and his complexion turned from pallid to pink. He took a deep breath. ‘Look, Mrs Eckhart, I can’t imagine anything worse than what you’re going through. I just wish I had been more alert that day. I wish I could have done something – anything – to prevent it.’

  ‘It’s not your fault. I was there too, remember? How could we have known?’ She hesitated, and then she added, ‘I hear you’ve been harassed. I’m sorry about that. People can be vicious.’

  Needleman smiled wanly and shrugged. ‘What’s a few eggs cracked on your windshield? I can take it. Just so long as you understand, I love kids. All kids. I would never do anything to harm a child.’

  ‘Don’t,’ said Caitlin. ‘You don’t have to defend yourself.’

  ‘I pray for Geordie’s safe return every single day,’ he said earnestly.

  ‘Thanks,’ said Caitlin. ‘Keep doing that.’

  Mr Needleman nodded and approached the counter solemnly, ready to transact his school business in a hushed tone.

  Caitlin got up from the chair and left the office to wait for Sam in the hallway. She couldn’t stand to sit there any longer, under all that sympathetic scrutiny. She leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes so that she wouldn’t have to meet the pitying glances of those who came and went in the hallway.

  EIGHT

  Outside the Presbyterian Church, high school students who had volunteered to give up a study hall were standing in the drizzle handing out flyers with Geordie’s picture on it to passing motorists who slowed down to rubberneck. A uniformed officer, his hat covered with plastic shower cap-type protection from the rain, was stationed at the outer door of the church basement, and a couple of reporters and photographers were huddled under the overhanging roof, buttonholing those who came and went from the search headquarters within.

  The officer at the door nodded briskly to Sam, who spoke to him briefly before entering the huge meeting room. Caitlin, her hands jammed in the pockets of her rain jacket and her hood pulled up to cover her face, came in behind him.

  The basement of the Presbyterian Church had seen many a genial gathering for a chicken dinner, church bazaar or men’s club meeting, but today it had a grim atmosphere, unusual in that gently weathered space.

  The first thing Caitlin saw when she entered the room was the easel with the enlarged photo of Geordie in Tigger’s embrace which stood at the front, beside three long tables which had been pushed together. Behind the tables was a bulletin board with a map attached to it. The areas which had been searched were marked, as well as how many times they had been searched.

  A cluster of volunteers in rain gear sipped coffee, ate from plates of sandwiches and wiped off their rain-s
potted glasses as they conferred. As Caitlin scanned their faces for some hint of hope, she suddenly recognized two of them. Naomi, dressed in heavy duty coveralls, her wet hair plastered to her head, was talking to an elderly man in corduroys. Martha sat beside them, her quivering eyes averted, occasionally interjecting something into their conversation. Caitlin walked over to them.

  Naomi looked up at Caitlin and then turned to her mother. ‘Mom. It’s Caitlin.’

  They did not have a demonstrative relationship, but Caitlin felt a surge of affection for her sister-in-law, obviously here to search for her nephew. She reached out to hug her and Naomi awkwardly returned the embrace. Caitlin reached for Martha’s hand and squeezed it. ‘Good to see you, Martha.’

  ‘Wish I could say the same,’ said Martha. ‘That’s a joke.’

  ‘I know. Were you out on the search today?’ Caitlin asked Naomi.

  Naomi shrugged. ‘Things were quiet at the recycling center. The free bookstore doesn’t get too many customers when it’s raining. I decided to try and do something useful and take a shift on the search.’ She nodded toward her mother. ‘I left her here to talk to people. She’s better off sitting here talking to people than sitting home alone worrying. Paula and Westy were just leaving when we arrived. They were on the early shift.’

  ‘Everyone is helping,’ said Caitlin.

  ‘Where’s Noah?’ Martha demanded in a loud voice.

  ‘He had to go into work for a little while,’ said Caitlin. ‘I decided to come down and join the search. Detective Mathis didn’t want me to, but I can’t stand the waiting.’

  ‘No kidding,’ said Naomi, shaking her head. ‘The time just drags.’

  ‘I guess there was no sign . . .’ said Caitlin.

  ‘No. Not where we were. Well, I’m gonna take Mom home and get back out to the center. Call me if you hear anything. Come on, Ma. I’m taking you home.’

  ‘We’re praying for Geordie night and day,’ said Martha.