Whirlwind

44

Lancaster, Texas

Holding Cassie in her arms, Jenna remained subdued and took a few steps toward Kate.

“Do you have news about Caleb?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

“How did you know we were here?”

“We didn’t.” Kate turned toward Mark Danson, the photographer who was approaching from shooting pictures across the street. “We came this morning for a feature on your neighborhood. You’d told me that you hadn’t been back here since everything happened.”

Blake’s face hardened at Kate’s presence, then he glanced at Jenna.

Danson arrived and upon reading the situation stood behind Kate, saying and doing nothing as the tension mounted.

It became unbearable until Kate spoke to break it. “We were down the street when I saw you here. Jenna, I’m so sorry about everything, about Caleb, your home, about what you said to me at the motel yesterday-it all went down so fast.”

Blake shook his head in slow disappointment.

“She’s just like the FBI, Jen.” Blake resumed picking through what remained of their house. “They’re not your friends. You can’t expect them to call you with information about our baby because it’s all a one-way street with them. They’re just doing their jobs. It’s what they get paid for.”

“It’s not like that, Blake,” Kate said. “Yes, I’m a reporter but I’m a parent, too. And I’ve lost-I lost someone close to me. I care more than you think, and I’m doing all I can to make sure everyone cares, so you can find Caleb. I don’t expect you to believe it, but it’s true and I want you to know that.”

Jenna stared at her, then set Cassie down. A strand of Jenna’s hair curtained over her face and she pushed it back.

“I know you care,” Jenna said. “I knew it when you found Caleb’s romper at the shelter. Because if you hadn’t done that-” her voice weakened “-we wouldn’t know anything. But I have a right to be angry. You let me down.”

“I’m sorry,” Kate said softly.

Jenna nodded.

After letting a moment pass, Kate said, “Will you talk to me a little bit for a story today?”

Blake looked at Kate then at his wife, who’d mournfully scanned the devastation while holding Caleb’s rattle in her hand.

“I keep thinking how I had his stroller. I was holding him but I let go.”

Blake went to her, took her shoulders. “Don’t do this, Jen. Don’t beat yourself up.” Blake shot an accusatory glance at Kate.

But Jenna maintained her composure and continued. “There’s only one thing I’ll say. Our home can be rebuilt but our lives can’t, not until we find our baby. And I beg the people who have him to please give him back to me.”

Kate wrote it down and, noticing the baby’s rattle, asked, “Is that Caleb’s?”

“Yes. Cassie found it here.”

Jenna looked at it before pressing it to her lips.

At that moment Kate heard Danson’s camera and knew that he had a compelling news picture: Jenna Cooper cherishing her missing baby’s toy while standing among the ruins of her home.