Every Precious Thing

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

“I don’t remember her number,” Sara said.

“You don’t?” Logan asked, surprised.

“I made sure I didn’t memorize anyone’s number. And I got rid of my old phone when I left.”

Of course. Sara had done everything she could to create a protective wall between herself and her daughter.

“It’s okay. Callie will have it,” he said. He was right. Once he had the number, he punched it in and handed the phone to Sara. “Just hit SEND.”

He could tell the moment the call was answered. Sara pulled back, her eyes focusing downward.

“Hi, may I speak to Rachel?” She put a hand over the phone and whispered, “Kurt answered. Her husband.” Suddenly her attention was back on her call. “Rachel? It’s…it’s Sara…Rachel?…Yes, it’s me…I promise I’ll tell you later, but I need to-” She paused. “I know that. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. It was the only thing I could do…Please, you have to believe me…Rachel, Rachel, hold on. Just let me-” Her head drooped and she nodded, listening. Finally, she said, “I understand, and I know you’re angry. I would be, too, but I need to ask you something…Is Emily with you?…No, I’m not going to try to take her. I just need to know if you have her…Rachel, please…Okay, okay, you don’t have to tell me. But if she is with you, you and Kurt have to get out of the house right now…Because there are some bad-” She cocked her head. “Rachel?….Rachel, are you there?” She looked at Logan. “She hung up.”

“Try again.”

She did, then shook her head. “She’s not picking up.”

“So what do you think? Is Emily there?”

“If she wasn’t, I think Rachel would have just said so.”

Logan agreed. He made a quick call to Dev, rerouting him to Simi Valley, and handed the phone back to Sara.

“Keep trying,” he said.

“Richard,” Diana said. She was looking at an old paper map she had fished out of the glove compartment. “The 210 West is coming up in a mile or two. That’ll be quickest. We might even gain a little time.”

“If we can do that, it’ll be the first thing that’s gone right today,” Logan said.

Ahead, the sign for the 210 Freeway loomed over the lanes. Barring a traffic jam, they’d reach Simi Valley in less than sixty minutes.

He checked his watch then looked back at the road, hoping that wouldn’t be too late.