“We’ve checked the school, most of his friend’s homes, the park he likes to go to,” I told him. My men were out prowling the neighborhood searching for the boy. “I need you to tell me if anything happened that might’ve pushed him to run away.”
“Of course not!” he yelled.
His reaction didn’t startle or anger me. If it were my son out there, God only knew where, I’d probably have a worse reaction.
“Son, calm down,” Robert Townsend urged. He squeezed Joshua’s shoulder. “We need clear heads if we’re going to figure out where Cole went.”
Joshua blinked, and then looked over at me. “The shelter?”
“What about it?” I asked while pulling out my phone.
“He mentioned something about it tonight at dinner.” Josh shook his head. “He was quiet, and Kay asked him if something had happened at school. He said no, but before bed, he asked me something about the shelter.” Josh thought for a moment. “He asked how far it was from here. Then asked how long it would take to walk from here. Fuck,” Josh broke off, his voice becoming thick with emotion.
I used the locator app on my phone to map out the distance between Josh’s home and the shelter that Cole once lived at. Uneasiness coursed through me when I realized it was over fifteen miles from the house.
“I’ll call over there to let them know to be on alert. I’m on my way there now,” I told Josh.
“I’ll go with you.”
“No,” I insisted, stopping him.
“I’m not fucking staying here,” he insisted.
“Listen,” I persisted. “I know you want Cole home. I’ll find him before the night is over. But you need to be here for Kayla, Victoria, and Alec,” I said, mentioning their youngest son. “And for Cole. If he comes back on his own and you’re not here …” I trailed off.
A bleak look appeared in Joshua’s gaze. His helplessness was palpable.
“Look,” I said, getting closer. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t try to stop you from coming, but in this case, it might do more harm than good. You need to be here with your family. Let me do my job.”
“Bring him home.”
“Already done,” I assured before heading out of the door. I’d been in constant contact with my staff ever since I got the call that Cole was missing. My guys had scoured all the places we knew he had recent contact with. Joseph already related to me that some of Cole’s clothes and his backpack were missing. Which meant the boy had left with intentions of staying away for a while if not permanently.
I made it to the foster care center where he’d lived right before Kayla and Joshua took him in. The main office was closed, but I’d had Joseph call ahead to wake up one of the social workers.
As I got out of the car to approach the brick building, an older woman was already waiting for me outside of the main door.
“You’re looking for that little boy?” she asked, a pinch in between her brows. She wore the skeptical expression of a seasoned social worker who didn’t intimidate easily. “Mr. Townsend contacted me.”
I didn’t bother to ask which Townsend she spoke with. That name carried weight, which was why she was up late, waiting for me.
“I’m looking for Cole Townsend.” I showed her a photo of the boy on my phone screen.
She studied the picture, then shook her head. “He hasn’t been here today.”
“Are you sure?” I studied her and noticed when she took a slight step backward. “What aren’t you telling me?”
The fear that entered her eyes let me know she was withholding something. Whether or not that something was relevant to Cole’s disappearance would need to be seen.
“Ms. Fairchild.” I stared, watching how her eyes widened. I assumed her surprise was from the fact I knew her name, though she hadn’t offered it. “I just promised a family that I would bring their son home before the night was out. A nine-year-old boy who should not be out at night by himself. If there’s something you’re not telling me, I suggest you come out with it.”
I stepped closer, crowding her space. That was when I smelled the alcohol on her breath. “It would be in your best interest to start talking. Now.”
“I-I haven’t seen him.” Her gaze skirted away from me. “But …”
“Keep talking.”
“I haven’t made my rounds tonight. I, um, got sidetracked with paperwork.”
