“I know, honey. It’s so scary, but Ethan’s a good kid who was raised by strong parents and the savviest cop around. He knows how to keep himself safe. Let’s have some faith in him.”
“He’s only eleven,” she said tearfully. “Eleven, Nick. Why were they letting him go out with his friends? He’s too young for that.”
“I agree, but you know how kids can be when they want something badly enough. They wear down their parents until they give in on something they know they probably shouldn’t.”
“I swear I’ll never complain about the confines of security again after this.”
“Yes, you will, and so will I, but we’ll always be grateful for the way they care for our kids.”
“I just thought of something.” Sam sat up and reached for her phone to send a text to her friend U.S. Marshal Jesse Best. The marshals specialized in finding missing people.
I need your help. Did you see the BOLO for Ethan Hogan issued earlier? He’s my nephew. We’re going nuts trying to find him and don’t know what to do. Can you help?
Jesse wrote back right away. When and where?
HQ 8 a.m.?
I’ll be there.
Thank you.
She returned her phone to the bedside table and tried to settle her mind so she could attempt to sleep. An hour later, she gave up and got out of bed so her disquiet wouldn’t disturb Nick, who struggled for every minute of sleep he could get.
In the office Nick used for after-hours work, Sam fired up the laptop and opened a browser to do a search on incel culture and found much of the information Freddie and Archie had imparted earlier, but with additional terrifying details about incidents in which people who called themselves incels had attacked innocent men and women for being everything they’d never be.
Hours later, she knew more than she’d ever wanted to about a sick, twisted and disgusting subject.
When Nick’s hands landed on her shoulders, she startled and then relaxed as her mind regulated to accept it was him and not one of the vile men she’d been reading about.
“What’re you doing?”
“Scaring the ever-loving shit out of myself by reading about incel culture. It’s terrifying.”
“You need to get some rest, babe.”
“I can’t. Every time I close my eyes, I picture Ethan in some horrible situation. I need to be out there looking for him.”
“Everyone on duty is looking for him. Even the Secret Service is assisting.”
She ran her fingers through her hair as he continued to knead the tension from her shoulders. “I have to do something. I’m going to shower and head to HQ to see what’s going on.”
“If you make yourself sick, you won’t be any help to Ethan or Tracy.”
“I know, but it’s what I have to do. Tell me you understand.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I do, and I wish I could go with you without causing a circus.”
“You could come to HQ if you wanted. We could make that work.” She turned so she could see him, feeling madly vulnerable. “It would help me to have you there.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” He helped her up. “Take your shower while I notify the agents.”
“What about the kids in the morning?”
“Your mom is still here. She won’t mind staying.”
Sam nodded, hoping her mom didn’t have other plans.
“Give her a call. I bet she’s up, worrying about Ethan, too.”
