Chapter 6
Elijah
Ididn’t wantto leave Dawn, but when my mother called in near panic, I didn’t have much choice. I figured she would be okay by herself for a few minutes and I would call my brother once I was in thecar.
Once in the car and backing out of my spot, I called my brother. He owed me enough favors, so he certainly could do me onenow.
“What’s up bro?” he answered on the fourth ring. He was always the happy person out of the two of us. I just went with the flow and got the job done, whatever itwas.
“Really? Do you have to shout?” I asked. “Can you do me a hugefavor?”
“Sure,” he answered. I could mentally see himshrug.
“Can you go check on Dawn? And take Emily with you. Mom called and said Joan showed up and wants some answers,” Isaid.
“Yep. I’ve been waiting to see little Dawn again,” hereplied.
I knew he’d be disappointed, since the girl he remembered was not the same in any way—not after what she’d beenthrough.
“Just be careful, please. She’s not like you remember,” I warned, hoping that he wouldn’t behurt.
“Yeah, I gotcha, Elijah,” he saidsadly.
I had been scared out of my mind a few weeks ago when I had left her with my mom and she told me Dawn was coughing, and could hardly move through the pain. I’d called my dad instantly. That week was the longest of my life. I was by her side as much as I possibly couldbe.
I grew up with a bright-eyed girl who wasn’t afraid of anything and always spoke her mind. We were close as we possibly could be for our ages—like cousins. Dawn was nine years younger than me, like a little sister who drove me nuts most of the time. She’d follow me everywhere, asking me question after question or just talking non-stop. My brother, who was five years older than me, constantly made fun of me because I had a shadow who thought I’d hung themoon.
The get-togethers grew farther apart as we grew older. Mom began to work more hours at the homeless shelters around town, and my brother and I began to get into sports and more involved inschool.
When we heard about Quentin’s death, we dropped everything to help Dawn and Joan, even offering them the space above the garage at my parents’ home. Joan declined, even though my parents knew that where they lived wasn’t the bestplace.
I went off to college and entered the FBI program, following Zack a year later. Determination and the lack of family ties of a wife or children was the main reason we gained positions so quickly. After getting into the FBI, Zack was able to dig up the case on Dawn. At that time, they didn’t have much information, or the interview transcripts in the file. He found out they were ruling the case as arunaway.
I didn’t think it was the normal runaway: I had seen a fair share of them, but I couldn’t say anything, since we were not allowed to be on thecase.
When my mother called, saying Joan knew Dawn had been found and wanted answers, I knew I would have to come up with something to tide her over. I wanted to know who toldher.
Looking at the house with almost all the lights on downstairs, I took a deep breath before I made my way out of thecar.
“Elijah,” my mother said, relieved. She pulled me into a tight hug as I closed the front door behind me. “I tried to get her to understand that I didn’t know anything,” she whispered near myear.
“I’ll handle it,” I stated before my mom releasedme.
“Good to see you, Mrs. Ellis,” I greeted as I entered the living room. My voice was monotonous as I addressed the woman before me. The living room was laid out in a similar way as my own but in lighter colors. The walls were painted a dark blue color, making the oak and white furniture stand outmore.
The woman sat on the white couch, clutching a tissue in her hands. Her dull green eyes were red and puffy from crying. Her face had more wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. As a teenager, I always thought Joan was in her twenties instead of late thirties. Her light blond hair had a few gray strands now as it was pulled into a sloppy ponytail. She looked old—and that was putting itnicely.
She was a drug addict, and looked as though she still used drugs. My best guess was meth and black marketpills.
“So, is it true? Has my baby has been found?” she cried. Her eyes pleaded for me to give her the information she wanted sodesperately.
“I’m not at liberty to say,” I said, stuffing my hands in my pockets and leaning against the door frame between the living room and entryway. “You know I’m not on that case for personal reasons. Who told you,anyhow?”
“Morgan knows a guy who told him,” she answered. I knew it was going to be that deadbeat. “You dug up information once before. You can do it again. I need to know where my daughter is. Please,” she begged, leaning forward, still clutching the whitetissue.
I could understand her need for answers, but with it still being an open investigation, and Dawn being eighteen, Joan was not meant to know anything. She still wasn't ruled out as a suspect in thecase.
“I’m not on the case, so I don’t have any information. My guess is she’s been put into witness protection because her kidnappers have not beenidentified.”
