A lump filled Amy’s throat as she watched Robert’s Adam’s apple bob. The whole ordeal had been devastating for Ben, and for Robert as well. She wished she could say something to ease his pain, but words seemed inadequate, so she remained quiet.
Robert crumpled his paper napkin into a ball. “Melanie’s cell phone rang while we investigated the accident. I found it on the floor of the car, but when I saw Ben’s face on the screen...” He shook his head and cleared his throat again. “I couldn’t... break that news to him over the phone.”
“I can’t imagine how difficult that must have been.” She reached out and squeezed his hand—the one mangling the napkin.
He released the napkin and grasped her hand with a desperation that matched the emotion on his face. “They also cautioned us at the academy not to make promises to the victim’s family. But when I saw Ben’s pain, I forgot that caution. I promised him I would bring Cassey home.”
“Oh, no.” Amy’s chest ached from the emotion rolling around inside her.
“Oh, yes,” Robert said, his voice full of anguish. “I swear I tried to find his daughter. I memorized every single detail in that file, and I searched daily for new evidence that would give me some clue to her whereabouts. But the blue Suburban we searched for seemed to have vanished into thin air. Even after the FBI withdrew, I continued to drive around. I searched every backroad in this county and the neighboring counties. To this day, I still take long drives hoping to find that Suburban.”
“I’m sure you did everything you possibly could.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, as though trying to chase away a tension headache. “I did, but it wasn’t enough. I didn’t bring Ben’s baby home. The only thing harder than telling Ben his daughter had disappeared, was having to tell him, the chances of finding her at all, let alone alive, were slim to none.”
Tears filled Amy’s eyes, blurring Robert’s grim face. That must have been so difficult. The news surely devastated Ben. She released his hand and picked up her water glass, blinking away her tears while she sipped.
Charity approached the table at that moment. She must have heard what Robert’s words, because she laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “There’s nothing more you could have done. You need to stop beating yourself up over it, and Ben needs to find a way to move on with his life.” After a brief pause, she continued, her voice thick with emotion, eyes misty. “Moving on is hard, though.”
Robert patted the hand resting on his shoulder. Charity had lost her husband not long ago. Her pain, though somewhat different, was as raw as Ben’s.
Charity pasted on a smile. “Who’s ready for some of my fresh peach pie?”
Amy groaned. “Sounds delicious, but I’m stuffed.”
“Me too, but her peach pie is amazing. I’ll take a piece to go.”
Charity beamed. “That’s my boy.”
Amy and Robert both walked out of the diner with pie in hand. As they drove away, Amy caught a glimpse of Ben in the garage. After hearing Robert’s struggle over the inability to bring Ben’s daughter back, she wondered how Ben managed his grief and continued, day after day, serving others.
The desire to help Ben burned in her like a glowing ember, but she had no idea how.
* * *
“Amy,would you like to join Paige and me for lunch and shopping in the Tri-Cities area, this afternoon?” Hope’s invitation Saturday morning took Amy by surprise.
Ben’s sister, Paige, had arrived home last night from her summer job as a nanny on the east coast. Amy, and especially Kallie, had been drawn to the beautiful, bubbly girl, who wore a perpetual smile and talked with her hands. She frequently bounced up and down when her excitement grew.
Amy knew moms and daughters did things like lunch and shopping together, but she’d never had that kind of relationship with her mother. Her mom spent all her time working or with her current boyfriend. She couldn’t be bothered with things like brushing her daughter’s hair, let alone taking her shopping and to lunch.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ve got a few things to take care of here.” Amy hated lying, but she didn’t want to intrude on their mother-daughter time. Hope and Paige needed their time together, since Paige would soon return to college. Besides, Amy couldn’t afford to go shopping.
The invitation made Amy think about the one person who’d always been there for her. Celeste. Picking up the phone, she called her best friend.
“Amy!” The greeting came through the phone as a squeal. “I’ve missed you so much. How’s my Kallie Girl?”
Amy laughed. She called Celeste every couple of days, so it’s not like it had been that long since they talked to each other. “She’s good.”
“And how is my best friend?” The seriousness in Celeste’s voice let Amy know her friend was concerned about more than Amy’s physical well-being.
Amy took her time answering. Lance’s infidelity still stung, and her mother’s rejection still hurt. It probably always would, but Amy had come to accept that. Trying to maintain a positive attitude, Amy said, “I can’t complain. I’ve told you about the nice house I’m staying at, and I don’t receive a single drunken come-on at work anymore. Life’s good.”
“You poor thing,” Celeste’s voice held sarcasm. “And have you met any good-looking men?”
Ben’s deep blue eyes filled Amy’s mind. Her pulse kicked up a notch as she remembered the electric shock she’d felt on her wrist when Ben tucked the money into her hand a week ago.
“I’ve sworn off men, you know that.”
