Who had done this?
Memories of going to the memorial service with her family flooded her brain.
Then she knew the answers to all her questions.
The devil had gotten her ... just like he got Valerie and Alicia.
Matilda had warned her to be careful.
Polly was going to die.
She jerked. Tried to get her hands free. Tried to wiggle her feet loose.
Help me.
Please, Jesus, help me.
Kale!
Her chest heaved. Mom! Jamison!
Find me. Please, please, come find me.
33
Youngstown High School Gymnasium, 7:00 a.m.
As if the dire situation needed any help, the winter storm everyone but Sarah appeared to know about had dropped three inches of snow in the last four hours.
Sarah wished she could give Conner hope.
But in this case there was no precedence for hope.
No evidence that had led to a real suspect.
There was no genuine hope to offer.
Chief Willard called for silence. The assembled mob settled down.
“You have your search areas. Stay with your assigned groups. And for God’s sake, be careful out there. We’re all worried sick about Polly, but we don’t need anyone getting hurt and slowing down the search. Now let’s get going.”
Groups of citizens piled out the exit doors.
More than one bumped into Sarah as they rushed out of the gym. She tiptoed. Looked for Kale. She saw the top of his dark head as he exited with Deputy Brighton, and several others whose faces she didn’t recognize.
At some point this morning, maybe during that terrifying epiphany, she’d decided to call him Kale.
If she could just find him now ...
She looked around again. No luck.
“Sarah.”
Her attention shifted right. Jerald Pope approached her. She was surprised to see him here. Yeah, he was a lifelong resident, but rich guys like him didn’t usually get involved on this level. Tossing money around was one thing, but trudging around in the snow and cold was entirely another.
“I didn’t see you in the crowd,” she said by way of greeting.
He glanced around the gym. “It’s a good showing of community support. Many of the people are from surrounding towns.”
