Page 4 of Wrong Number, Right Gray Wolf

There was a small sound at the end of the line. I’d put so much hope on the person at the other end being the one, I hadn’t prepared myself for them to say, “Sorry, wrong number.”

There was a sniff, followed by a sob and a child crying. “Can… can you find… my daddy? She hiccuped and resumed crying. I couldn’t guess her age, but she was quite young. “I can’t find him. He should be here.”

Oh my gods. Any thoughts of mating, the universe, and fate vanished, though it was fate that I just happened to be here. The poor darling. She was terrified.

That’s not your mate, my beast observed.

“Okay, sweetheart. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” I took a breath because I didn't want her to hang up. “Can you tell me your name?”

“P-Posy,” she stammered.

“Hi, Posy, I’m Stephen.” I had the receiver tucked under my ear as I pulled my phone from my hip pocket. “You’re so clever to be able to phone me. I’m proud of you. Now I need you to stay on the line. Don’t hang up, okay. Can you do that?”

“Yes.” Her voice was stronger than when she first spoke.

“Good girl.” I was texting my friend, Harvey. Need you now, Harvey. Now! Urgent.

“Posy, when did you last see Daddy?”

“A while ago.” She sniffed, and there was a thunk. My heart sped up thinking we were going to get cut off. But she must have dropped the receiver. “Stephen?”

“I’m still here, Posy.”

What do you need? Harvey responded. Though it wasn’t late, he stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, and I was worried he might just be waking up.

I’m on a landline. Kid’s on the line. Dad’s vanished. Need you to trace the call. I gave him her number.

Give me 60 seconds. Keep the kid on the line.

“Posy, is there anyone else at home? A friend? An uncle? Anyone?”

“No. Micah’s brother dropped me off. I thought Daddy would be here. He should be here, but he’s not.”

Posy was too young to be left in the house alone, so I hoped her father still had a pulse wherever he was.

“And he promised we’d make pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. He promised.”

“I love pancakes too.” My eyes misted over thinking Posy’s dad might never get to make her pancakes again.

She sort of laughed and said I could come over for breakfast and taste the pancakes too. Awww, what an angel. I checked the time and the minute was up. What was Harvey doing?

Got it! I almost cheered when the text came in. It’s nine minutes from you, seven if you break the speed limit. He sent me the location.

“Posy, I’m coming to get you. Do you know any songs you can sing while I’m on the way?”

“Uh-huh. Daddy taught me some.”

I can patch the call through to your phone, but there might be a gap of a few seconds.

Oh gods, that’d be scary for her. I at least knew where she was.

“Sweetheart, I'm on my way. Stay on the phone, please. You might hear a funny click and then nothing for a little bit. But I’ll still be right here.”

“I can count.”

“Okay, ready, go.”

I left the receiver on the desk and dashed out the door. One, two, three. I was in the car and turned the ignition before I heard her voice again.