Out Of Focus: An Adams Grove Novel Part 29

"No," Kasey said without turning around.

"Want me to get it?" Riley grabbed Kasey's phone.

Kasey shrugged and looked outside.

"h.e.l.lo, Kasey Phillips's phone," Riley said. "Hey...No. We're on our way back to the house...I know." Riley prodded Kasey and mouthed, "It's Scott."

Kasey shook her head, and waved off the call. She didn't have anything to say to anyone right now.

Riley let Scott know what had transpired since Kasey had last spoken to him and promised to keep him up to date.

"He's a nice guy," Riley said, tucking Kasey's phone back in her handbag.

Kasey nodded vaguely distracted by the thought that one woman stood between her and her son. She was relieved when the Nickel Creek Road street sign came into view an hour later. They pulled into the driveway and went into the house.

"Y'all don't have to stay," Kasey said. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to go to bed and wait for news."

"I'm not leaving you here alone," Riley said. "You need your friends right now."

"I need my son." Kasey took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. That wasn't fair. I appreciate everything y'all are doing for me. I just feel...sad...and mad today."

"It's okay."

Kasey dropped her purse on the end table. "The guest room is made up. Make yourselves at home. I'm going to bed."

"Don't worry about us," Riley said.

Later that afternoon, Von sat in a rocking chair on the porch, drinking a beer, when Scott drove up. Scott pushed his sungla.s.ses on top of his head as he walked up to the porch.

"Kasey's inside," Von said with a nod.

Scott didn't go to the door. Instead, he sat in the other rocker. "Mind talking through all the updates with me?"

"Not at all." Von put his empty bottle on the ground next to the chair and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He went through the whole scenario, step-by-step.

"Libby Braddock was tipped off," Scott said.

"She had to be."

Scott's jaw tensed. "Do you think it was someone from the store who knew her?"

Von rubbed his morning stubble. "I really don't think so, although that seems most likely"

Scott rocked back in the chair. "Who else knew?"

"No one. Well, that's not true. Kasey talked to you, Cody Tuggle, and to her grandmother. That's it. Riley and I came here as soon as we heard, and that leaves just the local folks in Leighsboro. It's a small town. I'm sure half the population is related. News could've gotten around pretty fast." Von paused, remembering Scott was a small-town guy. "No offense, man."

"None taken." Scott shook his head. "No mother should have to go through this."

"Especially Kasey. She's a terrific mom." Von lowered his head and picked at his fingernail. "It's been hard for her. Losing Nick, then not knowing if Jake was even alive. At least now we know he's alive."

"I'd like to work on this with you. Let me know what I can do. I've got resources."

"Good deal. Maybe between the two of us we can figure this out."

"I'm going to call in a favor over in Southampton County," Scott said. "I want to go back through the evidence from the crash site. Maybe they overlooked something."

"Good idea. Will they cooperate?"

"Oh, yeah. I went to school with most of those guys."

"Let's stay connected," said Von.

Scott stood and extended his hand. "We will."

They shook hands, then Scott went inside.

"I didn't hear you drive up," Kasey said when Scott walked into the kitchen.

"You look beat," Scott said. He gave her a hug and nodded to Riley.

"Want a cup?" Riley lifted her porcelain teacup to her lips.

"I'm not a tea kind of guy." Scott held up his pinky. "Not me."

Kasey couldn't help but snicker.

Riley went to the fridge. "How about one of these?" She grabbed a beer and held it out.

"I am off duty." He smiled, accepted the beer, then turned to Kasey. "You hanging in there?"

"It's torture to sit here waiting. What am I supposed to do?" She chewed the inside of her cheek, holding back tears.

"You could pray," Scott said in a soft comforting tone. "I added Jake to the prayer list at church. Hope you don't mind."

Kasey looked into his eyes. "That was really nice."

"I didn't know if you were a church-goer, but most of us go to the same church around here. I take my mom every Sunday. Wish I could say I thought of the idea of putting Jake on the prayer list, but it was her idea."

"Thank you." His thoughtfulness surprised her over and over again.

"If you ever care to join us, just let me know. That's not why I came, though. I was wondering, what's on your calendar for the next couple of days?" Scott twisted off the cap of the beer bottle and took a sip.

"Waiting. Lots of it, if I have to guess." Kasey clapped her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to complain. I'm just a mixed bag of emotions today. Ignore me."

"It's okay," Scott said. "We all understand, but it does take time to vet this stuff out."

"You and Von both already gave me that lecture."

"Managing expectations," he corrected her.

"Whatever. I should be relieved that we're getting so close and we have proof that Jake's alive-and I am. But I never gave up hope that he was alive. I've known that all along. The other part of me is so mad I want hunt down that woman myself, kick her a.s.s, and take my child back. Then I'd ask questions, or maybe not. I just want Jake back."

Scott flipped the beer cap in the air and caught it with one hand. "Kasey, you can drive yourself crazy like that."

"Short trip," she said.

"Or get arrested for real," Riley added.

"I'd get off on temporary insanity, that's for sure."

"Don't talk like that," Riley said. "We're going to find him, and things are going to be back to normal before you know it."

"I'm not sure I even know what normal is anymore," Kasey said. "Don't take this the wrong way, Riley, but I wish you and Von would go home. Y'all don't have to babysit me. I'm sad. I'm mad. I'm downright p.i.s.sed-off about all of this, but I'm fine. I'm not fragile."

"I'm always just a phone call away, too. You know that, right?" Scott said, glancing from Kasey to Riley.

"I know. You're great. Thanks," Kasey said.

Scott nodded. "Don't let the anger eat you up. The woman has no record, and the neighbor said Libby adores Jake. Be thankful for that. Cling to it."

Kasey bowed her head into her hands and groaned. "I know it's good news. It could be so much worse." She lifted her head. "It's been worse. All these months, waiting, worrying. How am I ever going to get through this?"

"I have an idea about that," Scott said. "I was thinking we could do a little investigative work together. I was talking to Von about it a minute ago."

"What kind of investigative work?" Kasey asked.

"We can go back through the evidence collected at the scene of the crash," Scott said.

"They searched all that stuff," Riley said. "They didn't get any leads from it."

"I know. Maybe Kasey and I will see something they missed. It might trigger an idea or connection, now that we know a little more. It couldn't hurt." Scott shrugged. "It might be a long shot, but any shot is better than no shot at all."

"Can we do that?" asked Kasey.

Scott nodded. "I can arrange it."

Kasey smiled. "How did I get so lucky to meet you, and have such great friends?" She grabbed Riley's hand, and then Scott's. "Y'all are the best."

"I don't know how you got so lucky to find Riley and Von, but be thankful you drive a finicky foreign car with electrical problems." He laughed. "Or you can thank Deputy Dan."

"Funny." She rolled her eyes. "I haven't forgiven him yet."

Riley put her teacup in the dishwasher. "Well, if y'all are going to be working on that angle, and you're sure you're okay, Von and I will get out of your hair-but just until the next lead."

"I'm fine. I'll call if anything changes," Kasey promised.

Riley hugged her. "I'll go talk to the boss."

"It'll take a day or two to get access to the evidence. Can I call in that rain check for tomorrow morning?"

"Rain check?"

"Our fis.h.i.+ng date," he said.

She wrinkled her nose. "I don't think so. I'm not very good company right now."

"Come on. We'll do some fis.h.i.+ng, relax, pa.s.s the day away. You need to be well and strong for Jake. The fresh air will be good for you."

Kasey wasn't interested.

"Tell you what. If you feel up to it in the morning, just show up. The invitation is open."

Chapter Twenty-Nine.

Kasey twisted beneath the covers, then kicked them off. She repositioned her pillow, but less than twenty minutes later, she grew chilly and grabbed for the comforter.

The trip to North Carolina replayed in her head. They'd been so close to finding Jake. What could they have done differently? If she'd left for Leighsboro sooner, would the events have played out differently?

Tired of tossing and turning in bed, she went out to the couch and tried to sleep there. She tugged the handmade afghan Riley had given her as a housewarming gift over her legs. But there was no getting to sleep. The sun began to brighten the sky. She pushed the afghan aside and turned on the television. The meteorologist forecasted the day's weather as sunny and bright, warm for this time of year. A day to be outside, he said.

She switched off the television and went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She'd need the caffeine to get through the day. Too impatient to wait for the coffee to finish brewing, she poured a cup mid-way through the brewing process and swirled in a sugar cube and extra creamer. It was supposed to be a pretty day. Cardinals whistled as they flitted in the trees and vines in the back yard.

Maybe a day on the water wasn't such a bad idea after all. Sitting around the house wouldn't make the wait any more bearable, and Scott was easy to be with. She sure couldn't take rehas.h.i.+ng this stuff over and over again.

She finished her coffee and went inside to change into jeans and a long sleeve t-s.h.i.+rt. The last time she'd been fis.h.i.+ng, it had been with Nick and Jake. Jake caught a sunfish that was way too little to eat. Not even enough meat for a fish stick. She laughed at the memory. It had taken a lot of talking to get Jake to let that fish go, especially once he realized they'd be eating the fish that his daddy caught. Jake had always wanted to be just like Nick.

With her keys in hand, she locked up the house, jumped in her car and headed to Scott's house, making it there without one wrong turn. Maybe she was learning her way around the little town already. She must have paid better attention to the roads than she thought.

She parked on the street in front of Scott's house to not block him in. The neighborhood was quiet.

I hope he's awake.

She looped her camera case over her shoulder then walked up the steep driveway to the side porch door. She stood there for a long moment, pondering her decision to come. It was early, but Scott had said he liked to get on the water just after sunrise. After wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans, she tapped on the screen door. She waited a two-count, and then turned to leave, regretting the trip over.

Scott opened the door. "I thought I heard something."

"Oh. Yeah. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No. I'm up, dressed. Come on in."

She paused in the doorway. "Is the invitation still open? I mean, you said last night that you might go-"