Between Octobers

Trail

Evan—Trail

SMASH CUT.

The closest the plane can get us is a farming community called Visalia. From there, it's an hour's drive to the park. Dispatch has video surveillance of her car at the southern entrance of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park via Highway 198. It's too grainy to identify the driver, but it doesn't look like her.

Everyone is on high alert since learning there was a 911 call placed from her home in early-afternoon. I've listened to the recorded call a hundred times. The voices are barely audible, like someone may have accidentally hit the auto-dial. Or she was in distress and couldn't talk. It seems the authorities were leaning towards the former. In accordance with standard procedure, a unit was dispatched to follow up on what they thought was an accidental call. Noah and Caleb were there alone, searching for Grace.

It's a full-scale search and I'm pulling all resources, calling in favours from everyone I've ever met and everyone they've ever worked with. Eric's got a publicist working on another press release and they want something from me.

"I don't care how big the space is. I'll move heaven and earth for the chance of finding her." My hand brushes through Caleb's hair. He fell asleep in my lap on the plane and I haven't the heart to wake him, though my legs are going numb. I can't answer his questions. I don't know where Mummy is.

The trunk. Her car. The garage opener I left in the Rover's gone from the visor. It might have gone unnoticed, if not for the imprint left in the leather.

Sheri's nowhere to be found, either. Not that I've looked very hard.

I keep hearing Grace's voice in my head, the way she says my name like a prayer. 

"What the bloody-hell was Sheri doing talking with her?" Marcus is confounded.

"I don't know what makes people do what they do." A ten-year character study couldn't crack that nut. Apparently she's been a regular visitor these last months, though by my reckoning, she never cared much for Grace. Still, Lily said she'd dropped by a few times, in the daytime, when Grace was alone.

Noah's on the seat beside me, taking in every bit of information from John, who sits in front of him in the passenger van. He's asking questions and answering as many as he can about how Grace has been spending her time. He's had the brilliant idea of remotely activating the GPS in Sheri's car. If Sheri was with her yesterday at all, they want her input. Maybe she saw someone in the area that didn't belong. Once we go through the proper channels to do that, we should have some idea of where she is within a few minutes.

Grace placed that call. I know it in my gut. Her phone records indicate it was only a few minutes after Marcus spoke with her. Between those two phone calls, something happened. And whatever that something is, it's the reason we can't find her. Dread wells in my stomach, churning bile at an alarming rate. I press her earbuds further into my ears, straining to listen to the recording of her phone call. Over and over, I try to make out the sounds, but there isn't much to hear. Muffled, static-filled voices. One's definitely Grace, but the other's too low to pick up.

She wasn't alone when she called.

My mind goes back to the young girl Grace mentioned. The one who camped outside for days on end. She has a deceptively sweet face. I used to see her at fan events. Not just around LA, either. Then, she started showing up where I was staying. No matter how many posters and shirts I signed, or how much time I spent talking with her, she wouldn't leave. The more she got, the more she wanted. She used to leave letters for me with the concierge. She'd threaten to hurt herself if I didn't come down. Hotel security made her leave each time they saw her. She did go away for a bit, but resurfaced outside the house after I'd gone off to shoot. I've thought of her as more weird than dangerous. Still, I wonder if she was hanging around and try to recall the sound of her voice as I rewind and listen.

Fresno and Tulare County Sheriffs, CHP, dozens of park staffers, and rangers with ATVs are gathered in and around the park's main office when we arrive. Eric thanks everyone for me and makes arrangements for a place to lay Caleb. Lily and Noah will see after him.

Everyone's talking and I'm gutted. People without faces are trying to chat and I can't make out their words. All I see are the poorly placed smiles.

"Here, mate." Marcus gives a paper cup of coffee. "You're knackered." He leans in, speaking low. "Get your head straight. They might be here for you, but they're here, so thank the volunteers or Grace'll string you up."

"She would, wouldn't she?"

His shoulders draw up. "She will."