Secret Admirer

Chapter 6

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Chapter 6

Beckett

I'm torn between being here for Aubrey and searching for our son. I need to be doing both. Aubrey is a wreck and I'm not much better. The child we wanted so much is missing and my wife can barely keep her eyes open.

When I find the person who did this, I'm going to kill them.

Everyone in the family who was able to get here has joined in the search. The phone tree did its job, adding to the family that we've added here in Moss Bluff to the list, that tree grew exponentially. But it isn't helping us find Chance.

Georgia came home immediately when I called her. Blake and Derrick had no sooner landed in California before refueling the jet to come back. Matt and Cade are flying in later this afternoon. That's the blessing of being a Bradford, we have our own football team, investigators and security team.

We explained what we knew, divulged what we suspected and braced for the worst. The family that was here surrounded us, strengthened us and held us together. It didn't stop me from worrying or wondering if our lives will ever be safe again.

Aubrey had her own struggle to wrestle with. Despite her own guilty conscience over taking a moment for herself, just wanting a moment to rest, Aubrey knows logically she isn't to blame for this. She had Chance in the crib next to her and still he was taken. She feels guilty, grief stricken, and lost.

And Aubrey isn't herself.

"Sugar, you need to settle yourself for a moment and start over," Georgia took her hand and tried to make sense out of what Aubrey was telling us.

Her body shook against mine as I held her close. Aubrey wiped the tears from her eyes on my shirt and sniffled. She hasn't stopped crying since I got here. On top of her being upset over Chance, she is exhausted. I didn't realize how tired she has been until now. I should have paid closer attention.

"He was here! I only closed my eyes for a moment. I swear, I know he was here when I laid down," but Aubrey was beginning to question herself. "I saw him sleeping in the crib and I laid down here. I thought how nice it was to finally have some quiet and I closed my eyes."

Her voice slurred, as if she was really tired or drunk. I know she isn't drunk. Aubrey is careful, more so now than ever, about how much she drinks. She doesn't take any medication that would do this to her. I can't even get her to take a Tylenol when she has a headache.

Still, Aubrey isn't herself. She doesn't remember driving home from the clinic. She doesn't recall what time she left or whether she had Chance with her when she walked in. But she remembers seeing him in the crib. She remembers that he was asleep when she closed her eyes.

Why would she forget everything else? How could she block out so much time? Hours, between the time I left her at the clinic and the time I got home, Aubrey can't account for the time. There's too many blanks in her memory that she can't explain. But there is an explanation and not a good one.

Thank goodness Jake and Grace came to visit. They were five minutes from the house when I activated the calling tree and were the first to arrive at the house. Grace examined Aubrey, while I made calls to get eyes around town to search for Chance.

"She doesn't remember what happened. Yes, she is upset. I appreciate it. Call me or Georgia. Thanks." Talking to Mitzi was my last ditch effort to get any information. If anyone can find out where Chance is, we will.

After getting the wheels in motion, I went back upstairs to check on Aubrey. I know she's in good hands and I need to get out there to search for our son myself but something tells me I need to stick close to Aubrey.