KNOCKOUT

Chapter 17

"Holden, we need to call the police. We have to file a missing persons report." The tears are constantly flowing down my cheeks, like a rainstorm with no sign of lightening up soon. Holden is running his hands through his hair, tugging on the end of his curls.

"She was just here," he mutters. "I was right beside her."

"No, you were two hundred feet away talking to Josh," I spit. I know getting mad at him won't help anything, but it's the only thing that makes me feel better right now. It wasn't his intention and I know it, but he never should have wandered away from her.

"It was Eli," he calls out, looking at me with a wide-eyed stare rimmed red. "He's the only one who would've taken her."

I grab Holden's hand, turning him in the same direction of Eli. Eli's oblivious to everything around him apart from the conversationalist he's speaking to. It couldn't have been Eli.

"Please," I beg. "Please, let's call the police."

It takes him a minute to focus on me, to get himself out of his mind and this story he's created. Our Maggie is gone and we need her back, but making up events and accusing people isn't the way to do it. Once he comes to his senses, he slides his phone out of his pocket and hands it to me.

I waste no time, immediately dialing the emergency number and watching Holden as he joins Sterling in their search. I don't manage to tell them it's a waste of time ⎯ whoever took Margaret would be long gone by now. They wouldn't have stuck around to watch our pain or to see how we would handle the situation.

Whoever they are, they meant to take her. It wasn't about us.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"My daughter is missing," I take a deep breath, trying to calm my voice down so she can understand me through the phone. "We can't find her and she's still an infant, she's not even six months old yet."

"Okay ma'am, we'll send officers out to you. Can you give me your location?"

"The funeral home off of 2nd Street. Outside. Everybody's outside and there are a lot of people. Please hurry."

"Officers will be out to you as soon as possible."

I click off the call, putting both of my hands on top my head to try and steady my breathing. My eyes close, tightening and I try to focus on anything but the situation at hand.

It's not possible.

Minutes later, Holden and Sterling come back to my side, both of them frantic and frustrated. I can tell Holden wants to speak, but the sight of police officers arriving to the cemetery cuts off his thought. All three of us rush forward, ignoring stares from the last of the people lingering form the funeral.

I recognize the first police officer as Robert Peters, relief flooding through me at the familiar face. He really was helpful before, and I'm more grateful to have him here than I could've ever imagined.

"Ms. Stevens," he says quickly. "Tell me what happened, as calmly as possible."

And so I do.

✦ ✦ ✦

Holden paces the living room and I sink into the couch, my cell phone clutched in my hand, waiting painfully for it to start ringing. It's been a week since Maggie went missing, and the bags under my eyes show it. I've tried to sleep, we all have, but it's not possible knowing Margaret is out in the world with someone. We have no idea if she's safe or not, but I know Holden and I have prayed more times than ever before.