Levi nodded but remained silent as Miranda followed him outside and they began walking down the street in search of Wren. He prayed they’d find her safe and sound before anything bad happened to her—because if anything did... He didn’t even want to think about it.
She’d only been here three days, and already she’d landed her first interview. Maybe relocating to Anchorage had been meant to be after all. Savannah’s heels clicked on the tile as she made her way across the hotel lobby, the smell of fresh coffee and scrambled eggs wafting from the buffet making her stomach rumble. She paused by the bakery case to admire the plump muffins with streusel topping.
Hesitating, she plated eggs and fresh fruit first, then added a muffin and chose a small round table by the window.
Nervous energy hummed through her veins. A large Anchorage high school with an art teacher position and an option to serve as adviser for an extracurricular club sounded ideal. She’d have to figure out housing and probably look for a roommate because she couldn’t afford to live here by herself. But she didn’t want to blow too much more of her savings living in an expensive hotel either. Add apartment hunting to her growing list of things to do.
If she got the job.
She poured coffee with a dash of cream and sugar into her cup and returned to her table. Nyla was waiting for her.
“Nyla.” Savannah hesitated, then slowly sank into her chair. “Good morning.”
Dark circles and a wrinkled uniform hinted at Nyla’s exhaustion. “Hey.”
“Are you doing okay? I hear working the night shift is rough.”
“It’s not too bad,” Nyla said, yawning. “Listen, I need to talk to you.”
Savannah eyed her, a forkful of scrambled eggs halfway to her mouth. “If Levi asked you to talk to me, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ve said—”
“No.”
Savannah leaned back, startled by Nyla’s terse interruption. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”
“This isn’t about Levi. Well, it sort of is.” Nyla shook her head. “Wow, I’m so tired, I can’t even make sense. Savvy, I hate to tell you this first thing in the morning, but Wren is missing.”
Savannah’s mouth ran dry. Her fork slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. “What?”
“Yeah, I know. Terrifying, right? Levi woke up yesterday morning and Wren was gone.”
Savannah frowned. “Yesterday morning? Why am I just now finding out about it?”
Nyla pinned her with a long look. “Because you kind of told my brother you didn’t want anything to do with him.”
“I know, but a missing child is a big deal.”
“That’s why I’m here. We were hoping you would have some ideas about where she might be.”
“Me?” Savannah pressed her hand to her chest. “Um, I have no idea. But she couldn’t have gone far. She’s four and not all that independent.”
“That’s what has everyone so concerned,” Nyla said. “I’ve made arrangements for someone to cover my shift, and I borrowed a car from my roommate. We could be back in Opportunity by lunchtime, if you’re willing to join the search.”
Savannah picked at the cardboard sleeve ringing her disposable coffee cup. “I don’t know, Nyla. I mean, I just got here, and I have an interview today for a teaching position—plus, I need to find a place to live.”
Nyla’s mouth drifted open.
“That sounds harsh, but it’s true. And I’m afraid if I go back home, that’ll just be extra upsetting for everyone.”
“You don’t have to stay,” Nyla said softly. “We’re just asking you to help look for Wren. I haven’t spent much time with her, but my parents have told me how much you meant to her and to Levi. I don’t think he would have made it through these last few weeks without you.”
Savvy looked away. “That’s sweet of you to say. I was glad to help, and I’m thankful that I got to be a part of Wren’s life, even for a little while.”
Unexpected emotions clogged her throat.
“So you’ll help? Come on.” Nyla stood and pushed in her chair. “I’ll help you put your stuff in my roommate’s car.”
Savannah remained seated. In the background, a phone at the desk rang. The call button on the elevator dinged, and an elderly couple shuffled in.
Worry flickered in Nyla’s eyes. “I’m sure if you tell the people who want to interview you that you’ve had a family emergency, they will understand. I promise I’ll drive you back.”
Savvy stared out the window at the morning traffic cruising through downtown. A woman and a young girl walked hand in hand on the sidewalk, pausing to look at a large planter overflowing with gorgeous flowers.
The horror of what had happened in Colorado came rushing back, making her stomach churn. She hadn’t forgotten how terrible it was—the waiting and the not knowing. Especially if the outcome wasn’t what you’d hoped. She banished that morbid thought. They’d find Wren. This story had to have a happy ending.
Besides, if she was honest, she already regretted telling Levi that she didn’t want him. Even if they couldn’t repair what had broken between them, she could show up. Make the effort to find that precious little girl.
“All right.” She stood and gathered her coffee and uneaten breakfast. “If you’ll help me pack my stuff, I’ll take this to go, and we can be on the road within the hour.”
Relief spread across Nyla’s face. Her hazel eyes, so similar to her brother’s, and the way they lit up when she smiled made Savannah want to get home even sooner.
“Let’s go.” Nyla gently squeezed Savannah’s arm as they strode toward the elevator. “We’re all in this together. Our people need us.”
“We will find her.” Adele, Pastor Blanchett’s wife, pressed a second disposable cup of coffee into Levi’s hands. He offered a thin smile. “Thank you.”
Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he didn’t have the heart to tell her she wasn’t the first one to bring him mediocre coffee or a kind word that morning. He stood under the tent they’d put up in the park across the street from the library. The same park where Wren had hid in the jungle gym after her story-time disaster. The same park where he’d sat on the swings and Savvy had helped him formulate a plan for how to help Wren.
“We’re praying for you, sweetie.” Connie, Mrs. Blanchett’s sister, squeezed his arm, then tucked a card—probably with a verse printed on it—inside his coat pocket. A cool breeze rustled through the trees at the edge of the property. He shivered and forced himself to sip the coffee.
