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Voicemail again.
I’d already left three.
Abe still wasn’t answering, and I was worried. It was past midnight and panic began to overcome me. I didn’t know what to do and paced the floor, over and over, trying to talk myself down from calling Dori or Ted.
Surely, I was overreacting, and Abe was fine. He probably just fell asleep. Maybe he’d turned his phone off. There was also a chance he’d lost his charger and his cell was dead.
Then I had an idea and searched on Google for the hotel he stayed at. I could call the desk. They’d be able to give me the number to his room. So that’s what I did, but minutes later I was more worried than before.
“Are you sure Abe Hathaway hasn’t checked in? He was there last week. He’s there with a crew for work.”
She was polite but didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear. “He’s the one with the long hair, right?”
“Yeah,” I answered. I could hear her clicking around.
“Unless he got in and decided to stay in someone else’s room, I don’t see him in here anymore.”
Dread swam around in my sour stomach. “Okay. Thanks for helping.”
“No problem. Have a good night.” But until I heard from him, I didn’t see how that was possible. I waited another hour and tried Abe’s phone again.
Nothing.
I’d never lost sleep like that before. Never been worried sick about someone like I was Abe. Even when I’d been in Lancaster and everything was a mess after Jacob passed. Even when Abe and I were separated, and I had to work through things on my own. I’d never felt such anxiety.
It was frightening.
God, if you’re listening. Please let Abe be safe. Please let me hear from him. I’m scared and don’t know what to do. Please help me. Amen.
My mind went to a verse I’d read many times, and I said it out loud. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not our heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Yet, I was afraid.
That night, I curled up on the couch. Clutching my phone to my chest, I willed it to ring.
It never did.
Eventually, I must have dosed off because when I heard pounding from the front door, it had gotten light outside without me noticing. I scrambled out from under the blanket and dashed to see if it was him. However, midway there, I realized he wouldn’t knock.
It was Dori, and she looked like she hadn’t slept much either.
Please let him be okay.
“Have you heard from Abe?” It was the only thing I cared about.
“Can I come in?”
I moved out of the way but wasn’t backing down. “Is he okay? Is he hurt?” My throat felt tight and my eyes stung.
She came inside and walked to the kitchen. “He’s okay. He’s not hurt. Where’s your coffee?”
He’s not hurt.
He’s not hurt.
I’d never have a feeling of relief like that again. The extra nervous energy that had been banging around inside me had my hands wringing out as I got the grounds and filters out of the cabinet for her.
“Where is he?”
“Browning. With the police. Well, the FBI.”
“What? Why?”
“They called Ted about an hour ago...”
I looked at the time. It was almost eight am.
“And he’s headed from Nelson to Browning now with Chris. They raided New Mecula yesterday while Abe was there.”
New Mecula?
“Why was Abe there? Why would Ted have to go to Browning to talk to the police? I don’t understand.”
As she filled the decanter, she shook her head. “I’m not really sure either. When Ted called, he said they allowed Abe to call him, under supervision, and that the place where they were delivering the lumber is New Mecula.” Her eyes met mine, and she held them. “We didn’t know.”
“Why would they raid New Mecula? Why would they keep Abe? He didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Honey, that’s all I know right now. Ted said when he found out more, he’d call us. Abe wanted us to let you know he was all right.” She poured the water into the machine and then took a seat at the bar. “So I guess until they get it all figured out, you’re stuck with me.”
About that time, I heard another car coming down the lane and immediately remembered Cassie. I was so tired and stressed out I’d forgotten about tutoring. There was no way I’d be able to concentrate on math, but she’d driven all the way out before I could cancel.
“Who’s that?” Dori asked, both of us now watching her climb out of her clunker and climb the stairs.
“Cassie. I know her from the prep classes. She’s tutoring me now.”
Walking to the door to greet her, I straightened my hair, feeling how all over the place it was in the loose messy heap on the side of my head. I still wore a t-shirt and sweats from after my bath the night before—before I nearly lost my mind worrying about Abe.
He’s okay. He’s okay.
I opened the door before she knocked. “Hi, Cassie. I’ll get you some money for coming out today, but I don’t think I can study.”
The young woman took one look at me and her eyes bugged. “What in the hell is wrong with you? Are you sick?”
I glanced down myself, considering just saying I was ill, but I’d never been a good liar. “No. I’ve just been up all night.”
“Are you okay?” She breezed by me into the cabin. “I’ve never seen you look like shit. Plain, but not like shit.”
She paused seeing my other company.
“Hi, I’m Dori,” the older woman said getting cups out. “You drink coffee?”
“Yeah, I’ll take one.” Cassie dropped her bag into the chair at the table where we usually sat and then pinned me with an expectant glare. Her eyebrows high on her forehead, she asked, “What’s going on?”
I closed the door and walked to where the two women were. “I couldn’t get ahold of Abe last night. So I was up all night and then overslept. There was a problem at his work, and now he’s in Browning with the FBI.”
I only had a vague idea of what the FBI was. I understood they were higher up than the normal police, but beyond that I didn’t have a clue. The only time I’d heard anything about them, it was from the news and I kind of assumed they were only in Washington DC.
“Fuck. What did he do?” Cassie asked, taking the stool on the end.
Dori got the sugar and the creamer out of the refrigerator and put them on the countertop, but Cassie waved her off because she drank hers black like Abe did. Bringing the hot pot of coffee with her, Dori poured the three of us mugs.
“He didn’t do anything,” Dori said. “He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. They’ll get it all worked out.”
“But the FBI? They don’t mess around. Why would they be involved?”
I had the same question, so when I didn’t answer and looked to Dori, Cassie followed suit.
“He’s being questioned about human trafficking.”
Cassie’s mouth fell open, and then she pulled out her phone. “In Browning?” she asked.
“They’re in Browning now, but the FBI raided a place called New Mecula near Nelson where they’re doing the work.”
Cassie’s fingers punched at her phone. Honestly, I was dying to look a few things up myself. I didn’t understand what a lot of it meant.
“Here. I found something.” Cassie was fast. It always took me a while to search for stuff. “Over thirty women were found at a compound during a raid last night near Nelson. Many are suspected to be students who were intercepted before arriving at an Academy in Lancaster, a city with strong fundamentalist ideals. Could be cult related. Authorities say they will explain more after further investigation.”
Cassie dropped her phone on the bar. Her face was pale.
My stomach knotted again. Andrew Yakle was right about my brother.
Dori checked her phone next and then said, “Ashley is bringing donuts and a gorgeous little baby to distract us. Myra, honey, it’s all going to be okay. I have faith.”
I was glad someone did, because mine felt thin.