Amos wanted to drive me back home since Cedric left earlier with the children. I told him Cora would. I stared out the passenger window. I’m sure he thought I needed space, but I wanted to be mad with him. Not very reasonable, but I needed someone to be angry with. It was probably a man’s fault that my daughter was out there. Some man named Chris. How is it that I didn’t even know his last name? Nor what he looked like?
Then there was that slim chance Leesa was involved in Mary’s death. I refused to believe she was and pounded myself inside for even considering it. I prayed to the Lord that I didn’t have to attend another funeral. Ralph’s been a missing hole in my life I have slowly mended, but one of my children going before me, I couldn’t take the idea.
“That man really cares about you.”
I turned around to face Cora. “Have you lost your mind? My daughter is Lord knows where and you trying to be a matchmaker?”
Cora slapped the steering wheel. “That’s not what I’m trying to do and you know it. I’m just as worried as you are. I just wanted you to know you were a bit short with Mr. Jones.”
“He’ll be alright.” I had every right to be huffy.
A tiny bit of regret crept in as I watched Amos pull his truck in front of my house. Cora parked behind Cedric’s Lexus, which was parked in the driveway. I thought back to the night when Amos and I sat on the porch and Leesa drove up. I wished her car was in my driveway and hadn’t been found on the side of some road.
As I walked toward the front porch, Amos called my name.
“Eugeena, wait a minute.”
Cora cut her eye at me. “Talk to the man, he’s trying to help you.”
I threw my hands up and stopped to wait for Amos. “So, what happens now?”
“We are going to find her. Wilkes will circulate the photo you gave us to the television networks. Doing it now as we speak. Plus, don’t forget about the meeting.”
The meeting. Do I really want to have a neighborhood watch meeting with my daughter out there? “There has got to be something else I can do? She’s my child.”
“Stay put. Leesa might call you.”
“It’s been almost a week.”
“Eugeena. Leave it up to the law enforcement. Wilkes told us to continue with the meeting.”
I closed my eyes. “Do you really think it could be someone around here?”
“It’s crucial we observe folks for any suspicious behaviors. Someone might just be cocky and think they can get off the hook especially if they were trying to lead us to looking at Leesa. Has to be someone who knows your family.”
“Okay. I will prepare the best I can.”
“Good. We should have a good crowd. If you need anything, call me.”
Cora was sitting on the porch. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m still to go on with this neighborhood watch meeting tomorrow.”
Cora stood and stared at me. “How in the world did you get that assignment?”
I shook my head. “I’m still trying to figure that out.” We shuffled into the house. The television was exceptionally loud in the living room. I saw why. Cedric popped off the couch. “Mama, why didn’t you tell me? Leesa’s photo is all over the news. They found her car.”
“Yes.” I looked past Cedric to the woman sitting on my couch. Seems like my son wasn’t too worried about his sister. “Carmen.”
She stood. “Hello, Mrs. Patterson. I’m so sorry about your daughter. Is there something we can do?”
I ignored Carmen and glared at Cedric. “Where are the kids?”
“We put them to bed as soon as we came in, they were both tired.”
“What’s this we stuff? How long have you two been here?”
Cora cleared her throat. “Eugeena! Why don’t you sit down?” Cora moved next to me and gently led me to the chairs. “I will check on the children.”
I sat down hard in the recliner. Too tired to even prop my feet and stared at the television.
“Mama…” Cedric prodded.
I waved at my son like he was a mosquito. “Shhh… I need to hear what they are saying.”
I heard Carmen whisper to Cedric, “I think I better go.” The two walked out into the hallway while I struggled to follow the report. The photo was about four years old, but that was my Leesa for the entire world to see. I held my head down. I felt in my heart she was still okay, but where could she be? Why did she leave her car? Did somebody have her somewhere?
Cedric joined me on the couch. He rubbed his hands across his head like his dad used to do when he was upset. “Mama, what can we do? I can’t believe this is happening. We should be out there looking for her.”
“Cedric, can we get our hands on Tyric’s birth certificate?”
Cedric blew out a breath. “You think he had something to do with her missing? Leesa probably listed his name, but I can’t get my hands on that information legally.”
“We need to find this Chris somebody?”
“We? You mean the police?”
I knew what I meant. There was no way I’m going to just sit here and do nothing. Lord, I pray you continue to protect my child and you might want to protect that Chris boy from me. He was going to meet the grandmother of his child and it wasn’t going to be pretty.