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Nora
When the first raindrop hit Nora’s nose, it almost broke her. No. It couldn’t start raining again. She looked at the sky, and it was mostly clear. Only a few dark clouds threatening to bring more assault.
She’d started in the car and had combed every street but not seeing anything useful, had decided that driving around wasn’t a very efficient method of searching. So she’d parked and gotten out to go on foot. Now she methodically crept up and down each street, asking every person she saw if they’d seen Levi.
Most people were kind and sympathetic. Some were short and rude. They all said they hadn’t seen her son.
When she came to a bench, she took a break to call Carl. He didn’t answer, so she called the station.
It took her too long to explain to the woman who answered the phone what she was asking. Why didn’t this woman already know Levi’s name? Why wasn’t this a priority for every person at that station? How many missing kids did Carver Harbor have right now?
Finally, the woman put her on hold and then quickly returned to tell her that there were no developments, and they would call her when there were some. Nora asked if they’d found Shane yet, but the woman didn’t know and didn’t seem inclined to find out.
Nora’s tired legs got her off the bench and moving again.
Soon, she’d walked every street in town. Again. She wondered if she should expand her search. Go further, outside of the village. Or maybe start knocking on doors. Maybe it was time to put up flyers? Yes, she decided. That was a good next step. She turned onto Providence Ave to cut back toward her car.
She heard laughter inside an old church and glanced in that direction. She hadn’t even realized that people used this old building. Of course, she’d never thought about it one way or the other. The laughter annoyed her. How could people be happy at a time like this?
She kept walking and was almost beyond the church when the door opened and a few people came out. She turned back to ask if they’d seen Levi.
It was an older woman, a middle-aged woman, and a teenager. The older woman’s expression suggested she was sucking on something sour. Nora directed her attention to the middle-aged woman. “Excuse me?”
The woman smiled brightly. “Hi!”
Encouraged by this woman’s demeanor, Nora held up her phone. “My son is missing. Have you seen him?”
All three women stepped closer to the phone for a close look.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t,” the kind woman said.
“Have you called the police?” the older woman asked.
“Of course she has, Vicky.” She looked at Nora. “Do you want to come inside and ask the others if they’ve seen him?”
Nora looked at the church hesitantly. She didn’t want to get trapped in there. She had too much to do. But if one of them had seen something, she needed to know. “Sure. Thanks.”
