Watching Gabriel drive away to pick Mackenzie up from school without me nearly sucked the life out of me—it had been a pain-filled day, and one I didn’t wish to relive. I’d spent some time alone in my room, gone for a long run, and retired to my room when I returned.

There was no point in trying to do any research for my other job. And in light of the fact it was the deciding factor for Gabriel that I had to leave, I wasn’t at all sure I could return to it with the same fervor I’d had before today happened.

I sent a text to my sister asking if I could hang at her house for a few weeks while I figured things out, and she’d responded with “Of course,” which was exactly what I had expected.

Something didn’t feel right, and it hadn’t since I’d returned from my run. But I couldn’t put my finger on it, so I’d chalked it up to the sadness at having to leave a family I’d come to love as though they were my own.

Mackenzie had loved the coconut, chocolate chip cookies I had made for her during their first week together. Although I didn’t want to make things harder for Mackenzie, I did want her to remember our last day together as a special one.

I turned away from the window with resolve, and moved to the oven to preheat it to 350 degrees, then began pulling the ingredients from the refrigerator and pantry when my cell phone buzzed. I glanced at it, saw Gabriel’s name pop up, and answered immediately.

“Hey,” I answered softly.

“Athena, is Mackenzie with you?”

“What do you mean is she with me? You’re at the school, aren’t you?”

“I am, but she’s not here.”

“Gabriel, she always walks out with Jayleen and Abby. Are they there?”

“Yes, I’m with them, and Shay and Margot—the girls haven’t seen Mackenzie since they got out of class.”

“What do you mean? Where could she be? You don’t think…?” Panic began to fill my voice.

“Where are you?”

“I’m at the house, making her favorite cookies. I’ll turn the oven off and come to the school.”

“No, I want you to stay home just in case she makes it there somehow. We’re going to search the school. I’ve already called Fran and Cox, and they are on their way.”

“Gabriel—please, please keep me posted. I want to help—”

“I know, Thea. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything. Call Pastor Bernie and ask him to pray. Make sure he knows to keep it quiet.” Then the call abruptly ended.

My heart went out to him, and the unbridled fear I heard in his voice. Of all people, I knew he would keep it together, but I also knew he must be terrified.

I called the church, and Pastor Bernie assured her he would be praying. Then I began to pace, wringing my hands, nearly jumping out of my skin when the timer went off on the oven—it had reached the required temperature. The least I could do was keep the faith, and make the cookies, hoping that Mackenzie would be home soon—that this was all just a big mistake, nothing more.

When my phone rang nearly thirty minutes later, I picked it up before the caller ID could come through. “Hello?” I answered quickly.

“It’s Gabriel. We can’t find her.” I could hear his fear and desperation; I wanted nothing more than to be by his side and ask a thousand questions, but instead, I took a deep breath.

“What can I do?”

“I’m sending Fran to the house, just in case this is an abduction and they call the house.”

I fell back onto the table, struggling to keep it together as the world threatened to disappear in a pinhole. I grasped the table and used it for support until I could sit down.

“Thea, are you there?”

“Yes—I’m here,” I answered weakly, breathing deeply to keep the blackness at bay, laying my head on the table. Seconds later the door opened and Fran walked into the room; I gratefully surrendered to the blackness.

“Hello, Hello?” Fran grabbed the phone, as she tried to stop Thea falling from her chair.

“Fran? Is that you?” Gabriel asked, confused.

“Yes, I’m at the house.”

“Where’s Athena?”

“I think she fainted. Hang on.”

She lowered her to the floor and into the recovery position.

“Is she all right?”

“Yes. She’ll come around, I’m sure. Fortunately, she was sitting down. But where’s the beeping coming from?” she said into the phone.

“A beeping? Oh, Thea said she was making cookies. Check the oven.”

“I’ll call you back.”

“Okay. There’s nothing to report here, but let me know if anyone calls the house phone. And let me know how Thea is doing.” He sounded worried and tightly strung.

“10-4.”

Fran tried gently shaking Thea, but she was out cold. She raced around the island to turn off the oven, removing the cookie sheet and placing it on top of the stovetop.

She debated calling 9-1-1 but then heard a groan from Thea. She knelt beside her and gently called her name, “Athena, Athena, it’s me, Fran. Thea, wake up.”

Slowly Thea began to open her eyes, and Fran’s phone buzzed.

“Fran,” she answered.

“It’s Gabriel. What’s going on?”

“Thea’s starting to come to. I laid her on the floor, got the cookies out, and turned off the oven. No calls have come through since I’ve been here, but I haven’t had a chance to check your home phone caller ID before sleeping beauty here went down.”

“I’m sure there haven’t been any calls. Between Thea and me, someone has been there all day. Fran, if she doesn’t come back to full consciousness within the next minute, call 9-1-1. If she does come to, give her some juice. She probably hasn’t eaten all day, it’s been a long one for both of us.”

“10-4,” Fran confirmed as Gabriel ended the call.

Thea struggled to sit up.

“Whoa, there, Thea, let me help you.”

“What happened?” she asked as she slowly pushed herself up, holding her head and looking disorientated.

“I think you fainted. Have you eaten today?”

Thea gave Fran a confused look.

“Look, I was about to call 9-1-1, and unless you drink some juice I’m going to—got it?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m fine. Give me the damn juice,” Thea demanded.

Fran smiled. You can’t keep a good woman down, and she knew Thea would rise to the occasion.

After Thea had drunk the entire glass, Fran helped her stand, and Thea looked at her with wide eyes before racing to the small half bathroom off the kitchen. Fran heard retching into the toilet, then silence.

“Thea, are you okay?” she asked, walking toward the bathroom. She was sitting on the floor next to the toilet, holding her head, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“Here, let me help you.”

“I’ll be okay,” Thea insisted. “What have you heard from Gabriel?”

“Nothing. They haven’t found her and no one has called here that I know of. Did you hear the landline phone ring at all?”

“No, it’s been quiet. No one uses those anymore, anyway.”

“True,” Fran agreed, “but if this is an abduction, it’s likely the home phone they’ll call, unless it’s unlisted—and you need to eat something.”

“I can’t. I feel sick to my stomach.”

“That’s obvious, but you’re not going to be any good to anyone in this condition, and right now Gabriel needs you, and when we find Mackenzie, she’ll need you,” Fran admonished.

“There’s some ginger ale in the fridge. Can you get that for me, please? I’m going to go upstairs for a minute.”

“Probably not wise. What do you need? I’ll get it,” Fran said, leading her to the kitchen island.

“There’s some migraine medicine in my nightstand to the left of the bed. Can you get that for me?”

“Sure thing,” Fran answered as she handed a glass of ginger ale to Thea, and answering her phone as it buzzed. “Hey, Gabriel.”

Thea grabbed Fran’s arm and mouthed, “Don’t say anything.”

Fran rolled her eyes. “I’m headed upstairs to get migraine medicine for Athena.” Then Fran covered the mouthpiece of her phone and glared at Thea, “No more secrets.”

“I think she’s going to be fine. She threw up when she came to, and she’s drinking ginger ale now. What’s the latest there?” she asked as she ran up the stairs to Thea’s room.

She returned within sixty seconds, handing two pills to Thea who gratefully downed them.

“Give me fifteen minutes, and then tell Gabriel I’m coming to him,” said Thea.

Fran opened her mouth to argue, but Thea held up her hand. “I can’t sit in this house—I have to help them find her. We will find her,” she added, and then walked out of the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” Fran called after her.

Thea turned back. “I’m going to lie down on the couch for fifteen minutes, then I want you to come and get me. Promise me, Fran.”

“I promise.”