I carried those words back into the room, where I sat beside my sleeping daughter and waited for the moment when she would be able to hear them.

PART 5

The first call from Garrett came at nine sixteen that morning.

My phone lit up while I was holding a cup of vending-machine coffee.

I recognized his number, but not the urgent voice on the other end.

“Samantha, thank goodness.

Nobody will tell me where Chloe is.

I’ve been worried sick.”