Man of the Hour

Chapter Two

Glynnis sat in stunned silence.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since that detective left, but it seemed like hours. She couldn’t remember his name, either. All she knew was that he had kind eyes, and they made her want to believe him when he said they’d find Olivia.

Please, God, she prayed over and over again. Please let them find her, and let her be okay. Please.

She kept seeing the way Livvy’s face had looked in the video, all crumpled and scared. By now, she must be terrified. Glynnis bit her lip and clenched her hands to keep them from shaking uncontrollably.

My baby.

How could she have put Livvy down without grabbing on to her hand? Making sure something like this couldn’t happen? What kind of mother was she, anyway? All my life I’ve been making terrible choices. What is wrong with me?

Although she knew it did no good to dwell on the past, she couldn’t seem to stop herself today. Was God punishing her for her bad judgment? For all the mistakes she’d made, especially the worst one nineteen years ago? Was he telling her to be more careful in the future?

Glynnis jumped up and began to pace around the store.

Gregg, where are you? I need you…

In all of her life, her brother was the only one she’d ever been able to depend upon. Everyone else had let her down, but Gregg never had.

They’d always been close, and after their parents died when they were sixteen, they’d become even closer.

But she hadn’t been able to find Gregg today. There was no answer at the house, he wasn’t at the restaurant and when she tried his cell phone, she got his voice mail. She’d left a message, then another with Janine, the hostess at Antonelli’s, the restaurant Gregg had owned for the past six years.

Poor Janine. She’d been so upset. She’d kept apologizing and saying she wasn’t sure where Gregg had gone, only that he’d left at noon and said he wouldn’t be back today.

“If he calls, I’ll be sure and tell him what happened. Do you have your cell phone with you? Is there anything anyone else can do? Do you want Steve to come?”

Steve was Glynnis’s and Gregg’s cousin, and for nearly two years he’d been Gregg’s right-hand man at the restaurant.

“No,” Glynnis said, “that’s okay. You need him there.”

“What about Kat? I could call her for you.”

Kat Sherman was Glynnis’s best friend, and everyone at the restaurant knew her.

“Thanks. I—I’ll call her myself.”

Kat hadn’t let her down. “You just hold on,” she said when Glynnis told her what had happened. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

That had been twenty-five minutes ago, so Kat should arrive at any time.

“Mommy?”

Startled, Glynnis blinked.

“Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” What was wrong with her? She’d almost forgotten her son was there, he’d been so quiet. “There’s a bathroom right there.” She turned and pointed to the door behind them.

“Okay.”

“Do I need to come with you?”

Michael shook his head. “Nuh-uh.”

“Be sure to wash your hands when you’re done.”

“I know.”

She watched him as he walked inside. He was such a good kid. So was Livvy. They were wonderful children. They were the reason she could never regret her relationship with their father, for if she hadn’t married Ben March, she wouldn’t have had Michael and Olivia. They were worth any amount of humiliation she had suffered over her gullibility and misplaced trust in their father.

When Michael came out of the bathroom, he said, “Mom, where did Livvy go?”

The look in his eyes almost broke her heart, and she drew him into a hug. The feel of his warm body, the trusting way he wrapped his arms around her neck, was nearly her undoing. “I don’t know, honey, but I don’t want you to worry. The policemen will find her.”

“But why did she go? She knows she’s not s’posed to go anywhere with strangers!”

“Oh, honey, I—” What could she say that wouldn’t frighten him?

“Glynnis?”

“Aunt Kat!” Forgetting all about his question, Michael broke away from Glynnis and ran to Kat, who stood in the doorway of the small office. The children adored Kat, so much so that Glynnis had deemed her an honorary aunt. Kat bent down and gave Michael a hug. When she straightened, her eyes were suspiciously shiny.

Glynnis had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. She got up, and the two women hugged hard.

“Glynnis, this is just awful. I am so sorry.”

Glynnis swallowed against the lump in her throat. “It’s all my fault.”

“Oh, hon, don’t blame yourself. You can’t watch them every second.”

“Don’t try to make me feel better, Kat. I’m a total screwup. I can’t do anything right.”

Kat took her by the shoulders. “Now you listen to me, Glynnis Antonelli.” Fiercely loyal and outraged by Ben March’s deceit and bigamous marriage to Glynnis, she never used the March name. In fact, Kat had tried to persuade Glynnis to change the children’s names. Glynnis had considered it, but in the end, she’d decided it would only hurt and confuse them, especially Michael, who was old enough to question the reason.

“You are not a screwup,” Kat continued vehemently. You’ve had some rotten breaks, that’s all. None of what’s happened has been your fault.”

“I lost my child, Kat! What kind of mother loses her child? All for a sweater. For a stupid sweater! I knew they were tired and cranky, yet I had to push them. Why couldn’t I have just taken them home when they wanted to go?” She could hear her voice rising and knew she was becoming hysterical, knew she was frightening Michael, yet she couldn’t seem to stop. “Oh, Kat…” she cried.

“Ah, honey…”

This time when Kat put her arms around Glynnis, Glynnis broke down.

“Mommy?”

“Mom’s okay,” Kat assured Michael. Fiercely, she whispered in Glynnis’s ear. “Get ahold of yourself. You’re scaring Michael.”

Drawing on every ounce of strength she possessed, Glynnis got herself under control again.

“Okay, now calmly tell me everything,” Kat said. She put her arm around Michael and drew him close.

When Glynnis finished, Kat wore her determined look, the one that meant she was going to take charge. “What’re the police doing? Besides checking people at the exit? Are they searching all the stores? Did they put out an Amber Alert? Contact the TV stations? Who’s in charge? Do you know? Is my brother here?” The questions tumbled out in a rapid-fire barrage.

“I don’t know who’s in charge,” Glynnis said. “I can’t remember his name. I was in such a fog when he got here, I didn’t hear what he said. He seemed to know what he was doing, though.”

“I hope so. You do know my brother moved back and is now working for the Ivy Police Department, right? I told you, didn’t I?”

“Yes.” But until now, Glynnis had forgotten.

“Well, we need to get him out here if he’s not here already. He’s got all kinds of experience that these small-town cops don’t have.”

“For all I know, he might be here. The two officers who came initially sent for more backup.”

“I’ll call him just to make sure.” Kat whipped out her cell phone and punched in a few numbers. She tapped her small, booted foot impatiently as she waited. “He’s not home. I’ll call the station.”

Glynnis watched her. If she hadn’t been so worried and frightened she might have been amused. Kat was never unsure of herself; she never hesitated. She saw a problem, she decided on a course of action and she jumped in with both feet. Glynnis wished she could be like that. Anytime she’d made a quick decision, it had turned out to be a bad mistake. Now caution was her watchword. Except for today. Today you weren’t cautious at all.

“Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Oh, really?” Kat grinned at Glynnis and made an O with her thumb and forefinger. A few seconds later, she switched the phone off. “Dan is here. He’s the detective in charge of the case.”

“You’re kidding.” Glynnis pictured the detective who had been so kind—the dark, unruly hair, the world-weary blue eyes, the tall, athletic body. Now that she knew he was Kat’s brother Dan, she immediately saw the resemblance. “He was so nice.”

“Does he know who you are?” Kat asked. “And by the way, where is he?”

“I don’t know. To both questions. He said he was setting up a command post in the management office, so he could be there.”

“Is the management office down by the food court?”

“Yes, I think so. I’m sure I’ve seen a sign when I’ve used those rest rooms down there.”

“Want to walk down and see if we can find him?”

“I don’t think I should. He told me to stay here…just in case.”

“In case what?”

“You know.” Glynnis realized they’d already said too much in front of Michael, but what could she do? He was avidly listening. “In case Livvy should come back here looking for me.”

“But…” Kat stopped at the expression on Glynnis’s face. She glanced down at Michael. “Of course. That was silly of me. All right. I’ll go down and see if Dan’s at the management office and try to find out what I can. Want me to get you guys anything to eat or drink while I’m there?”

Glynnis looked at Michael. “Do you want something to eat from the food court, honey?”

He nodded. “Uh-huh.”

“Yes, please,” Glynnis corrected automatically.

“Yes, please,” he echoed.

“What would you like?” Kat asked.

“Chicken nuggets and a Coke?” he said hopefully, eyeing Glynnis.

“Whatever you want,” she said.

“Some french fries, too?” Kat said.

“Okay. And will you get me lots of ketchup?” He turned to Glynnis. “Mom, can we get some for Livvy, too? ’Cause when she comes back, she’ll be hungry.” The worried look was back in his eyes.

“Livvy will probably want to pick out her own food.” It was all Glynnis could think to say.

“I know what she likes,” he said stubbornly.

“Tell you what,” Kat said. “Why don’t you come with me, Michael? That way you can see everything they have and if you decide you want something else, you can get it. You can also tell Livvy everything they have, since she can’t read yet.”

Glynnis shot Kat a grateful look. “That’s a good idea.” She opened her handbag to get her wallet.

“Put that money away,” Kat said in her I-won’t-tolerate-any-argument voice. “What can I get you, Glynnis? Sandwich? Coffee? A Coke? A bottle of water?”

“Just coffee.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Okay. We’ll be back. See you later.” Kat took Michael’s hand. “Let’s go, slugger.”

Glynnis followed them outside and watched as they walked away. The ache in her chest was so huge that it was hard to breathe. Michael looked so little and so vulnerable. Every instinct told her to run after them and snatch Michael back. She knew that was crazy. Nothing bad would happen to him in Kat’s care. After all, Kat was not a screwup. She’d never lost a child.

Unlike you, who’ve now lost two.

The dark thought, which had been trying to surface for hours, slammed into Glynnis with the force of a hurricane.

Shaking, she stumbled back into the shop.

Dan was halfway back to Corinne’s Closet when he saw his sister Kat and the March woman’s little boy walking toward him.

“What are you doing here?” he said.

“Glynnis called me.”

“Glynnis?”

“Have you met Michael, Dan? Michael, honey, this is my brother, Lieutenant O’Neill. And Dan, this is Michael. His mom is Glynnis Antonelli, my best friend. Michael, why don’t you go look at the puppies?” There was a pet store a few feet away. “I’ll just be a minute.” To Dan she said, “It’s okay if he goes over there, isn’t it?”

If there had been people around, Dan would have said no. He sure didn’t want another kid going missing. But all the pedestrian traffic had been cleared out of the inner part of the mall, so there was no danger to Michael. “Sure, it’s okay.” Dan would keep one eye on him anyway. Once Michael was out of ear-shot, Dan said, “I thought her name was March.”

“She goes by March. See, she married this March guy and it turned out he was already married. A fact he conveniently didn’t tell her. Which means they were never legally married at all.” Kat’s expression left no room for doubt about her feelings.

“Why do you call her Antonelli if she goes by March?”

“Because I refuse to acknowledge that bastard,” Kat said with that look he knew well, the obstinate one that said she’d made up her mind and nothing anyone else said was going to make a bit of difference. Of all his siblings, Kat was the most unbending when she felt she was right.

“How’s she doing?” he asked.

“She’s hanging in there. More important, how are you doing?”

“The investigation’s moving along. We’re searching all the stores. If we find her here, great. In the meantime, we’ll call in an Amber Alert, which will broadcast the details nationwide and alert all appropriate authorities.”

“Do you think there’s any chance the woman is still here somewhere?”

Dan shrugged. “That’s impossible to know. I hope she is, but if she isn’t, it’ll be hours before we know for sure, because it’s going to take time to do a complete search of all the stores. Hell, there are five anchor stores here. That alone is a massive job.”

“Oh, Dan, you’ve got to find Olivia. You’ve just got to. Glynnis has already been through so much. If something has happened to Olivia, it…it would destroy her.”

“Believe me, I want to find that child just as much as you do.”

Just then, the boy walked back to them. “I’m hungry, Aunt Kat.”

“I’m sorry, Michael.” Turning back to Dan, she said, “I promised Michael some food. That’s where we were headed.”

“You go on. And after you get your food, you can take it to the management office. They’ve got a waiting room there that’s a lot more comfortable than the little office at Corinne’s Closet.”

“But Glynnis is waiting for us at the store.”

“I’m going there now. I’ll get her and bring her to where you are.”

“Okay. See you in a little while.”

When Dan got to the store, he saw Glynnis March out front.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I couldn’t stand sitting back in that office one minute longer.”

Now that Dan knew more about her situation, he felt even worse for her. She was showing the strain of the past hour. It hurt to see the plea in her eyes, because he had no good news for her. “That’s okay. I actually came back to tell you that I thought it would be okay for you to come to the management office now.”

She looked stricken. “Oh.”

“That doesn’t mean you should give up hope. Or that we have. It only means that I don’t think your little girl will be brought back here. Just to be sure, though, that guard—” he inclined his head in the direction of the security guard standing nearby “—will stay here, even after the store is locked up.”

She nodded. “All right. Thank you.”

“Wait for me here. I’ll go in and tell the manager she can lock up.”

When Dan came back outside, she said, “Kat told me you’re her brother. When you introduced yourself, I was so frightened, I don’t think I even heard your name.”

He smiled. “It’s Dan. Dan O’Neill.”

“And I’m Glynnis, but you already knew that.”

“I wish we could have met under happier circumstances.”

“Me, too.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Dan wondered what was going through her mind. He hoped she wasn’t blaming herself, but he was afraid she was. He wanted to tell her that no matter how careful a parent was, things like this happened. He also wanted to tell her he understood how helpless she was feeling. But he knew neither would be a comfort to her, so he said nothing.

When they reached the management office, he ushered her inside, where Kat and the boy were already seated around the coffee table. The smell of french fries made Dan’s stomach grumble, and he realized he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. He glanced at his watch. Almost five-thirty. Soon everyone would be getting hungry and they would have to be fed. Dan had been prepared for this contingency and had asked several of the food venues to stay open for just that purpose. The men could eat in shifts; that way, the search could continue without interruption.

Dan left the women and the boy in the outer waiting area and walked back into the manager’s office, which he’d commandeered for his own. It was time to call each of his men to get a progress report.

After that, he would decide if they needed to call in any neighboring law enforcement personnel to speed things along.

He picked up the phone.

At eight o’clock, when the search for Olivia had been going on for more than four hours with no good news, Gregg and Sabrina finally arrived at the mall.

Glynnis broke down when she saw them. “Thank God you’re here.” She tried not to cry, but one look at her brother’s worried face and she couldn’t hold back the tears.

“I’m sorry, Glynnie. We went to Columbus,” Gregg said, folding her into his arms. “I wanted to meet with this possible new vendor and Sabrina wanted to finish up her shopping there.”

“We were just sick when we heard what happened,” Sabrina said.

“I’m just glad you’re here now.”

When she was calm, she filled them in on everything she hadn’t been able to say in her message. Throughout, Sabrina held her hand.

Glynnis loved Sabrina. Their relationship had been awkward in the beginning, because Sabrina was Ben’s daughter, and Glynnis hadn’t found out about her existence until Ben had died.

In fact, Sabrina was the one who came to Ivy to break the news—something Ben had asked her to do in a letter he’d left with his lawyer. That was tough on her. Her mother, Isabel—Ben’s only legal wife—was hysterical over Ben’s double life and mortified by the scandal it had caused in their little town. She would have felt completely betrayed by Sabrina if she’d known of her daughter’s involvement with her husband’s other family.

Sabrina had been put in a horrible position, which only became more difficult as she got to know Glynnis and the children, whom she’d immediately loved.

And then, complicating matters even further, she fell in love with Gregg. For a while, no one who knew the story thought it could possibly have a happy ending, but it did. In fact, Gregg and Sabrina were one of the happiest couples Glynnis had ever known. And not long ago, their happiness had become complete when, on their daughter Samantha’s christening day, Sabrina’s mother had forgiven Sabrina and the two had reconciled.

Isabel was remarried now, which was a whole other story.

Thinking back over the rocky road they’d all traveled, Glynnis knew they were lucky to have ended up a loving family unit. Glynnis would have loved Sabrina under any circumstances, simply because she made Gregg so happy. It was a bonus that she was such a wonderful person and someone Glynnis would have enjoyed having as a friend even if they hadn’t been related.

When Glynnis finished explaining everything, Gregg said he’d like to talk to the cop in charge.

“That’s the other thing I wanted to tell you,” Glynnis said. “He’s Kat’s brother.”

Gregg turned to Kat. “I didn’t know you had a brother on the police force.”

“Dan’s six years older than me and he’s lived in Chicago since he was twenty. He was with the Chicago PD for more than seventeen years. Three months ago he decided he needed a change, so he moved back to Ivy, and now he’s a lieutenant with the Ivy Police Department.”

“That’s good news,” Gregg said. “He’s probably got a lot more experience than most of the cops on the force.”

“Yes,” Kat said. “He does. And believe me, he’ll do everything possible to find Olivia. Everything.”

“I’d still like to talk to him.”

“Then let’s go see if we can find him,” Kat said.

“I’ll stay here with Glynnis and Michael,” Sabrina said. She smiled down at Michael, who hadn’t left her side since she’d arrived.

After Kat and Gregg left them, Sabrina said, “Are you doing okay? Is there anything I can get you? Something to eat?”

Glynnis shook her head. The thought of food made her feel sick.

“What about you, Michael?” Sabrina said.

“He ate earlier,” Glynnis said.

“A cookie, maybe?”

Glynnis knew Sabrina just needed to feel she was doing something useful, even if it was only feeding them. God knows Glynnis understood. She’d felt totally useless for hours. She looked down at Michael, who gave her a hopeful smile. “Are the shops in the food court still open?”

“Not all of them, but the cookie place was when we came in.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” Glynnis said.

They bought Michael his cookie and then slowly walked back to the management office. Gregg and Kat rejoined them a bit later. Gregg sat next to Glynnis and squeezed her hand. “Lieutenant O’Neill knows what he’s doing, Glynnie. He’ll find her.”

But as the clock moved inexorably forward, Glynnis’s hopes began to fade. If Livvy had been in the mall, surely they would have found her by now.

Finally Sabrina rose. “Glynnis, Gregg is going to stay with you, but I’ve got to go. I told Mrs. Phillips I’d be back for Samantha by ten-thirty, and it’s almost that now.”