Nate was lost. He just didn’t know what to do. It was going on almost a week since his daughter was taken. He hadn’t seen Celeste since she had left his grandparents house on Sunday. Hadn’t talked to her since that night as well. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to her because he did. He really did. He couldn’t bring himself to answer her calls or call her. Even her numerous texts had gone with no reply.
As many times as he had told his sister that it wasn’t her fault that Brooklyn was taken, he couldn’t help but feel that is was his fault. If he hadn’t left and went on a trip to Mexico his daughter would be in his arms where she belonged. Sam wouldn’t have done a damn thing if he was there. But he wasn’t. That fact damn near undid him.
All week he had been out with his mother, sister and grandparents. They had made a missing person’s poster and had been handing them out. They covered about a five - or so - block radius from the store Brooklyn had been taken from. Hopefully there was someone - anyone - who could give them any kind of information. It was better to be physically searching instead of waiting for leads. Never know who might have some type of information but didn’t want to go to the police with it.
“It’s getting late,” Jessica commented as she looked up at the darkening sky.
Nate looked up as well. “Yeah, it is.” he sighed
Jess looked over at him. “I just don’t get it.”
“Get what?”
“How every single lead the cops have gotten led to nothing. Absolutely nothing.” she replied “How could she have just disappeared? She has to have someone helping her, she isn’t the brightest crayon in the box to have come up with whatever she planned by herself.”
“We both know that the police have already been in contact with her family. They haven’t seen or heard from her.” Nate sighed. He had, had this same conversations numerous times.
“Yes, because talking to a Detective is going to make someone tell the truth,” she said dryly
“Can we please, not do this again?”
“I’m sorry,”
“Don’t be”
Nate slung his arm around his little sisters shoulder and led her back to his truck. He prayed that they would get a solid lead soon. He missed his daughter terribly and wanted her back home safe and sound. Never once did he think that there might be a chance he’d never see her again. He wouldn’t allow his mind to drift toward those kinds of thoughts, it would feel like he had given up hope if he did. That was one thing that he would never do; give up hope.
Since they hadn’t wandered too far form their grandparents house that day, they hadn’t needed Nate’s truck. Not like it mattered all that much to him, he’d walk to the ends of the earth - and then some - for his daughter. The walk back was slow going, neither of them rushing back.
“Have you talked to Cece?” Jess asked
Nate sighed - something he found himself doing a lot of lately. “No I haven’t”
“Why not? I mean, you do know that she practically leading the search for Brooklyn back home, right?”
“Yes, I know. Hunter called and told me about it. He call’s everyday to keep me updated.”
