Page 116 of Falling for Brody

She reached for his arm and managed to find it without looking.

Rhea was afraid if she turned away she'd lose sight.

"Chief?"

"Yes?"

"There." She lifted her chin. "That man in the t-shirt and dark jeans. Walking around behind the tent."

She felt him grip her hand.

"That's one of my husband's family. I... I don't remember his name, but he's part of the family."

She didn't hear an answer from him, but one moment the Chief was standing beside her and the next moment, he was gone.

Rhea stood there, her gaze fixed on the man she hadn't seen in... years?

He'd been younger. A teen.

He was still skinny, but she could see that he was hurting, scratches on his arms.

And as she watched the Chief of Police grab him up, she wanted to make him hurt more.

She stalked forward, straight for him.

"Where is he? Where is my son!?"

He ducked his head, hiding his gaze from her.

"You better hope that he's okay! You better pray-"

Someone caught her arm and held her back as Simon walked him quickly toward a squad car. Simon met her gaze over the top of the car as he pushed the man inside the cage in the backseat.

"I'm taking him in to question him."

She nodded and found herself sinking to the grass under her feet.

It was all she could do to breathe while she waited for word, so she bowed her head and started to pray.

* * *

Chip was ready to cry.Ready to sob.

All he wanted was his mother.

But he was in the woods, hiding from a man who wanted to take him away and hoping for a rescue.

It had been a while since he'd heard any noise or voices.

He wanted to get up and start walking again, but who knew where that man was?

When he did leave his hiding place, he didn't want to be taken away again.

"I want to go home."

He whispered the words and remembered watching the movie with his mother and Aunt Bee.

"He thought Dorothy had been silly for what she said, but now, he understood.

---