Page 39 of No More Words

“She wouldn’t be the first.”

“What if she’s hurt or dead? We think something happened to her.”

“Gone,” Josh adds.

“Do you have evidence of that?”

Olivia leans back in her chair. “No, but—”

Tanya lifts a hand, stopping her. “Unless there’s evidence of foul play, Lily, or whatever name your sister is going by, is a grown adult. There isn’t much we can do. Without a last-known location or home address so we can target the right community for potential witnesses, the report is useless. Over half a million people go missing every—”

“I know, I know.” Olivia props her elbow on the table and rests her forehead on her fingers. “There’s got to be something we can do. I’ve got her son. We need to find her.”

“What’s her home address?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hmm.”

“He does, but he hasn’t been able to tell me.” Olivia glances at Josh, who’s staring at the table. His body vibrates, coiled tight. He grinds his teeth. She’s as desperate as Josh to find Lily. Her sister might have slept with Olivia’s boyfriend, but Josh doesn’t deserve to be separated from his mom, no matter the circumstances.

“What about region?” Olivia points at Josh’s ball cap. “He’s from the San Diego area. Right, Josh?” He nods, and she looks hopefully at Tanya. “Does that help?”

Tanya flips open the tablet. “Tell you what, Ms.Carson. We’ll file a courtesy report and distribute to the San Diego law enforcement agency. Without her legal name and address, or a last-known location, it won’t do much good.”

“But it’s something. Right?” She looks at Josh again. He’s frowning, bouncing his fist on the table. A new worry bubbles up in her. “What’s wrong?”

A noise vibrates in the back of his throat and her heart speeds up.

“If you can get the address,” Tanya says, jerking Olivia’s focus back on her, “I can contact local law enforcement to do an in-person wellness check. They’ll send out an officer to knock on her door and talk to her neighbors. Likely, she’ll show up in a few days. Most do.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

Tanya pushes back from the table, ready to leave. “Find her address. Talk to her friends. Someone is bound to know something. When you do find out more, come back.” She pushes her business card across the table.

Josh swipes it onto the floor. “No! Fuck, no!” he explodes like he did the other day with Lucas in her kitchen. He pounds the table with his fists and lunges at Tanya. “Fuck you. You ... hop ... help.”

Tanya leaps back from the table, hand on her holster.

Olivia jumps in front of Josh, heart clogging her throat, eyes huge. Liquid hot panic heats her chest. “Whoa. He’s just a kid.”

Any emotion Tanya might have shown melts off her. She turns her blank expression on Olivia. “Ma’am, calm your nephew down.”

“We’re sorry. He’s upset. He just wants to find his mom. Josh.” She turns to him.

He kicks the chair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. She help. My mom ... mom ...” He cries out. “She’s gone. Gone!”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. Let’s go home. We’ll solve this.” Josh stomps from the room. Olivia grabs her purse and his backpack. “Thanks for your time, Officer,” she says over her shoulder and follows Josh out of the station.

She meets up with him in the parking lot. He circles the car, pacing. While he blows off steam, she lights a cigarette. “I’m sorry she couldn’t help.”

He jabs a finger at her. “You promised.”

“I did. But I need your mom’s name. The police can’t find her—Ican’t find her—until we get that name. What is it?”

His mouth tightens until his lips turn white, head shaking. Then he lets out a roar of frustration. Folding his arms, he leans against the passenger door and sulks.

“Josh.” She drops the cigarette, crushing the butt, and waits until he looks at her. “I’m not giving up. You’d better not either.”

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