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“AJ” She broke into a run “AJ!”

She skidded to a stop inside the den, heart pounding, htain

AJ was gone

Chapter Fifteen

Gabe feared his head would explode “Tell ain”

He’d driven like ahe’dthrough the telephone line Now, as he stood in Brooke’s den, he still couldn’t believe this was happening

He grabbed Brooke by the arms “From the start”

Eyes frantic and wide, she trembled like an aspen in a windstorm “Someone knocked on the door No one was there When I caone The patio doors were open”

“Call the sheriff Call everyone you know” Punching numbers into the phone he bolted outside and ran from Brooke’s yard to his “AJ! AJ!”

The terror inside hi to steal his sanity He’d co AJ once before This couldn’t be happening

Vaguely he heard Brooke’s voice calling, too She was always diligent to the point of obsession with AJ How could this have happened? How could she have allowed it to happen?

He raced around the house, calling, only to meet Brooke in the front yard

“He’s not there He’s not here” Near hysteria, Brooke clawed at his aret outside?”

“That’s what I want to know” Beginning to shake, he fought fear and lost Where was his son? “How could this happen? Where were you?”

The stricken look on her face slapped at hiize

“I told you He was safe in the den, exhausted from the park I promise, Gabe, he was almost asleep Someone knocked at the door I went to answer”

“Who?”