No doubt there was all sorts of fallout from that newspaper article. What were they saying on the newscasts? The family had agreed on a no-news-coverage blackout. Movies were the only thing they’d been watching. Jake hadn’t even been watching his regular shows in case there was some “breaking news.” Ava had promised to keep them informed of anything important, and she’d kept that promise.

He watched Ava outside on the phone. His dad had ended his phone call and now was intently listening to Ava’s side of her conversation. Dad stood stiffly, his posture perfect. Even without his cowboy hat, his dad always looked like he was ready to gun someone down. He had that look of tension and preparedness that spoke of razor reflexes. Jake sat up straighter on the couch.

What had happened?

Ava ended her call, and she and Jake’s dad talked heatedly for a moment. Ava used her hands when she talked, reminding him of a stereotypical Italian woman in a movie. Jake studied her face. She looked worried. She glanced his way, and he knew she couldn’t see him through the lightly tinted windows. She looked back at his dad and shook her head. Dad stepped forward and pulled her into a deep hug.

Jake’s jaw dropped.

Ava embraced him back. Her eyes closed. His dad rubbed her back with one hand, but Jake couldn’t see the expression on his face. Dad and Ava? He looked over at Lucas, who continued to snore. No one else had seen the hug. Jake studied the pair again. Dad could do worse. But maybe he’s just comforting her about something.

A big part of him wished McKenzie was there to comfort him in the same way. There was something about being next to her that made him relax. She always smelled so good and was interested in what he had to say. He was tired of Skyping when he knew she was so close. They should be spending time together. He felt like a piece of him was missing because she wasn’t sitting beside him. He had to get over there today. Just for a few minutes. It’d fill that hole he had in his chest.

His dad and Ava separated. Both were nodding as they talked, and they turned to head back into the house. Jake whipped around and stared at the screen, pretending he hadn’t seen the embrace outside. Patrick Stewart was giving orders for an away mission to rescue a crew member. Jake recalled from somewhere in the back of his brain that the mission would be a success.

Why couldn’t his family’s nightmare be resolved within ninety minutes?

“Hey, everyone. Could you all come in here for a moment?” Ava called out as she and his dad came in from outside. Lilian and Robin stepped into the family room from the kitchen, both wiping their hands on towels. Lucas jerked awake and blinked.

“I’ve just had a phone call from the command center,” Ava said. “Someone called in to 911, claiming that Henley has been released. They gave GPS coordinates for us to find her.”

“What?” Lilian grabbed Robin’s shoulder for support. “She’s safe? She’s okay?” Tears started.

Jake held his breath as every muscle in his body froze. Could it be true?

“Hold on.” Ava held up her hands. “We don’t know. We’re sending several teams to the spot. It’s remote and wooded. And there is a chance that this is another fake, like the ransom note. Please keep that in mind. The caller also refused to answer when the operator asked him if the girl was alive.” She looked earnestly at Lilian. “Mason and I were just talking about whether or not we should even tell you before we know if it’s real.”

Jake’s dad nodded.

“Dad didn’t want to get our hopes up,” Jake guessed, excitement making his voice crack. Would Henley come home today?

“No, it was the opposite.” Ava glanced at his dad. “He thought you should know. He’d said he’d want to know as a parent.”

“Thank you for telling us,” Robin said. “We understand you’re just trying to protect us.”

“You’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. So have I. I wasn’t sure this was a roller coaster you’d want to ride again,” said Ava.

“We’ll be fine. Where is the location?” asked Lucas. He looked ready to grab a jacket, hop in his car, and race to find Henley.

“Up the Sandy River. The spot is part of the National Forest, and it’s a really rugged area. If this is real, someone put some effort into getting Henley to that location,” answered Mason. “The FBI is sending teams, and they’ve called the search and rescue organization that handles that area.”

“Can we go?” Lucas asked.

Ava shook her head. “Mason and I are going to the location. Clackamas County has a few deputies outside, so you can contact them if you need something. We’ll let you know as soon as possible if it’s legitimate. It’s going to take us at least an hour to get up the river to that location. Maybe more.”

Lucas turned to look at Robin, and Jake’s heart cracked a little bit at the look of longing on his stepdad’s face. Robin left Lilian’s side and came around Lucas’s chair to sit on his lap. Lucas wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. Jake glanced back at Lilian. She stood still, both arms wrapped around herself as she watched the couple.

She’s got no one but Henley.

And Henley might never return. For a brief second, he thought about giving Lilian a hug, but her expression signaled that she didn’t want to be touched. She was sinking deep inside herself again, where she seemed to have spent so much of the past few days. This morning in the kitchen was the first time Jake had seen her nearly back to normal.