The Memory of You (Sanctuary Sound #1)(86)

Like smoke, her thoughts vaporized into thin air. She prodded her memory but could only recall seeing two large men joking with each other. Maybe her brother and Ryan were right. Being mugged and beaten might’ve done more than physical damage.

Ryan appeared at her side, his face drawn and tight. “What’s wrong? You look lost.”

“I’m okay.” She rubbed her temple, willing herself to smile and hoping to avoid another interrogation about her mental health. “Low blood sugar? I’ll be fine once we eat.”

He looked around her. “Where’s Emmy?”

“Over there.” She pointed to the picnic table to see, too late, that only the bunny remained.

“Where?” Ryan asked, his voice strained.

Her heart literally stopped as her thoughts splintered in slow motion. “I told her to wait there. I could see her from here.”

He started toward the table, snapping, “If you could see her, then where’d she go?”

“I don’t know.” Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision as she chased after him.

Ryan whirled around on her. “So you weren’t watching?”

“I was, then these guys walked by . . .” Their image flashed through her mind. “One pretended to shoot . . . and I . . . I . . .”

“You zoned out?” Ryan waved her off and called out, “Emmy? Where are you?”

Steffi asked nearby picnickers, “Did you see the little girl who was sitting here? Did you see where she went?”

“No, sorry,” came the blithe response of some tween girls who could barely raise their eyes from their phones.

“I’ll grab a security guard while you keep searching.” Ryan took off, and all the while Steffi saw his head twisting and turning, searching for his child. The one she’d lost.

She canvassed a few more tables. Finally, one skinny kid with a waterfall cowlick said, “I saw a girl with ribbons run that way.” He pointed toward the edge of the field where the portable toilets stood.

“Was she alone?”

He shrugged. “I think so.”

Steffi took off toward the bathrooms, making her way through the teeming crowd, which zigzagged across the fairground. Her typical agility eluded her. Her limbs felt stiff and rusty as her pulse pounded in her ears. She told herself Emmy hadn’t been taken. Ryan could have easily missed seeing her on his way back from the toilets as he waded through the dense crowds.

When she got to the long row of potties, her heart raced faster than during any training run with Benny. She whipped her head left and right. No sign of Emmy or her ribbons. She cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. “Has anyone seen a little girl in a pink ruffled dress with hair ribbons? Dark curly hair, about this tall?”

People shook their heads or ignored her. She wrung her hands, but it didn’t stop them from shaking or her legs from weakening. Then her phone rang. “Ryan?”

“I got her.” His voice was rough with emotion.

Steffi collapsed against a nearby tree, palm pressed to her forehead. “Where are you?”

“Heading back to the picnic tables to get the bunny.” He hung up without saying more.

She jogged back to the tables on wobbly legs. With the threat removed and her adrenaline spike draining, she barked, “What happened, Emmy? Why’d you leave?”

She hadn’t meant to shout. She hadn’t even meant to be angry. Panic brought out the worst in her.

“You fainted, so I went to find my dad,” Emmy cried. Ryan hugged her to his chest and kissed her head, murmuring in her ear to soothe her.

Seems Steffi had given everyone a good scare.

“Oh,” she replied. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I was afraid. And I’m sorry if I scared you when I fainted.”

“Can we go home now?” Emmy said into Ryan’s shirt, not really looking at Steffi.

“Sure.” Ryan stood, also avoiding eye contact. “Get your bunny and we’ll go.”

“I’m sorry,” Steffi repeated stupidly, as if that would help. She didn’t want to leave the fair like some quitter but had lost the will to force more “fun.”

The world’s heaviest silence made the five-mile drive back to Sanctuary Sound feel like a ten-hour trip. When Ryan passed the turnoff to her street, Steffi pointed. “You missed my street.”

“I want to drop Emmy with my mom first, then I’ll take you home.”

Those words might’ve made her hopeful if he’d smiled or reached across the console and taken her hand. Instead, his eyes had remained fixed on the road, his brows drawn together in thought.

Steffi sighed as he pulled up to his mother’s house. She turned toward the back seat. “Emmy, I’m really sorry today wasn’t more fun for you. I hope we can do something else together soon. Maybe you can pick the adventure next time.”

Emmy shrugged without saying much and then slid out of the car.

“Wait here, I’ll only be a minute.” Ryan got out of the car and walked Emmy inside. True to his word, he returned quickly and pulled away from the curb. “Is Claire home?”

“I have no idea.” An hour ago, she’d have paid for time alone with him. Now she wished he’d dropped her off first. “You’re mad at me, huh?”