Missing

"On Cloud Nine?" Melissa offered.

"Yes! Exactly. So you observed this behavior, too?"

"All weekend as a matter of fact," Melissa told her.

"Did Kaylie give you any indication of any...changes in her life?"

"Okay, now you're scaring me," Melissa said. "What exactly are you talking about?"

There was a lengthy pause before the guidance counselor continued. "Ms. Kellogg, Kaylie told me something that I found rather...disconcerting."

"Disconcerting? What in God's name does that mean?" she demanded to know. "What did my daughter tell you, Ms. Goldman?"

"Is there an older man in her life by any chance?"

That question alone sent chills through Melissa's body as she continued to listen.

"An older man with whom she might possibly be...romantically involved?"

Melissa was unable to think. Her mind was a firestorm of activity incapable of sorting out the various signals it was sending.

"Ms. Kellogg? Are you still there?" Andrea asked.

"Yes. Yes, I'm here. Go ahead, please."

"Is there anyone, anyone at all, you can think of?"

"Yes," Melissa croaked as her voice cracked, her throat having gone dry.

"Kaylie won't say who it is, but she admitted she's in love...well, those are her words...with someone who recently kissed her. Does that make any..."

"Someone...kissed her? Some...older man...kissed my daughter?" Melissa's voice was rising as anger replaced fear.

"That's my sense based on what Kaylie told me. We don't have any proof, but we take these kinds of things very seriously. After all, why would a young woman lie about something like that, right?"

Melissa's voice was now hollow as she replied. "Right. Of course we have to believe her."

"I've referred her to our country psychologist, Dr. Bateman. Kaylie will be meeting with him tomorrow. Normally, I wouldn't share this information with a parent, but since this...older man appears not to be an employee of the school district I..."

"No, that's fine. Thank you for calling. I...I appreciate it very much." Melissa didn't listen any further. She hung up the phone and sat there staring at it.

"Everything okay, Mel?" her co-worker asked.

Melissa looked up then said, "No. No, everything is not okay." She stood up, grabbed her purse and said, "There's an emergency. I...I've got to leave."

As Melissa strode passed her, her co-worker said, "Is it Kaylie? Is she okay? Melissa! Wait. Let me help!"

She was already out the door and on her way to her car. The anger was building inside her and anger turned to rage by the time she arrived at the studio. Mellisa neither noticed nor cared that her car took up two spaces when she parked or that Kyle was all alone inside when she slammed the door behind her. She also didn't hear him when he said, "Hey! How's my favorite student's beautiful mom?"

She walked up to him and stuck a long fingernail in his face as she screamed, "Listen to me you sick bastard! You stay away from my daughter! Do you HEAR me? If you ever touch her again, I'll not only call the police, I'll kill you myself!"

Kyle's eyes were wide with disbelief. His jaw was agape and his mind was reeling. "Melissa, I've never so much as touched Kaylie. This is all some kind of..."

"Stop it! Just STOP IT! I know about the kiss, you son of a bitch!! Don't you EVER come near my daughter again or I swear to God..."

She was shaking so hard she could barely stand. Kyle threw his hands up in a kind of 'I surrender' mode to try and calm her down. "Okay. Okay. I understand," he said not understanding anything as he watched her spin around and storm out of the studio slamming the door again as she left.

"What in the hell just happened?" he said to himself as he watched her drive away. His own hands were shaking and he had the same kind of sick feeling he'd had when his first love told him she could never be with him.

Melissa was too upset to go back to work. Instead, she went home and waited impatiently for her daughter to get back from school. She'd managed to calm herself down somewhat, and by the time Kaylie walked in, she was able to put on a believable front that all was well.

"How was your day, honey?" she asked.

"Um...fine. But why are you home so early, Mom?" Kaylie asked pleasantly.

"Oh, um, they owed me some comp time so I thought I'd spend it with you, honey." She wasn't looking at Kaylie for fear her daughter would know something was wrong. "So did anything...unusual happen today?"

Kaylie opened a diet soda, took a sip, then said, "No, not really. I was just so happy all day."

"Oh, I see. You um, seemed pretty happy this weekend, too."

"Yeah, I've been SO happy since I played that last piece for Kyle. He said I was magnificent!"

Melissa felt herself begin trembling again at the mention of his name. "Really? I guess all that practice paid off then."

"I'll say!" Kaylie said as she turned in a circle imitating a ballerina. "I am just so happy, Mom!"

The sick feeling in her stomach was producing bile and the bitter taste filled Melissa's mouth. "Is...Kyle the source of all this newfound happiness, by any chance?" she forced herself to say with a smile.

"Oh, Mom! He's just so...amazing!"

Her blood was running hot as she said, "Your guidance counselor called me today at work."

Kaylie's smile evaporated immediately. "She what? She called you? What did she say?"

"Let's sit down, honey. We need to talk."

"No! I am not sitting down and we are not talking. Just tell me what she said, Mom!"

"She...she told me about an older man, an older man who kis..."

"What? Oh, my GOD!! She TOLD you? I HATE her!" Kaylie screamed as she ran upstairs.

Melissa wanted to follow her. She wanted to hold her daughter. She needed to hold her, but she knew Kaylie saw her as being the 'bad guy' just as much as her guidance counselor. She'd have to wait and give her time to calm down. Then she could explain how she wasn't pressing charges because she knew how Kaylie felt. But she'd have to understand he was not only too old for her, but that this was illegal and...disgusting. Most of all she'd have to understand that any future contact, no matter how seemingly insignificant, would force her to call the police. She had to understand. She had to.

That conversation had taken place at 3pm. It was now 8pm and Melissa hadn't heard a sound from her daughter's room. No music, no phone conversation, no crying. Nothing. She was sure Kaylie had fallen asleep and decided not to check on her until she went to bed herself at around 11 o'clock.

The light was still on and Melissa could see it shining under the door. She always knocked, but this time she didn't want to wake her daughter so she very carefully turned the doorknob and pushed it open ever-so slightly.

It was winter outside and yet it was toasty warm in the house and Kaylie's room should have been just as warm as the hallway. The cold air she felt on her skin sent a new kind of chill through Melissa's body as she pushed the door open wide enough to see Kaylie's empty bed. Her heart was in her throat when she panned around the room and saw the bedroom window wide open and felt the cold air rushing in.

There was a pile of books in the middle of her bed, but her backpack was missing. Panicked, Melissa looked around quickly and noticed her drawers were open and things were missing. Underwear, socks, her makeup, her curling iron, a pair of jeans and a couple of shirts along with her coat.

Unable to think clearly, Melissa sat on the bed and began to cry. As she imagined things no mother should ever imagine, she began to sob. When she could no longer hold herself up, she lay herself on Kaylie's pillow and cried until she fell asleep.

It was just after 1am when she awoke in a start, freezing cold, and dreaming she was at her grandmother's home in Minnesota during Christmas vacation. "Kaylie!" she called out as she sat bolt upright.

She quickly checked every room of the house before dialing 911. Within an hour a detective was at her house taking her statement.

"We can't officially do anything until she's been missing for 24 hours, but we can talk to this Kyle person."

Melissa was still in a state of panic and the detective did his best to calm her down. "I want you to call all of her friends. Wake them up if necessary, but call. Have them physically check every room in their house to see if Kaylie might be there. A friend could easily have let her in without the parents knowing it and there's a good chance she's at their house for the night."

"But what if she's not?" Melissa said shaking with fear.

"Let's take this one step at a time," he told her. "You make the calls and I'll have my partner go visit this Mr. Redding. If she's there, we'll arrest him and bring your daughter home."

"Oh, my God, oh, my God!" Melissa said as she cried and shook.

Two hours later she'd called every single friend Kaylie had since childhood. All of the parents were more than understanding and checked their entire house plus the garage, their cars, the attic, and where they existed, the basements. No one had seen Kaylie and Melissa was now sick with worry she was not only with him, but that they'd run away together.

The detective's partner called shortly after that. "Okay, my partner spent nearly an hour with this Redding character. Kaylie isn't there. He also has a very different story about this physical contact and kiss the guidance counselor mentioned." He watched for a reaction before asking, "Would you like to hear his account of what happened?"

When he finished explaining what his partner had relayed, Melissa realized she'd never once considered the possibility that Kaylie had kissed him. In her zeal to believe her daughter and believe the worst about Kyle, it never occurred to her he might not have done anything inappropriate.

"Was he...angry...with me?" she asked almost apologetically.

The detective opened the little green notebook he'd used to jot down what his partner had said, then looked at Melissa. "Are you sure you want to hear this right now?"

Without speaking, Melissa just nodded.

"He said he feels terrible about this, that he'd never do anything to hurt you or Kaylie because..." He paused and looked right at Melissa.

"It's okay. Go ahead, Detective. Please finish."

"He said he could never do anything to hurt you because...well, says he's been in love with you for the last two years." He saw her look at him in a way that made him very uncomfortable. "Ma'am? Are you okay? Those aren't my words. They're Kyle Redding's."

Suddenly, everything became so clear. The smiles, the discounted lessons, the extra time he gave Kaylie for free, the way he always complemented her no matter how she looked. She'd assumed he was just a genuinely nice young man; a very happy, pleasant, friendly person who always treated other people well.

She had to admit she loved the way his words and his smile made her feel. He was so boyishly handsome with those amazing eyes of his and that dark hair with the kind of spit curl at the end. But...but he was really just a boy—not someone to be taken seriously. Why, he couldn't be much more than maybe 21 and Melissa was turning 32 later that year. And yet she found herself oddly attracted to him.

"Ms. Kellogg? Are you okay?" the detective asked.

"Yes," she said without looking at him. "I'm fine. Or at least I will be." She sat there for a few moments without saying a word. She looked up and said, "I think I owe Mr. Redding an apology."

"That's between you and him, ma'am," the detective said. "In the meantime, we'll have our officers keep an eye out for anyone fitting your daughter's description. When we hit the 24-hour mark, we'll be able to do a lot more. In the meantime, I'm afraid there's going to be a lot of long, painful waiting. Is there anything else I can do before I leave?"

"No. Thank you, Detective," she said.

"We'll be in contact and if you think of anything—anything at all, don't hesitate to call, okay?"

"I won't," she told him. She was still worried sick about her daughter, but the guilt she felt was growing and that was just one more thing she didn't need on her plate. She had to call him and apologize, even if he wouldn't talk to her or accept it.

She heard the phone ringing followed by his voice. "Kyle? It's Melissa—Kellogg. Please don't hang up. I'm begging you. I know you don't want to talk to me and I can't blame you if you hate me. I'm so very sorry." She didn't want to cry, but the emotional toll was too much.

He hadn't spoken and the hurt was unbearable. "Can you ever forgive me?" she said, her voice choked with emotion.

"Of course I can," he finally said in a tone so understanding it touched her heart. "I just need you to know with absolute certainty, I did not...touch or kiss Kaylie."

He quickly recounted exactly what was said after she played the piece for him along with his offering her a hug. "It was purely platonic on my end. I was so happy for her. That was a very tough piece and then she just..."

"No, I get it. Now it all makes sense," she told him. "I think Kaylie's had a crush on you for quite sometime, Kyle."

"Melissa, I've never done anything to encourage her I prom..."

"I know," she said quietly. "You're a good man. And you're also very good looking and Kaylie is 14 and very impressionable. It all fits."

"I want to help," Kyle said.

"Thank you, but there's nothing more we can do until we reach the 24-hour mark. But that's very kind of you to offer," she said sincerely.

"Yes, there is," he told her. He explained how he could help and Melissa sat in stunned silence before finally saying it might be very helpful. Kyle then asked her, "So...would you let me call him?"

"I...I can't even imagine how much that would cost, Kyle. I can't possibly ask you to..."

"I don't care how much it costs, Melissa. Please, let me do this for you. For Kaylie." He heard her crying again and said, "It'll be okay. I'm going to call him right now. Okay?"

"Okay," he heard her sob.

"I'll call you back in a few minutes. I promise."

The line went dead and Melissa sat there on the couch all alone and cried so hard she thought she might shake apart.

*****

"Mr. Elkins? This is Kyle Redding. I'm sorry to wake you..."

"Kyle? Jesus? What time is it?" He strained to see the red numbers on the clock at said, "It's after 3:00am. This can't be a social call. Is it fair to assume you're taking me up on my offer?"

Kyle explained the situation to the man he'd once met out on tour and forgotten. The only reason he had his number was because Elkins lived in Albuquerque and had stopped by Kyle's studio the first day it opened. He told Kyle he and his wife had seen him in concert in Phoenix and that he'd even met him after the concert. Kyle apologized for not remembering him, but he'd forgotten nearly everyone he'd ever met on tour.

"It's okay. My wife and I were such big fans of yours. We had plans to go see you again in Las Vegas before you...you know."

They chatted for a few minutes then the man handed him a business card. "I don't know how I could ever be of service, but should you need a private investigator someday, just call."

He looked at the card which had the name Morris Elkins at the top with his business address and phone number at the bottom.

Elkins was already out of bed and getting dressed. "Okay, have the mother text you some current photos of her daughter. I'll get my people out canvassing the local area immediately while I head to her house. Can you meet me there in say...twenty minutes?"

Kyle hung up and dialed Melissa's number. She answered before the first ring was complete. "Kyle? What did you find out? What did your investigator say? Can he help? Will he?"

Kyle told her what Elkins said then asked her for the photos and let her know they were on their way to her house.

"I'll send those immediately," Melissa said. "And Kyle? I can't thank you enough..." Her voice trailed off as she fought back tears again.

"It's okay. There's no need to thank me. Just get us those photos as soon as you can and we'll see you soon. If he shows up first he's a white male about 50 years old with thinning brown hair and glasses. But he's supposed to be really good, Melissa. And...try not to worry, okay?" he told her as he headed out.

"Okay," she replied knowing that wasn't possible.

Moments later she took pictures of some recent photos of Kaylie with her cell phone and texted them to Kyle. He let her know he had them then forwarded them on to Elkins who did the same to his two associates who were already on their way.

Elkins had his guys on conference call as he drove. "Davey, you hit every convenience store, restaurant, anything that's open in the neighborhood. Eddie, you start at the house, go out the same window as the girl and follow her tracks as far as you can. Let Dave know what you find and coordinate!" He knew he didn't have to tell them how to do their job. He just couldn't change his ways. Telling them somehow made him feel better.

The porch light was on as Elkins walked up. The door opened before he could knock. "Ms. Kellogg? I'm Morris Elkins. Tell me everything you know and don't leave anything out."

It took less than five minutes to recount every detail to include what Kaylie had taken with her.

"I'll be honest. Taking those items indicates she's most likely not planning to stay overnight with a friend." Melissa covered her mouth to hide her fear and Elkins said, "I'm not trying to frighten you. I am however, being brutally honest and I always will be. The first 24 hours are critical. The only really good news we have is she doesn't appear to have been abducted. My sense is she's either somewhere familiar or she's hitched a ride with someone which, at this point, seems to be our greatest concern."

Melissa had already thought of that, but actually hearing the words made her want to throw up. Elkins stopped talking when they heard a knock at the door.

"Kyle?" Melissa called out as she ran to the door. She saw him in the dim light and began crying again. "Kyle, I'm...so sorry!" She looked at him and held out her arms and as he reached for her he could feel the pain she was feeling.

"It's okay," he told her as she laid her head on his shoulder and cried. "Shhh. It's gonna be okay."

Elkins came to the front door and nodded waiting for them to come inside. Only Elkins seemed to be aware of just how cold it was outside as they stood there with the door wide open.

Finally, Melissa let him go and asked him to come in. "Can I get anyone anything? Some coffee maybe? I know I could use some," she said. Both men nodded and Melissa said, "Three cups coming right up."

"Tell me your side of the story," Elkins told Kyle as Melissa went to the kitchen. When he was done, Elkins asked loudly enough for both to hear, "Is there any special place Kaylie likes to go, Ms. Kellogg? Anywhere she might have gone that you can think of?"

"My studio," Kyle offered before Melissa could respond.

"Okay, I'll have someone check. She'd need a key, right?"

"And the code," Kyle said.

"Yeah, that's not likely," Elkins said. "What about family, Ms. Kellogg? Aunts, uncles, Kaylie's father?"

"No, sorry. I'm an only child and my parents live in Oregon." She got down some mugs then said, "Kaylie doesn't know her father."

"Are you sure?" Elkins asked. "If he's alive there's at least a chance she could know him. Is he?"

Melissa began pouring as she said, "He called me once when Kaylie was ten. That's the last and only time I've ever heard from him."

"Does he live here locally?" Morris wanted to know.

"Uh-uh. He moved to Santa Fe after he graduated from college. I may still be there, but I have no way of knowing for sure." She turned away when she said that as she busied herself with getting the coffee.