Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (123 page)

Aggie says:
Why does it always happen to me?

Milliken says:
You have more opportunities for it, Aggs. It’s just life.

Aggie says:
Daddy?

Milliken says:
Yeah?

Aggie says:
I have news vans camped out on our street. I can’t see Mrs. Dyke’s house for the traffic out there.

Milliken says:
It’s ok. Let them do their job. You do yours. You pray, you take care of those other kids, you sing, you pray some more, and God’ll take care of the rest.

Aggie says:
He didn’t take care of Ellie.

Milliken says:
I’m calling Luke. You go hug that man. Listen to

him. Let him carry this.

Aggie says:
It’s not his burden.

Milliken says:
Don’t be a fool. Of course it is. He is as married to you as you can be without actually being married. Now go get that hug. Pretend part of it is from me.

Milliken says:
Love you.

Aggie says:
Love you. I’m sorry.

Milliken says:
You’ve no need to be. Go. Scat.

Before
Aggie
could
stand,
Luke’s
feet
came
crashing
down
the
stairs
and
she
found
herself
crushed
in
his
arms.
“Let’s
pray,
Mibs.”

Dead End

Tuesday,
January
20
^th

Huddled
reporters
stood
outside
the
split-rail
fence
that
separated
Aggie’s
house
from
the
street.
Men
holding
large
video
cameras
swept
them
across
the
property,
down
the
street,
and
Aggie
had
even
seen
them
around
the
side
of
the
house
from
the
highway.
According
to
Tina,
most
of
the
newscasts
were
positive,
but
a
few
more
sensationalist
stations
harped
on
the
exces
sive
number
of
children
and
if
it
was
possible
to
give
them
all
the
level
of
care
and
supervision
they
needed.

Inside,
William
seated
himself
across
from
Aggie
and
Luke,
ready
to
share
some
of
the
information
that
they’d
learned
in
hopes
it
would
trigger
some
kind
of
memory
or
idea.
“It’s
been
about
thirty
hours.
The
first
twenty-four
hours
are
so
crucial—”
Aggie’s
face
fell,
but
William
shook
his
head.
“No,
really.
We
do
have
some
information
that
is
going
to
help.”

“But
no
ransom
demand.
After
twenty-four
hours
and
no
demand,
what
are
the
chances?”

“Chances
of
what,
Aggie.”

“Don’t,”
Luke
rasped.
“Don’t.
Just
let
them
do
their
jobs
and
leave
it
in
God’s
hands,
Mibs.”

“I
can’t
do
that!
I
have
to
prepare
myself.
I
want
to
know.
At
what
point
in
a
stranger
abduction
is
too
long
to
expect
a
ransom
call?”

“Now
is
too
long
for
a
ransom,
most
likely.”

Her
eyelids
closed
and
lay
still
for
several
seconds
until
at
last,
she
forced
them
open
again.
She
sat
up
just
a
little
straighter,
grabbed
Luke’s
hand
for
support,
tried
to
take
a
deep
breath,
and
asked,
“
Is
it
twenty-four
or
forty-eight
hours
that
means
finding
her
alive
is
not
likely
anymore?”

“Somewhere
in
there,
but
Aggie
the
majority
of
kidnapping
victims
are
returned
safely.
We’ll
find
this
guy.
We’ll
bring
her
home.
It’s
my
job.
I
won’t
let
you
or
that
little
girl
down.”

“Oh,
William.
You
can’t
promise
that.
I
love
that
you
tried,
but
you
can’t.
Don’t—”

“What
other
information
do
you
have
for
us,
William?
What’d
you
learn
today
that
you
can
share.”