"You still don't know where Mommy is?" Andrew asked glumly.

Perched on the edge of Andrew's bed, Shane hesitated before he responded. Then he said, "Don't you worry about that right now. We're going to find her, I promise."

In the back of his mind, Shane thought about how he had made a similar promise to Jeannie the night before. Now, he was making the same promise to his son.

At least the promise seemed to have an effect. Andrew relaxed and his frown slipped away. His general condition also appeared much improved. His color was normal and he seemed to have some of the brightness back in his eyes. Shane knew it was only a matter of time before Andrew began complaining of being cooped up in his room.

Maybe I have a solution to that.

"Hey, Sport, how about after Simmons brings you up some breakfast, you brush your teeth and then put on your robe and slippers and we can set you up on the couch in the library? I'll even bring in the TV from my study."

That caused Andrew's eyes to go wide in surprise. "Really, Daddy?"

"Really." Shane smiled as he stood up. "I'll go check with Simmons."

The butler was in the hall, just leaving the nursery with Jeannie in his arms. "Good morning, Sir," Simmons said. "I was just taking the young miss to have her breakfast."

"That's fine." As they walked down the stairs, Shane explained his plan for Andrew. Then Shane realized Simmons could not feed both children at the same time, so he held out his arms for the baby. "Here, let me take her from you while you get Andrew's breakfast ready."

Taking Jeannie, Shane let Simmons lead the way toward the kitchen. They had just passed through the foyer when the doorbell rang. Shane grimaced. At that hour, it probably was a reporter who had slipped past the police outside.

"Go ahead, Simmons, I'll get it."

Still carrying Jeannie, Shane turned back and walked to the front door. If it's a reporter, he's going to be very sorry.

"Yes, what do-" He stopped short when he realized it was not a reporter, but Alice Horton and Julie Williams. Shane was so surprised that he could barely ask, "Alice . . . Julie, what are you doing here?"

Alice smiled. "We thought you and your very brave son could probably use a real breakfast. If I know you, you probably haven't had a bite to eat for the past 24 hours."

"Listen to her, Shane," Julie said. "Grandma's got a long history of feeding law enforcement types."

With a sharp nod, Alice added, "And I have something special for that boy of yours."

As Shane watched, Alice and Julie stepped past him into the foyer. For the first time, Shane noticed that they were each carrying a grocery bag.

"Alice. . . ." Shane spoke in a tone that was both bemused and baffled. "You know, I do have a butler. Simmons is in the kitchen preparing breakfast as we speak."

Alice turned and gave Shane a knowing look. "Does your Simmons know how to whip up a mean Mickey Mouse pancake?"

Shane had to concede the point. "I . . . I suspect that you've got him beat there."

"Good," Alice said, simply. "It's settled." Before Shane could protest further, Alice headed toward the kitchen, leaving Shane shaking his head.

"She never ceases to amaze me," he muttered.

Julie laughed. "You have no idea." Then she grew serious. "How are you holding up, darling?"

"So this is breakfast and a check-up?" Shane asked, though his appreciation was sincere. When Julie just looked at him sympathetically, he said, "I'm hanging in there. I got a little out-of-sorts yesterday, but it helps to have such a supportive group of friends and family." Shane realized that Julie was still holding her grocery bag. "Oh, here, let me take that from you," he said, then awkwardly stopped. With Jeannie already in his arms, he could not hold the bag also.

Simmons reappeared in the foyer. "Oh no, Sir. I've got it."

"I guess Grandma won the battle for the kitchen," Julie muttered in Shane's ear. Then she smiled and passed the bag to Simmons. "I hope you don't mind my grandmother."

"Not at all, Madame. Madame Horton has told me that I should - I believe she put it - 'watch and learn.'" As they all laughed, Simmons turned and headed back toward the kitchen.

Julie took Shane's free arm and pulled him and Jeannie into the library. "So is there any news this morning?"

Shane shook his head. "Not much. I called Roman first thing. From the tire treads near the abandoned car, we know Cal is in a mid-80s Pontiac. And we know none of the car rental agencies around Salem have a car like that, so Roman has a bunch of cops checking out local used car dealers to see if Cal bought a car from them. Hopefully, that will give us a lead."

From the dubious look on Julie's face, Shane could tell that she did not think it likely that the effort would work. But it's something, at least, Shane thought. There's no harm in trying.

"I'll know more a little later. Roman's going to come back and use the house as his HQ." Roman thought Cal might call to taunt Shane about Kim. Shane suspected that was just Roman's excuse to keep on eye on the children. Cal was not that foolish, but Shane had not protested; it probably made no difference if Roman was at the house or at the station.

Julie nodded. "I know. Abe Carver tipped us off when Grandma told him we were coming over. That's why one of those bags has a few dozen of Alice Horton's special doughnuts." Julie turned her attention to Jeannie, who was wriggling a little in Shane's arms. "And how's this little one?" She hesitated for a minute before asking, "She's Kim's daughter with. . . ."

"With Cal," Shane said, finishing her sentence. He held Jeannie tight, turned and crossed the room to the window. The sun was already rising high in the sky and shining brightly. It would be a glorious fall day, and the brilliance of the sun seemed to mock him as he had the dark reminder of Cal. Then Jeannie squirmed in his arms, reached up and jerked on the collar of his tan dress shirt.

It doesn't matter. She's Kim's daughter. That's what counts.

"But I owe it to Kim to make sure she's safe." Shane sighed, pulling his shirt collar free and giving a soft smile at the little girl. "Besides, legally, Jeannie is my daughter. . . ."

Julie looked down. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't apologize," Shane said returning to the side of room Julie was on. "It's not like half the world doesn't know the truth now. Thanks to Rachel Knight."

"Rachel Knight?" Julie's eyes narrowed. "Is she the reporter who looks like she could be walking the riverfront at night? Grandma had a little run-in with her the other day." She grinned slyly. "Well 'run-in' in the sense of running into her while carrying an ice cream sundae in one hand and a bowl of split pea soup in the other. I don't think the cleaners are going to be able to get hot fudge out of the silk."

Shane had to laugh at the image. "Tell Alice to send me the cleaning bill." Then he felt some fresh guilt run him. "I shouldn't be laughing right now. Kim and Kayla are missing - being held captive by a homicidal maniac. Andrew was nearly killed. . . ."

"It's okay for the moment," Julie said. She reached out and put a hand on Shane's arm. "It doesn't change how you feel about Kim. It's not like you're any less worried because you laughed."

"You're right." Shane seemed to be conceding a lot of points to Horton women this morning. "You know . . . last night, it hit me. What happens if we don't find Kim, or. . . ." He tried to suppress the thought, merely saying, "Or something happens to her? And with me almost certainly going to prison, who's going to take care of Andrew and Jeannie?"

Julie shook her head. "Come on, Shane. You can't let that worry you right now. You have family and friends who love your children. None of us would let anything happen to them."

"I know," Shane said. "When I think of how you took Eve under your wing. . . . But Andrew and Jeannie are so young-"

"Stop it." Julie cut it off. "Don't you think about that. The entire Salem PD is out looking for Kim and Kayla. They'll find them."

"Will they, Daddy?"

Shane turned abruptly to see Andrew standing in the doorway, clad in his robe and slippers. How much had he heard? "Andrew," Shane said. "Hey, Sport, I thought you were going to stay upstairs and get breakfast in bed."

"I . . ." Andrew looked down. "I . . . I heard you talking and I thought-"

Julie gave Shane a knowing look and then crouched down next to Andrew. "You thought maybe your mother was home, didn't you?" she asked softly.

Andrew nodded, then looked up at Shane.

"I'm sorry," Shane said, feeling a little sick to his stomach as he saw Andrew's hope disappear. "But I told you that we're going to bring her home."

Julie smiled at Andrew. "I know you miss your mother, but you listen to your father. If there's anyone who knows a thing or two about bringing people home, it's him." She reached out and touched Andrew's arm. "Now I bet you're hungry, young man. Well, my grandmother came here special just to make you breakfast."

"That's true, Andrew," Shane said, hoping that some attention from Alice Horton might take Andrew's mind off Kim for a little while.

Julie nodded. "We came over because we wanted to tell you how brave you were the other night."

Andrew frowned momentarily at the reminder of his ordeal. Shane shifted Jeannie to one arm, stepped forward and put a hand on Andrew's shoulder. "It's okay. . . ." Shane said quietly as Andrew looked up. "Everyone's very proud of you and glad you're okay." When Andrew said nothing further, Shane added, "Come on . . . Let's go see what Mrs. Horton has whipped up for you? It's not always that you get the best cook in Salem making you a special breakfast."

Julie took Andrew's hand, stood, and led them out of the foyer. She whispered something to Andrew as they walked to the kitchen, where Alice Horton gave Andrew a hero's welcome.

"So this is the young man who's the talk of Salem?" she asked. As Shane got Jeannie situated in her high-chair, Alice and Julie fawned over Andrew. Within a few minutes, Andrew was giggling. Soon after that, he was tucking into a stack of rodent-shaped pancakes with a grin on his face.

The Horton women work their magic.

Julie looked up from where she was seated next to Andrew and she gave Shane a look that said the last thing he needed to worry about was the children being cared for. It did not quell Shane's fear. Nothing could do that; it would not go away until Kim was home and safe. But it did make him think how lucky he and Kim were to have such special family and friends.