Chapter 4

Ana

After lunch and the heavy conversation with her father, Ana went straight to work cleaning the kitchen and putting in a load of laundry. For such a tiny human, Kit seemed to produce endless mounds of dirty clothes and linens. It was one of the many things about parenting that surprised her.

She thought about her own mother and how much she missed her. Carla had never been great about recognizing big events in Ana's life, but upon Kit's arrival, she really came through. She could thank her father for the change. She'd overheard him on the phone, upbraiding Carla for having been so neglectful in the past. It was a subject that had never been addressed before. Thankfully, her mother had responded well.

For the three weeks of Carla's stay, she and Ray worked as a team to support Ana's adjustment to motherhood. Watching her parents happily embrace their new roles as grandparents, she wished they had somehow made their marriage work.

Kit would one day wonder about his own parents. She didn't know how she would answer his questions and she was grateful that she had a few years to figure out her responses.

Unable to stay away from him for very long, she decided to pursue one of her favorite new activities, watching her baby sleep. Just thinking about him filled her with boundless joy.

The door creaked as she opened the door to their room. Her eyes went to the crib, but Kit wasn't there. She blinked twice. No Kit. Her baby wasn't in his bed.

"Dad?" Maybe her father had entered the house without her knowing. "Dad, are you here?"

She dashed from room to room. No Kit. No Ray.

This can't be happening.

She raced to the workshop. Perhaps her father had sneaked Kit away to share the scent of sawdust. Throwing the door open, she saw her father in the process of assembling a drawer.

"Where's Kit?"

"Why would he be in here and not in the house with you?" Her father's brow knitted in confusion.

"I can't find him." She shook with panic as she choked out the words. "Help me find him."

"Calm down." Her father grabbed her wrists. He spoke in low, even tones. "Look at me. Annie, he's eight weeks old. He can't roll over, much less walk or crawl. Where did you last see him?"

"I'm not an idiot. I fed him and put him down for a nap," she screeched. "He's not in his crib."

Darkness closed in. She was overtaken by tears and fright.

"Back to the house. We'll find him," her father said, pulling her into his side. She tried to take strength from his confidence.

They raced back to the house, checking the bedroom Ana shared with her infant son.

"Son of a bitch," Ray spat as he saw the empty crib. "This makes no damn sense." He ran from room to room, searching high and low for his grandson.

Fixing her gaze upon the spot where she had laid her son for his nap, Ana attempted to wrap her head around the nightmare in which she'd found herself.

Kit, where are you? Cry, baby boy! Cry as loudly as you can so Mommy can find you.

"Call the police," Ray hollered. "I'm going to look around outside."

The door banged as her father exited the house. She had never felt more helpless. Her world was crashing down upon her.

Instinctively she reached for the kitchen landline, remembering how her father had taught her to call 911 for emergencies. She'd been kindergarten age. She prayed that one day she would have the same opportunity to teach Kit important skills.

"9-1-1. What's your emergency?" It was a woman's voice, mature, measured.

"My baby is missing. Please come right away. Help us find him." Ana swallowed her cries, trying to make her words intelligible.

"How old is the child?"

"Eight weeks. His name is Raymond Christian Steele. We live on State Highway 107 just past the turnoff for the old logging camp. Hurry, please."

"I'm dispatching a car as we speak. Stay on the line. What is your name?"

"Ana Steele. I put my baby down for a nap and when I checked on him, the crib was empty."

"Who lives in the home?"

"My dad, my infant son, and me. Are the police on their way?" Ana choked back a sob and fell to the floor. Her legs were rubber, all but useless at the moment.

"Yes, ma'am. A car is headed your direction. How will they identify your home?"

"The house is ranch style, tan siding with a gray shingle roof. There's a red door and a red mailbox with our house number, 308. Are they almost here?"

"Yes, the car has left South Montesano and is currently passing through the Melbourne area. It won't be long. Are you involved in a custody dispute? Where's the child's father?"

"Kit's father lives in Seattle. There's no custody dispute. I can't think of any reason why anyone would take my baby. Please help me."

This can't be happening. Kit, where are you?

"Don't hang up. Stay on the line." These were the last words Ana heard from the dispatcher. In despair, she dropped the phone to floor, pulled her knees to her chest, lowered her head, and allowed herself to fall apart. Through her tears, she prayed, begging God to bring Kit back to her.

"Annie." Her father whispered. He joined her on the floor, wrapping his arms around her. "I found fresh tire tracks on the shoulder about a hundred feet north of here. Did you call 911?"

She pointed at the phone on the floor. Her father picked it up, identified himself and spoke to the dispatcher. Apparently the police were now in front of their house. Ray ended the call and pulled his daughter to her feet.

How is any of this real?

Her gut roiled. She raced to the toilet and emptied the contents of her stomach. Her father was ready with a wet washcloth; he wiped her face gently.

"C'mon. Hold it together. Let's find Kit." She found hope in her father's words. Surely the police had experience and could find her baby.

Father and daughter exited the back door, walked around the house, and met two police officers on the front porch. Ana recognized both officers, one male and one female. The male had been two years ahead of her at Montesano High and the female had been a year behind her. She couldn't remember their names, but their introductions prodded her memory.

Ana shared photos of Kit from her phone, necessary for an Amber Alert. Two more cars arrived, one with a K-9. Ray gave the officers Kit's crib sheet so the dog could go to work, searching the area. Ana felt sick at the dreadful possibilities.

The officers were friendly and professional, patient as Ana struggled to compose herself during their interview. Ray escorted the female through the home, showing her the bedroom first. Ana could hear them discussing possible entry through windows.

"You told the dispatcher that there were no custody issues. Is that right?" The male asked Ana.

"Correct. I can't think of any reason someone would want to take my son." Kit was pure, innocent. Why would anyone want to hurt him? Jack Hyde flashed through her mind, but he was supposed to be in a Seattle jail on charges of rape and attempted rape.

"What is the father's name and where does he live?"

"Christian Grey. He lives in Seattle." She didn't want to divulge more. They'd judge her for not having informed Christian of Kit's arrival. "There's no contact with him. I'm certain he has no information that would contribute to finding my son."

"That may be, but it's worth checking out," the officer suggested.

"No," she said firmly. "There's no point. That would be a waste of time."

Christian doesn't even know of Kit's existence. And even if he did, he would never be so crazy or so cruel as to abduct my child.

"We'll add him to our list. Have you experienced any post-partum depression, suicidal or homicidal ideation?"

"No, absolutely not." Ana knew what he was implying and it infuriated her. Sure she'd been struggling with a bit of depression, but nothing she was willing to discuss with police. While they were focusing on her as a suspect, they weren't trying to find the owner of the tire tracks.

"Hang tight while I confer with my teammates," he said. "An Amber Alert has just been issued. We typically have pretty good luck with those. I know it's easy to say, but try not to worry."

Left alone with her thoughts, Ana's mind traveled to dark places. The Lindbergh baby sprang to mind. She wondered if perhaps someone had discovered Christian Grey had fathered a child; maybe this was a ransom situation.

Every possibility was a horror show.

She remembered watching a movie with her mother. Meryl Streep played a mother with a missing child: "The dingo ate my baby." Ana remembered the rustling she'd heard from the woods. Could an animal have taken Kit from the house? She'd seen video of bears being able to turn doorknobs. The pictures in her mind were terrifying.

No! Don't go there. Focus on what you can do to find your baby boy.

Kate. She needed to let her know what was happening. Kate, Ana's dearest friend in all the world, would move heaven and earth for Kit.

Ana had to reenter the bedroom to fetch her cell phone. The sight of Kit's empty crib made her wail in agony. Once again, her father's strong arms found their way around her and she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Annie, Annie. We'll find him," her father whispered. He spoke to her in the same way he'd soothed skinned knees and hurt feelings. "Your phone is ringing. Looks like Kate is calling you. Are you up for that?"

Ana snatched up her phone, grateful for her friend's perfect timing. Unable to muster a hello, she simply cried into the receiver.

"So it's true!" Kate's shock was evidenced by a stress in her voice that Ana had never heard before. "Oh my God, I saw the Amber Alert and thought there must be some mistake. What happened?"

"I don't know what happened. I put him down for a nap, came back to check on him, and he was gone. My baby is out there with God-knows-who and I don't know if he's cold or hungry or hurt."

"I'll go to the station and tell Dad to let me on the air. We'll find him, sweetie. Please call me if the police get any leads."

"Okay." It was the only word Ana could muster at that moment.

"Love you. And I'll call back after the segment is filmed."

"Kate's been a good friend." Ray had been standing in the bedroom doorway as the girls spoke. "She knows how to get things done. We'll find Kit."

Ray kissed his daughter's forehead and walked out to the small living room; she followed and together they watched the police officer working the K-9. Hope ebbed from her heart as she watched the officers search the land surrounding their home. The house itself had already been searched twice.

"I can't sit around while everyone else searches." Her father shoved his hands into his pockets and gazed at her tenderly. "Will you be okay in here by yourself? You should stay inside just in case someone calls on the landline."

"Go," she said. "Make sure you have your phone, just in case I need you."

Her dad put his rough hands on her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. He held her for a moment and then left in silence. Her small childhood home felt unbearably large and empty.

Happy Holidays, Gentle Reader!

Hope this finds you well and enjoying time with friends and family. I plan to update a couple of times before the new year. I can't give you exact dates, but promise to update as soon as possible. The next chapter will be a sojourn into Christian's thoughts as he begins to deal with the consequences of his actions.

All the best, P.