THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

love you, too.” She leaned forward, put her chin on his shoulder, and looked at the website he had displayed on the screen. “What are you doing?”
    “Grasping at straws, mostly. Just trying to think a step ahead of her.”
    She took several steps toward the other room, then turned back to him. “Von? We are going to find him sooner or later, right?”
    He nodded. “Oh, yeah. Sooner, I hope.”
     

 
    Chapter Twenty-Eight
     
    The next morning, Von met the chief at the precinct for an update, and then did his own drive-by of the Braddock house. Nothing had changed. With nothing else to do in the small town but wait, they decided it was best to head back to the house on Nickel Creek. The ride back was quiet except for the chatter of the all-news station Von had on the radio. Kasey stared out the window.
    Riley nudged Kasey’s arm. “Are you going to answer your phone?” Riley leaned forward in her seat.
    “No,” Kasey said without turning around.
    “Want me to get it?” Riley grabbed Kasey’s phone.
    Kasey shrugged and looked outside.
    “Hello, Kasey Phillips’s phone,” Riley said. “Hey...No. We’re on our way back to the house...I know.” Riley prodded Kasey and mouthed, “It’s Scott.”
    Kasey shook her head, and waved off the call. She didn’t have anything to say to anyone right now.
    Riley let Scott know what had transpired since Kasey had last spoken to him and promised to keep him up to date.
    “He’s a nice guy,” Riley said, tucking Kasey’s phone back in her handbag.
    Kasey nodded vaguely distracted by the thought that one woman stood between her and her son. She was relieved when the Nickel Creek Road street sign came into view an hour later. They pulled into the driveway and went into the house.
    “Y’all don’t have to stay,” Kasey said. “I’ll be fine. I’m just going to go to bed and wait for news.”
    “I’m not leaving you here alone,” Riley said. “You need your friends right now.”
    “I need my son.” Kasey took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t fair. I appreciate everything y’all are doing for me. I just feel...sad... and mad today.”
    “It’s okay.”
    Kasey dropped her purse on the end table. “The guest room is made up. Make yourselves at home. I’m going to bed.”
    “Don’t worry about us,” Riley said.
     
    Later that afternoon, Von sat in a rocking chair on the porch, drinking a beer, when Scott drove up. Scott pushed his sunglasses on top of his head as he walked up to the porch.
    “Kasey’s inside,” Von said with a nod.
    Scott didn’t go to the door. Instead, he sat in the other rocker. “Mind talking through all the updates with me?”
    “Not at all.” Von put his empty bottle on the ground next to the chair and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He went through the whole scenario, step-by-step.
    “Libby Braddock was tipped off,” Scott said.
    “She had to be.”
    Scott’s jaw tensed. “Do you think it was someone from the store who knew her?”
    Von rubbed his morning stubble. “I really don’t think so, although that seems most likely”
    Scott rocked back in the chair. “Who else knew?”
    “No one. Well, that’s not true. Kasey talked to you, Cody Tuggle, and to her grandmother. That’s it. Riley and I came here as soon as we heard, and that leaves just the local folks in Leighsboro. It’s a small town. I’m sure half the population is related. News could’ve gotten around pretty fast.” Von paused, remembering Scott was a small-town guy. “No offense, man.”
    “None taken.” Scott shook his head. “No mother should have to go through this.”
    “Especially Kasey. She’s a terrific mom.” Von lowered his head and picked at his fingernail. “It’s been hard for her. Losing Nick, then not knowing if Jake was even alive. At least now we know he’s alive.”
    “I’d like to work on this with you. Let me know what I can do. I’ve got resources.”
    “Good deal. Maybe between the two of us we can figure this out.”
    “I’m going to call in a favor over in Southampton County,” Scott said. “I want to go back through the evidence from the crash site. Maybe they overlooked something.”
    “Good idea. Will they cooperate?”
    “Oh, yeah. I went to school with most of those guys.”
    “Let’s stay connected,” said Von.
    Scott stood and extended his hand. “We will.”
    They shook hands, then Scott went inside.
     
    “I didn’t hear you drive up,” Kasey said when Scott