Together With You by Victoria Bylin Page B

out of her pocket. “I’m calling the police. How long has she been gone?”
    â€œIt’s too soon.”
    â€œHow long?” she demanded. “And is this nanny missing, too? Did she kidnap her? We need an Amber Alert.”
    Even if Penny had walked out the front door, it seemed impossible that a stranger could have snatched her from this quiet street. But how far could she wander in an hour? Maybe it was time tocall the police after all. Except that phone call would be a black mark on his record as a father, and Denise was keeping score. Every minute counted, but logic told him Penny was somewhere in the house or close by.
    â€œLet’s finish searching the house,” he said to her. “Today’s nanny is checking with the neighbors, and a woman I’m interviewing is looking out back. If we don’t find her in five minutes, we’ll call the police.”
    Denise lowered her phone, but the glare in her eyes burned hotter. “I’ll give you three, then I’m calling for that Amber Alert.”
    Code Adams.
    Amber Alerts.
    Denise was right. Danger lurked everywhere. Even two minutes was too long if Penny was in trouble. “I’ll call now. Keep looking.”
    As Denise stepped into the backyard, Ryan picked up the house phone and raised his hand to punch in 9-1-1.

    Carly snatched the purple ballerina outfit off the concrete and headed for the old garage next to the house. Designed for one car, it had probably been built with the original residence in a distant decade. Dirt stains marred the white stucco sides, but the overhead door was modern, complete with keypad access. With the ballerina outfit in hand, she brushed by a spindly shrub surrounded by an apron of dark berries on the concrete walk.
    When a berry squished under her shoe, she looked down and saw small, purplish footprints leading to a side door left ajar. She eased it open until a fan of light revealed a 1960-something Chevy Impala, a car like the one she’d seen in Polaroids of her grandparents as newlyweds, except this was a pristine white convertible with the top down to reveal a cherry red interior.
    The car charmed her, but it was the sight of Penny in the backseat, asleep and hugging Miss Rabbit, that made Carly’s heartthump with relief. Bending at the waist, she laid a hand on her shoulder. “Penny, wake up.”
    Penny rolled to her side. As she pulled her knees to her chest, Carly saw berry-colored footprints on the upholstery. A quick glance revealed Penny’s exact entry into the car. She had opened the passenger door, climbed in the front seat, and walked over the console to the back.
    Considering the Impala was fully restored, the stains were more than a mess. Penny had done real damage. How Dr. Tremaine reacted to the news would be a telling moment, maybe the moment Carly decided whether or not to take the job. She expected him to be annoyed, but if he valued the car over the child, she’d have a reason to leave.
    She gave Penny a second little shake. “Come on, sweetheart. Your daddy’s worried. Let’s go find him.”
    With her eyelids fluttering, Penny rolled to her back, saw Carly, and bolted upright with Miss Rabbit flopping in her hand. “You’re the animal lady.”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œYou made Miss Rabbit talk.” Penny scrambled across the seat and stood to climb out of the car. “Lance is upstairs. Let’s get him.”
    Unmindful of dings, dents, and berry juice, Penny flung a leg over the side. Carly lifted her up and out, and they left the garage with Penny clutching Miss Rabbit and Carly holding Penny’s hand. In a Wizard of Oz kind of way, they made quite a trio—a child with a damaged brain, a stuffed animal that needed a child’s heart, and an ex-social worker who lacked the courage to care again.
    Hand in hand, they walked into the backyard with Carly humming “Follow the Yellow Brick