***
It seemed to take forever to get to the craft store. The middle section of Main Street was bursting with people, especially around Tess’ café. With a wide porch hanging over the sidewalk, this part of the street was a popular choice for families to gather. Add in hot coffee and fresh baking, and you had standing room only.
Rachel used her body to push through the crowd, finally making it to the front of Kelly’s store. Tank was standing outside with his phone in his hand. “She hasn’t moved for the last five minutes. Come with me.”
“She’s not in the store?”
“No.”
Rachel hurried after Tank, following him into Tess’ café. She looked at the people sitting at the tables, the line of cold and hungry families waiting to place their orders. She couldn’t see Bella anywhere. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
Tank looked down at his phone and nodded. “She must be in the kitchen.”
Tess jumped a mile when Tank suddenly appeared beside her. “Tank? What are you doing behind the counter?”
“We can’t find Bella. Have you seen her?”
Tess shook her head. “It’s been so busy in here that I haven’t done anything except serve customers. Caitlin, Annie, and Kate are out the back putting orders together as fast as I send them through. Go and ask them if they’ve seen Bella. Is she okay?”
Tank didn’t bother replying. He pushed the kitchen doors open and strode into the room.
Tess glanced at Rachel before turning to her next customer. They both knew it was the worst possible day for an eight-year-old to go missing. There were people everywhere, it was cold, and the weather forecast wasn’t going to improve.
Rachel followed Tank into the kitchen. Compared to the café, it was a calm oasis of tranquility. Caitlin, a college student who worked part-time for Tess, was busy making toasted paninis. Annie was beside a deep-fryer, churning out hot chips, and Kate was about to take a big order into the café.
“Has anyone seen Bella Fletcher?” Rachel asked. “She’s eight years old, has curly brown hair down to her shoulders and big brown eyes. She was wearing a bright red jacket and blue jeans.”
Kate balanced her tray on the edge of the stainless steel counter. “No one’s been in the kitchen except us, and I don’t remember seeing her in the café. How long has she been missing?”
“About fifteen minutes,” Rachel said.
Tank wasn’t taking any chances with where Bella might have gone. He opened the door to a walk-in storage room, quickly searching the large space. When he couldn’t find her in there, he threw open the back door and walked into the staff parking area. Rachel followed him outside. The cold air hit her face, making her eyes water after the warmth inside the café.
“What’s up here?” He was already walking carefully up a set of exterior stairs.
“It’s Tess’ old apartment. No one’s living there at the moment.”
He tried the door handle. It didn’t budge. He glanced down at the snow and shook his head. “It doesn’t look as though anyone’s been here.” He looked at the emergency fire escapes attached to the walls of the other buildings beside Tess’ café. “She wouldn’t have been able to reach any of those ladders. We’ll take another look around the café and then I’m calling it in. We need more help.”
The back door opened and Tess walked outside. “Have you found her?”
Tank walked down the stairs. “She’s not here.”
“I’ll ask my customers,” Tess said. “Someone might have seen her come into the café.”
Tank re-checked his phone. “She should still be here.”
“What do you mean?” Tess held the door open for them as they walked inside.
“Bella’s got a GPS tracking chip in her jacket…” Rachel stopped in the middle of the kitchen and turned to Tank. “What if she took off her jacket? What if her jacket’s here, but she isn’t?”
“Then she’s really in trouble.” He ran into the dining area with Rachel and Tess behind him.
Tess pulled an empty chair out from one of the tables and stood on it. “Excuse me, everyone,” she yelled over the loud conversations. “Can I have your attention, please.”
The chatter came to a standstill. “Has anyone seen an eight-year-old girl with curly brown hair and brown eyes in the last fifteen minutes? Her name is Bella Fletcher. She’s wearing a red jacket and jeans. Can you also look around your tables for a red jacket that doesn’t belong to you?”
A lady at a table at the front of the café held a red padded jacket in the air. “Is this what you’re looking for?”
Tank took the jacket out of the lady’s hand. “It’s Bella’s,” he sighed.
“Thanks, everyone,” Tess said.
“Do you need help finding her?” A man beside Tess picked up his jacket. “I was about to leave, but I could search some of the other stores on Main Street for you.”
Tess looked across at Tank.
He shook his head. “She won’t go to someone she doesn’t know. But thanks for the offer.”
He tapped his phone and walked into the kitchen. The last words Rachel heard before the kitchen door closed behind him were, Bella’s missing.