Man of the Hour. Patricia Kay

the park, he walked down the main path to the pond and his favorite bench. As he’d known it would be, the park was deserted. It was too cold for lovers and too late for joggers. There weren’t even any homeless people there, because last year, in cooperation with half a dozen businesses, the city had opened a shelter.

      Locating the bench he’d come to think of as his, Gregg sat and pensively looked out over the pond. Moonlight shimmered across its dark, quiet surface. None of the lily pads or ducks that dotted the pond during the daytime were visible. He smiled, thinking how the girls loved those ducks. Whenever they came, they brought bread or crackers or popcorn to feed them. Samantha would squeal whenever one of them came too close, but Olivia wasn’t afraid of them. She’d let them eat out of her hand if Gregg would allow it, but he was always afraid they might accidentally bite her, so he insisted that she put the food on the ground.

      Soon the pond would freeze and the ducks would migrate somewhere warmer, but they always came back in the spring.

      From somewhere across the pond, he heard the low, mournful who-who of an owl. The sound caused his chest to tighten.

      Livvy. Where are you?

      He felt so completely useless. If only he could do something to help. But what? What?

      He thought about Samantha sleeping peacefully in her crib. Sabrina, probably lying awake in their bed worrying about him. Glynnis, frightened and sleepless in her house.

      All of them needing him.

      So what was he doing here?

      He should be home with his wife and child. He should try to get some sleep so that he’d be better able to help Glynnis tomorrow.

      Getting up, he began to run and didn’t stop until he saw the welcoming lights of home.

      Glynnis never did go to bed. Kat tried to make her, but she refused. She did change into an old pair of green velour sweatpants and a matching sweatshirt and put thick socks on her feet so she wouldn’t be cold. But she spent the night curled up under an afghan on one of the love seats in the living room, and Kat spent the night on the other one.

      As the night passed, Glynnis was aware of every sound. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the entryway. The hum of the refrigerator and the occasional clunk as the ice maker spit out its new supply of cubes. The distant drone of traffic on the interstate that cut through downtown. The wail of a siren somewhere in the distance. The rattle of the overhanging branches of the big maple tree in the side yard against the roof.

      All so ordinary. The sounds of a normal night in a normal world. Only this wasn’t a normal night or a normal world. Any world where some stranger could grab a child and walk off with her was a nightmare world.

      Glynnis just prayed the nightmare would be over soon. That Olivia would be restored to her, safe and sound.

      Where was she tonight? Was she warm? Safe? Was that woman taking care of her?

      Glynnis’s eyes filled with tears.

      Please, God, watch over her. Watch over my baby.

      “Glynnis?” Kat said softly. “You feel like talking?”

      Glynnis surreptitiously wiped away the tears. “I thought you were sleeping.”

      “I tried, but too many thoughts are spinning around in my head.”

      “I know.”

      “If you want a sleeping pill, I’ve got some in my purse. They’re just over the counter, nothing too strong.”

      “You carry sleeping pills around with you?”

      “I grabbed them when I stopped at the house for my nightgown.”

      “No, I don’t want one.” How could she sleep when Olivia was out there somewhere, probably scared, probably crying for her?

      “You want some hot chocolate or something? I could go make us some.”

      “No.” All I want is Olivia. “But if you want some, go ahead.”

      “No. I just thought…” Her voice trailed off.

      After that, Kat fell silent, and when another half hour went by, Glynnis thought she’d probably fallen asleep. Glynnis knew she should try to sleep, too, otherwise she’d be a zombie tomorrow, which would help no one.

      But sleep wouldn’t come.

      At four-thirty Glynnis gave up. Quietly, so as not to wake Kat, she headed for the kitchen, where she put on a pot of coffee. She also took some frozen cinnamon rolls from the freezer so they’d be thawed by the time Kat awakened. Then she headed for her bathroom, where she splashed water on her face and brushed her teeth and hair. When she returned to the kitchen, the coffee was ready, its rich aroma filling the air.

      Glynnis poured herself a cup, added powdered creamer and a packet of sweetener, then sat at the table. Slowly, she drank. She was just about finished when Kat, rubbing her eyes, padded into the kitchen.

      “Did I wake you?” Glynnis said.

      “The smell of coffee did.” Kat walked over to the counter, yawned, got a mug out of the cupboard and poured herself a cup. She pulled a chair out and joined Glynnis at the table. “Did you get any sleep at all?”

      Glynnis shrugged. “I dozed a little.”

      “You know, I was thinking. Maybe you should offer a reward for information.”

      For the first time since Olivia’s disappearance, Glynnis felt a spark of excitement. “Kat, that’s a great idea!”

      “We could even take up a collection.”

      “That would take too long. Besides, it’s not necessary. I can sell some of the stock Ben left the children. How much do you think I should offer? Would five thousand be enough? Or do you think I should offer ten thousand?”

      “Ten thousand would probably get you more attention. But you know, we should probably ask Dan if this is a good idea. Maybe a reward will just muddy the waters.”

      “What do you mean?”

      “You know, bring the nuts out of the woodwork with a lot of false leads.”

      “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that. What time do you think it would be okay to call him?”

      “What about right now?”

      “Now? Kat, it’s not even five o’clock. Won’t he be sleeping?”

      “Hon, Dan has probably been at work all night. I doubt he’d go home and sleep when Olivia is out there somewhere.” So saying, Kat got up and went in search of her handbag. A few minutes later, she came back into the kitchen with her cell phone in hand. Quickly, she punched in some numbers.

      “Hello? May I speak with Lieutenant O’Neill, please? Thank you.” Grinning at Glynnis, she handed her the phone. “What’d I tell you? He’s there. Here. You talk to him.”

      It warmed Glynnis to know he was there working in her behalf. A moment later, he came on the line.

      “Lieutenant O’Neill.”

      “Dan? This is Glynnis. Glynnis March.”

      “Yeah. Hi, Glynnis. How you holding up?”

      “I’m okay.”

      “Kat there with you?”

      “Yes, sitting right across the table from me. Neither one of us could sleep.”

      “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

      “Um, Kat’s the reason I’m calling. She had an idea, and we wanted to know what you thought about it.”

      “Oh?”

      “Yes, we thought it might be helpful for me to offer a reward. You know, for information.”

      For