Bringing Rosie Home. Loree Lough

“We found her!”, upending their world yet again as they reunite...for Rosie’s sake.

      Through hard work, acceptance and forgiveness, Rena and Grant realize the love that brought them together in the first place is still very much alive, and as the family heals, their future looks promising. Sadly, that isn’t the case for too many of the families that experience similar shattering losses. (Case in point: the family whose story served as my inspiration for Bringing Rosie Home.)

      My prayer for all missing children is that they will return, safe and unharmed, to the loving arms of their parents. I pray just as hard for fractured families that never find their way back to shared happiness. And I pray that none of us will ever be touched by such searing pain.

      Wishing you well in all you do,

      Loree

      This story is dedicated to those whose loved ones have gone missing, and to the once-missing individuals who have been found.

      May they all know the comfort and peace

      of home, wherever they are.

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      Huge and heartfelt thanks to all those who provided insights, opinions and information that helped lend authenticity to this story: the helpful employees of Baltimore’s Child Protective Services office, FBI agents Donald McCarthy and Paul Reagan*, pediatric psychiatrists Ron Abrams and Sue Robinson, detective Jack Royer, Adele and Phil Morrison* (whose son went missing in 1995), and Donna Ryan*, whose once-missing daughter was returned to her loving arms in 2001. (* = names changed at individuals’ request.)

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       About the Author

       Booklist

       Title Page

       Copyright

       Introduction

       Dear Reader

       Dedication

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

       Chapter Sixteen

       Chapter Seventeen

       Chapter Eighteen

       Chapter Nineteen

       Chapter Twenty

       Chapter Twenty-One

       Extract

       Chapter One

      AS SHE’D DRESSED this morning, Rena had decided this would be her last session with Dr. Hutchinson. Two years of therapy, and what did she have to show for it? A smaller bank account and dozens of wasted hours, that was what. And the psychologist hadn’t brought her little girl back. Or saved Rena’s marriage.

      But the analyst surprised her, shifting her line of questioning from Rosie’s kidnapping to Rena’s relationship—or lack thereof.

      “How are things with Grant?” Martha asked.

      They’d been separated over three years now, ever since Rena had taken her mother-in-law’s advice and turned Rosie’s room into a home office for Grant. When he saw it, every ugly thought and accusation he’d kept to himself had poured out, and when Rena had realized it was her presence—not sparkly tiaras, dolls and Teddy bears—that reminded him of that awful day, she’d offered to leave.

      And he’d done nothing to stop her.

      “We haven’t spoken in months.” Not since his grandfather died and he’d called to ask if she wanted to attend the services.

      “Do you ever regret leaving?”

      Only every day! Yes, Grant had allowed bitterness and blame to turn him into a surly, brooding man, but Rena remembered well the man he’d once been. The man he’d still be if she hadn’t taken her eyes off Rosie that day at the zoo.

      “It was the right thing to do,” she said.

      “For Grant? Or for you?”

      “Both of us. Living under the same roof with the person responsible for what happened to Rosie... I don’t blame him for anything.”

      Rena held her breath, partly to keep from remembering how it felt to have her sweet little girl beside her one minute and gone the next.