Travis did not return to the house that morning.<\/p>\n
That decision cost him more discipline than anything Kurt had said at the door.<\/p>\n
He wanted to drive straight back, pound until somebody answered, and demand his daughter's location. Every protective instinct he possessed insisted that action was better than sitting still.<\/p>\n
Training told him otherwise.<\/p>\n
He needed facts.<\/p>\n
Travis parked behind a twenty-four-hour hardware store and slept badly in the truck. "Sleep" was generous. He drifted in and out while orange parking-lot light washed across the windshield, waking every few minutes convinced that he had heard Kaylee calling from the back seat.<\/p>\n
The pink car seat behind him remained empty.<\/p>\n
He had bought it in Amarillo during the drive home.<\/p>\n
That now seemed embarrassingly hopeful.<\/p>\n
At 5:30 he gave up trying to rest.<\/p>\n
He washed his face in a gas-station restroom, changed his shirt, and drove to the sheriff's substation off Route 66.<\/p>\n
The building opened at six.<\/p>\n
Travis was waiting outside when it did.<\/p>\n
A gray-haired deputy named Miller listened while Travis laid the documents across his desk.<\/p>\n
Miller examined the deed first.<\/p>\n
Then the military identification.<\/p>\n
Then the loan paperwork.<\/p>\n
Then Travis.<\/p>\n
"You've already been over there?"<\/p>\n
"Once."<\/p>\n
"Any confrontation?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"He threaten you?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"You threaten him?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
Miller leaned back.<\/p>\n
"What exactly do you want from us?"<\/p>\n
Travis had rehearsed his answer.<\/p>\n
"A peaceful standby while I establish what's happening at my property."<\/p>\n
Miller studied him for another moment.<\/p>\n
"And your wife?"<\/p>\n
"Bethany."<\/p>\n
"She's living there?"<\/p>\n
"Apparently."<\/p>\n
"Then we're not deciding a marital property dispute on a porch at sunrise."<\/p>\n
"I'm not asking you to."<\/p>\n
Miller tapped the folder.<\/p>\n
"Good."<\/p>\n
"My daughter's been withdrawn from daycare. I haven't been told where she is."<\/p>\n
That changed Miller's posture.<\/p>\n
"How old?"<\/p>\n
"Three."<\/p>\n
"Any custody order?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Divorce filing?"<\/p>\n
"Not that I know of."<\/p>\n
"Separation agreement?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
Miller chewed thoughtfully on a toothpick.<\/p>\n
"You have reason to believe the child is in immediate danger?"<\/p>\n
Travis hesitated.<\/p>\n
"No evidence."<\/p>\n
Miller nodded.<\/p>\n
It was clearly the correct answer, though not the satisfying one.<\/p>\n
"All right. I'll follow you."<\/p>\n
At 6:42 they turned into the driveway.<\/p>\n
Morning had begun whitening the sky behind the water tower.<\/p>\n
Travis got out carrying the yellow folder.<\/p>\n
Deputy Miller remained near the patrol vehicle where he could be seen.<\/p>\n
Travis climbed the porch.<\/p>\n
This time he knocked hard.<\/p>\n
Movement came from inside almost immediately.<\/p>\n
Kurt opened the door.<\/p>\n
The gray robe again.<\/p>\n
For half a second his face held the same smug irritation as before.<\/p>\n
Then he noticed Miller.<\/p>\n
The expression vanished.<\/p>\n
"What the hell is this?"<\/p>\n
"Morning," Travis said.<\/p>\n
"You brought cops?"<\/p>\n
"Deputy," Miller corrected from the driveway.<\/p>\n
Kurt looked toward him.<\/p>\n
That was when someone appeared behind Kurt.<\/p>\n
Travis saw bare feet first.<\/p>\n
Then an oversized T-shirt.<\/p>\n
Then Bethany's face.<\/p>\n
Everything he had prepared to say disappeared.<\/p>\n
She stopped halfway into the hall.<\/p>\n
Her hair was tangled. Her eyes looked swollen from either sleep or crying.<\/p>\n
For one irrational moment, Travis felt relief.<\/p>\n
Bethany was alive.<\/p>\n
Then he remembered the empty car seat.<\/p>\n
"Where's Kaylee?"<\/p>\n
Bethany's gaze flicked toward Kurt.<\/p>\n
Wrong answer.<\/p>\n
Travis noticed it instantly.<\/p>\n
He set the yellow folder on the porch rail and opened it.<\/p>\n
The deed lay on top.<\/p>\n
Kurt gave an incredulous laugh.<\/p>\n
"What's that supposed to be?"<\/p>\n
"My deed."<\/p>\n
Bethany closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
Travis pressed one finger against his name.<\/p>\n
"You removed my name from the mailbox."<\/p>\n
"Travis\u2014"<\/p>\n
"You let another man move into a house I bought before we met."<\/p>\n
"We need to talk."<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
Bethany looked toward Miller.<\/p>\n
"Not like this."<\/p>\n
"Where's Kaylee?"<\/p>\n
Her mouth tightened.<\/p>\n
"She's safe."<\/p>\n
"Where?"<\/p>\n
"With my sister."<\/p>\n
"Which sister?"<\/p>\n
Bethany did not answer immediately.<\/p>\n
She had two.<\/p>\n
Travis felt the first real flash of fear.<\/p>\n
"Bethany."<\/p>\n
"Melissa."<\/p>\n
"Where is Melissa?"<\/p>\n
"Near Joplin."<\/p>\n
"Address."<\/p>\n
Kurt shifted forward.<\/p>\n
"She doesn't have to tell you anything."<\/p>\n
Miller straightened beside the patrol car.<\/p>\n
Travis never looked away from Bethany.<\/p>\n
"You withdrew Kaylee from daycare three weeks ago and told them we were moving."<\/p>\n
Bethany's face changed.<\/p>\n
"You called Dolores?"<\/p>\n
"Of course I called Dolores."<\/p>\n
"You had no right\u2014"<\/p>\n
Travis almost laughed.<\/p>\n
"No right to ask where my daughter is?"<\/p>\n
"That's not what I meant."<\/p>\n
"Then explain what you meant."<\/p>\n
Kurt muttered something under his breath.<\/p>\n
Travis ignored him.<\/p>\n
Bethany folded her arms.<\/p>\n
"You weren't here."<\/p>\n
"I was at Fort Sill."<\/p>\n
"You chose to be there."<\/p>\n
"I was serving."<\/p>\n
"You reenlisted after I asked you not to."<\/p>\n
There it was.<\/p>\n
Not an explanation.<\/p>\n
A wound.<\/p>\n
Travis recognized the difference.<\/p>\n
They had fought about his reenlistment. Bethany had cried the night he signed. She had accused him of choosing the Army whenever civilian life became complicated.<\/p>\n
Travis had thought the argument ended.<\/p>\n
Apparently Bethany had thought the marriage did.<\/p>\n
"I called," he said.<\/p>\n
"Calls aren't the same."<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"They don't fix a sink. They don't take a sick kid to urgent care. They don't get up at two in the morning when she throws up."<\/p>\n
Travis absorbed the accusation.<\/p>\n
Some of it hurt because some of it was true.<\/p>\n
But none of it answered the question.<\/p>\n
"Address."<\/p>\n
Bethany shook her head.<\/p>\n
"You're not taking Kaylee."<\/p>\n
Travis became completely still.<\/p>\n
"I didn't say I was."<\/p>\n
"I know you."<\/p>\n
"Apparently not."<\/p>\n
"Don't do that."<\/p>\n
"Do what?"<\/p>\n
"Stand there acting calm so everybody thinks I'm crazy."<\/p>\n
Kurt stepped beside her.<\/p>\n
Travis looked at the robe again.<\/p>\n
The absurdity almost overwhelmed him.<\/p>\n
Miller approached the porch.<\/p>\n
"Folks."<\/p>\n
Nobody spoke.<\/p>\n
The deputy stopped several feet away.<\/p>\n
"This isn't getting solved here."<\/p>\n
Bethany pointed toward Travis.<\/p>\n
"He can't just come back after months and decide everything belongs to him."<\/p>\n
Miller glanced at the deed.<\/p>\n
"I'm not making that determination."<\/p>\n
"The house is his," Kurt said suddenly.<\/p>\n
Bethany turned sharply.<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
Kurt shrugged.<\/p>\n
"I mean technically."<\/p>\n
Her face hardened.<\/p>\n
Travis watched that exchange carefully.<\/p>\n
Kurt had known.<\/p>\n
Bethany apparently believed something different.<\/p>\n
"You told me\u2014" she began.<\/p>\n
Kurt interrupted.<\/p>\n
"I said we'd work it out."<\/p>\n
"You said military spouses\u2014"<\/p>\n
"Bethany."<\/p>\n
The single word carried a warning.<\/p>\n
Travis filed it away.<\/p>\n
"What did he tell you?"<\/p>\n
"Nothing."<\/p>\n
"What did Kurt tell you about my house?"<\/p>\n
"I said nothing."<\/p>\n
Bethany snatched a cardigan from the coat rack.<\/p>\n
"We're not doing this."<\/p>\n
She pushed past Kurt.<\/p>\n
Travis stepped aside to let her onto the porch.<\/p>\n
Miller watched everyone.<\/p>\n
Bethany descended the stairs and headed toward a small sedan parked behind the Ram.<\/p>\n
"Where are you going?"<\/p>\n
"Away from you."<\/p>\n
"Give me Melissa's address."<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Bethany."<\/p>\n
She opened the driver's door.<\/p>\n
Travis stayed on the porch.<\/p>\n
He did not chase her.<\/p>\n
"Then I'm filing today."<\/p>\n
She froze.<\/p>\n
"For what?"<\/p>\n
"Whatever my lawyer tells me protects access to Kaylee."<\/p>\n
Bethany turned.<\/p>\n
"You'd take her from me?"<\/p>\n
"I want to know where she is."<\/p>\n
"She's safe."<\/p>\n
"You keep saying that instead of telling me where."<\/p>\n
Bethany's eyes filled, but her expression remained angry.<\/p>\n
"You don't understand."<\/p>\n
"Then help me."<\/p>\n
For one second Travis saw the woman he remembered.<\/p>\n
Frightened.<\/p>\n
Exhausted.<\/p>\n
Almost ready to speak.<\/p>\n
Kurt came down the porch.<\/p>\n
"Beth, don't."<\/p>\n
That ended it.<\/p>\n
Bethany climbed into the car.<\/p>\n
Travis looked from her to Kurt.<\/p>\n
Kurt stared back.<\/p>\n
The dynamic had changed.<\/p>\n
At four in the morning Travis had believed Kurt was simply the man Bethany had chosen.<\/p>\n
Now he wondered why Kurt seemed so interested in controlling what she said.<\/p>\n
Bethany started the engine.<\/p>\n
Before backing out, she lowered her window.<\/p>\n
"Don't go to Melissa's."<\/p>\n
Travis walked closer but stopped several feet away.<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
Bethany looked at Kurt.<\/p>\n
Then back at Travis.<\/p>\n
"Just don't."<\/p>\n
She reversed quickly and drove away.<\/p>\n
Travis watched until the sedan disappeared.<\/p>\n
Deputy Miller came alongside him.<\/p>\n
"Sergeant."<\/p>\n
"Yeah?"<\/p>\n
"Whatever you're thinking, don't follow her."<\/p>\n
"I'm not."<\/p>\n
"Good."<\/p>\n
Travis looked at Kurt.<\/p>\n
Kurt was no longer pretending confidence.<\/p>\n
"You need to leave," Kurt said.<\/p>\n
Travis glanced toward the house.<\/p>\n
"My house."<\/p>\n
"She's my tenant."<\/p>\n
The words came too quickly.<\/p>\n
Travis turned back.<\/p>\n
"Your what?"<\/p>\n
Kurt realized his mistake.<\/p>\n
Miller noticed it too.<\/p>\n
"What did you say?" the deputy asked.<\/p>\n
Kurt retreated one step.<\/p>\n
"Nothing."<\/p>\n
"You said tenant."<\/p>\n
"I misspoke."<\/p>\n
Travis felt the pieces shifting.<\/p>\n
"Kurt."<\/p>\n
The man stared at him.<\/p>\n
"Did Bethany sign something?"<\/p>\n
No answer.<\/p>\n
Travis looked toward the black Ram.<\/p>\n
Then the changed curtains.<\/p>\n
Then the missing wedding photograph.<\/p>\n
This might not be merely an affair.<\/p>\n
Something had been arranged.<\/p>\n
"Show me."<\/p>\n
Kurt laughed nervously.<\/p>\n
"Show you what?"<\/p>\n
"Whatever she signed."<\/p>\n
Kurt stepped inside and slammed the door.<\/p>\n
The deadbolt turned.<\/p>\n
Miller looked at Travis.<\/p>\n
"That answer your question?"<\/p>\n
"It gave me a worse one."<\/p>\n
Travis did not return to the house that morning. That decision cost him more discipline than anything Kurt had said at the door. He wanted to drive straight back, pound … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12729,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12731"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12759,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12731\/revisions\/12759"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}