Vibrations Read Free Page A

probably been on all day.
    “Please let me know if he is
alive,” begged Mrs. Dolan. “Conner is just a baby. He’s only seven. He loves to
play outside with the other kids on their bikes and skateboards. He would never
stay away this long. He doesn’t even go to the end of the street. Please!” The
last word was almost a moan.
    She started to sob hysterically
but Whitney continued quietly speaking to her, too low for Nick to hear. Finally
the woman began nodding and her crying subsided.
    Whitney turned to Nick. “Could
you help Mrs. Dolan get us some tea from the kitchen? I want to take a look
upstairs. I’ll just be a minute.” She could see him debating what to do, but she
didn’t give him a choice as she quickly swept out of the room.
    Whitney slowed as she went up
the stairs. She slid her hand on the banister and pictured the little boy that
was missing. Her stomach was knotted and her head hurt. This was just the
pre-event jitters and she wanted to turn and run. It wouldn’t get any better. She
knew. It was always the same. She already knew he wouldn’t be found alive. She
could feel it. Maybe this time she was wrong. “Please be wrong,” she whispered
to herself.
    The first room on the right had
a sign scribbled telling all girls to “keep out.” She opened the door. It was a
typical boy’s room. Pictures of sports heroes filled the blue walls. Trophies
from various sports were placed carefully in rows on the shelves. His bed had a
Sponge Bob comforter and Buzz Light Year pillows. There were a few model cars
and a gigantic track in the middle of the floor.
    Whitney stepped in and closed
her eyes. She could sense the happiness that had been in this room hovering
around the edge, but as she neared the window she could feel the fear. She
stood, rigid and unseeing as the image became clearer. Someone he knew was
calling him. The person was parked at the curb, just outside the window on the
first floor. She followed the sensations and quietly slipped back down the
stairs. The back door creaked as she let herself out, but no one seemed to
notice.
    Her hands were open and seeking
as she walked around to the side of the house. Conner was looking for a friend
as he came around the corner. She touched the branches near where the car had
been parked and felt a chill as the energy rolled onto her hand. The killer had
been here. He had gotten close to the child. And then the child was gone. He
had only had a moment of fear before something had rendered him unconscious.
    She knew that wasn’t the end of
it. He had suffered somewhere, alone, in a dark and cold place. No clues to
help the investigation. No good news to tell the family, just a new memory of
pain and fear to drift into her dreams at night.
    Whitney stepped back into the
house and closed the door. She took a minute to try to shake the feeling of dread.
Now came the hardest part, facing the family again. By the time she entered the
living room, her face was calm. It held the look of reflection she had worked
so hard to perfect for times exactly like this one. She told Mrs. Dolan she
could sense that he was a happy boy and that he liked to laugh. She made sure
to keep everything in the present tense. She explained it would take time to
consider all the information, but hoped she would soon be hearing news of her
son. That part was true. She hoped they found him soon so the family could
start to have some closure.
    Once they were outside Nick
gave a little snort and rolled his eyes. “Wow,” he said sarcastically, “that
was amazing. I am so glad we waited to get all of your deep insights.”
    Whitney didn’t respond. Her
mind was too heavy with grief to care what the detective thought. She walked
back to her car, anxious to get away from the house, the images, and the
irritating man following her.
    Teddy met up with them as Sarah
opened the door for Whitney. “Will you be going to the most recent recovery
scene next?” He was asking Whitney but she