As dusk settled, doubt crept in. A few muttered about the growing dark, others exchanged glances that said it all. Samantha caught the words—they didn’t think he’d be found. Each comment landed like a crack through glass, pressing harder against the fragile strength she was barely holding together.
By the time they returned to her house that night, the search had yielded nothing. Samantha collapsed onto the porch steps, her limbs heavy, her spirit hollow. The ache in her chest reminded her of the worst days after her divorce. Even the ticking clock inside sounded like it was mocking her.
Still, buried beneath the weight of exhaustion, something inside her pushed back. Her tenacity as a lawyer bubbled up and she remembered how she’d won cases where everything was stacked up against her. She refused to give up now. Tomorrow, she’d try again. She’d search longer, dig deeper, and keep going until something gave.
The next morning, she rose with new resolve hardening her chest. It had been over two days since Pablo vanished, and time was working against her. If she didn’t act now—smarter and faster—he might slip beyond reach. She wouldn’t let that happen. Not while she still had breath.