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Serena?
    A dozen more questions bombarded him as he wolfed down a pizza. He spent a couple of hours online himself researching Rice, but found very little about the man in cyberspace.
    Which raised more questions. An entrepreneur involved in several small businesses should have more of a presence on the internet.
    He typed in the link to Serena’s business and accessed her records, then phoned two of her clients. Both gave her raving character descriptions, claiming she was nice, professional and adored her son. All seemed shocked at her arrest.
    He tried a different tactic for Rice, searching for more on his background, and was still digging around for information at 2:00 a.m. when the phone trilled.
    Colt frowned and grabbed the handset.
    â€œColt, it’s Derrick.” His voice sounded choppy, strained, upset.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    â€œIt’s Petey. He finally fell asleep around midnight, and then we went to bed, too. But I heard a noise a few minutes ago and got up, and…dammit, Colt.”
    Colt’s heart raced. “What?”
    â€œPetey’s gone.”

Chapter Four
    â€œPetey’s gone?” Colt’s heart hammered.
    â€œYes,” Derrick said, his voice strained. “We’ve searched the house and outside, but we can’t find him anywhere.”
    â€œDammit, he could have run away again.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought. I’m going to take the car and comb the neighborhood.” Derrick released an explosive breath. “Bri has already called Rosalie at the manor, but I don’t think Petey would go back there.”
    â€œMe neither.” So where would the kid go? “He was furious at me,” Colt said. “Maybe he was coming here.”
    â€œHow would he know where you live, man?”
    Colt scrubbed his hand over his face. “Right. That doesn’t make sense.”
    â€œMaybe he’s running toward the jail,” Derrick suggested.
    Colt contemplated that possibility. “Maybe, but we told him that they won’t allow children there.” He tried to put himself in the head of a six-year-old. “He’d probably go someplace safe.”
    â€œSomeplace he felt close to his mother,” Derrick murmured.
    â€œHis home.” Colt grabbed his keys and headed toward the door. “I’ll go to Serena’s. You check outside and the neighborhood, and I’ll call the sheriff and tell him Petey is missing in case he does turn up at the jail.”
    â€œAre you going to have him tell Serena?” Derrick asked.
    Colt jumped in his Range Rover and started the engine. “No, not yet. She’ll be terrified. Let’s see if we can find him first before we have to put her through that worry.”
    Colt disconnected the call, then punched in the sheriff’s number. He answered on the third ring. “Sheriff Gray, this is Colt Mason. We have a problem.”
    â€œDo you know what time it is?” the sheriff barked.
    â€œPetey Stover is missing.”
    A tense heartbeat passed. “What the hell happened?”
    â€œHe was upset when I didn’t bring his mother back. So Derrick McKinney and his wife took him to their house.”
    â€œI thought he was in foster care.”
    â€œBrianna works for Magnolia Manor. She—we—thought he’d be better off tonight with them. But Derrick just phoned and said the boy is gone. He’s searching the neighborhood, but I thought you should check the jail in case he goes there to be with his mother.”
    Sheriff Gray muttered a sound of frustration. “Deputy Alexander is at the jail now. I’ll call him, issue an amber alert and cruise the town.”
    Colt sighed. “Thanks. I’m going to Serena’s in case he goes home.”
    The men disconnected, and Colt headed toward the Stover house. He just prayed that Petey was there and not out wandering the streets all alone.
    Â 
    S ERENA HAD FINALLY fallen