Out of Focus by Nancy Naigle

dear.”
    Kasey crossed the room and sank into the chair opposite her. “How’ve you been doing?”
    “I’m old. Don’t ask. How are you?”
    “Same. Not the old part, but the ‘don’t ask’ part.”
    They laughed.
    “I wanted to stop by and let you know I’ll be out of town for a while.”
    Jeremy walked in with a mug of tea and a small plate of toast.
    She took both, and they exchanged a look after she noticed the apple butter.
    “Thanks. This looks good.” She bit into a triangle of toast and moaned. “Delicious.”
    Grem rolled her eyes.
    “Did you just say you were going away?” He set a pot of tea on the table between Kasey and Grem. “I overheard. Where are you headed?”
    Kasey sipped her tea. “I have a photo shoot.”
    “Where?” Grem asked.
    “I’m shooting Cody Tuggle’s tour. He’s a country singer. I’ll be heading to Nashville, then up and down the coast.”
    “Now that’s my girl. That sounds like a big deal.” Grem looked pleased.
    “It is.” Kasey nodded. “Von and Riley will be my eyes and ears here while I’m away, in case anything comes up about Jake.”
    Grem placed her hand on Kasey’s arm. “I think it’s the right thing to do. Your career is important. Keep me posted, won’t you?”
    “I will.” Kasey sighed in relief. She’d expected a lot of drama, but her grandmother had taken the news quite well.
    A non-event. Thank goodness for that .
    All she had left to do now was to pack.
    “When will you leave?” Grem asked.
    “Friday,” Kasey said.
    Jeremy straightened. “So soon? How long will you be gone?”
    Kasey shrugged. “I’m just going to see how it plays out. I wanted to let y’all know, but like you said, it’s soon.” She got up and stepped over to Grem’s chair. “I need to run some errands and start packing.”
    “I’m sure you’ll do an amazing job,” Grem said. She hugged Kasey. “I’m so proud of you.”
    “Thanks. Love you,” Kasey said over her shoulder as she walked toward the door.
    Jeremy stepped between her and the front door.
    “Wednesdays won’t be the same,” he said.
    “From what I hear about these music tours, I may not even know which day is Wednesday.” She laughed.
    He didn’t.
    She cocked her head. “What’s the matter?”
    “I just hate the thought of you being gone. I mean, Jake—and now you.”
    “And Nick,” Kasey said. “Nick’s gone. We don’t have any leads on Jake. I can’t take it anymore. The waiting. The sitting here doing nothing. It’s killing me. We’ve talked about this. You know how it’s tearing me apart.” She bowed her head, her jaw tightening. “You’re the last one I expected to get any heat from.”
    He hugged her. “Sorry. I’m overreacting. Jake will show up. I feel it, too. I’d just hate for you to be gone when he does.”
    Kasey hitched her purse onto her shoulder. “Me, too, but it’s not like I’ll be in the jungle. I can be on the first plane back. I’m praying for answers.”
    “Me, too,” Jeremy said. “Let me know what you need from me. You know you can count on me, right?”
    “Of course.”
    * * * *

    On Wednesday morning, just after nine, there was a loud knock at the front door. Kasey ran down the stairs, swung around the newel post and answered it. A courier handed her a package. “Need your signature, ma’am.”
    More tour stuff.
    She took the pen from the young man’s hand and scribbled her signature next to the X, then took the package. She kicked the door closed and opened the stiff envelope. Over the last two days she’d felt an excitement that she thought she’d never feel again. She’d had fun reading all the details of the promo for each city on the tour, knowing she’d be a part of the action.
    Kasey pulled the contents from the envelope, excited to see what they’d sent her now. Her hands recoiled as if she’d touched a hot stove. Paper fluttered like angel wings to the floor.
    Her hands trembled.
    She fell to her knees and swept