Sargent Reid was beside himself with worry for Angelique O'Bryan. He knew she had no idea the danger she was in. Bobby and his gang were just pawns being used and manipulated by Danny Caldwell to distribute drugs and weapons throughout the streets of New York. 

Sargent Reid had been working on the case for years now, but no matter how hard he tried, couldn't pin anything on Danny. He finally got a lucky break, when a brash, abrupt man named John McDougle approached him. 

John came looking for him because he learned some information that he couldn't live with and, still believing in the justice system, wanted to know what Sargent Reid was going to do about it. It had come to John's attention that witnesses involved in cases with Danny Caldwell were disappearing before trial. Especially those trials that involved a particular street gang. 

If they didn't disappear, then they suddenly were dropping the charges without warning and some cases seem pretty airtight in John's opinion. It was obvious that Danny's clients were guilty.

Later, as they worked together on the case, John had provided some information that led to some pretty large drug and weapon busts, but as soon as the firm set their sights on Angelique O'Bryan, John's demeanor changed. 

Reid wondered if it was possible that Danny had an idea that John was the mole in the firm and encouraged the case against Angelique to distract John from knowing his every move. He was pretty certain neither John nor Danny expected Angelique to get involved with Bobby and his gang. It was just an unfortunate coincidence. 

When he arrested Bobby at the shelter, he knew the boy's profile well and when he encouraged Angelique to press charges, Sargent Reid knew the chain of events he was setting in motion. He thought they could handle it. It was just the edge they needed to spur Danny into action and make him get sloppy. Then they could nail him for the lowlife he was, but the Sargent had underestimated Danny.

Thinking of John's death and now Angelique missing, Sargent Reid realized just how wrong he was. 

"Sargent Reid? Please respond," came the dispatcher's voice over the ban. 

"This is Sargent Reid." 

"Sargent Reid, we have an emergency call from an Alice Spry. She said she's from St. Gabriel's Home for Children and she needs to talk to you. Should I patch her through?" 

"Yes!" 

There was a brief pause and then came a shaky voice. "Sargent Reid?" 

"Yes, Alice. What's wrong? What's going on there? Has Michael gotten back?"

"No," Alice said, "I have a message from John McDougle. He told me I had to reach you. It's regarding Angelique." 

"John McDougle?" It shocked officer Reid to hear the name. "But John McDougle is dead." 

Confused, Alice asked, "What did you just say?" 

"John, John McDougle was found dead on his boat this afternoon. Burned to death in a fire." 

Alice wondered where the officer was getting his information. "John McDougle just left the shelter only ten minutes ago. I don't know what you are talking about but I'm pretty certain dead men don't drink coffee." 

Sargent Reid felt the excitement surge through him. So, John was alive! He felt so relieved. It didn't explain who was on the boat, but still... he was glad to hear the news. 

"What was the message?" he asked, getting back to business. 

"Angelique left a note. She must have come by while I was in the soup kitchen. The note said she's in trouble and that Danny Caldwell has kidnapped Rebecca. That she can't afford to waste any time and so is going to find her. She wrote she was to meet Danny where they first met. To call the police and ask for you. She believes she is going to need rescuing. Someone to help save her and Rebecca. She addressed the letter to Deacon McDougle." 

"You said John read the letter?" 

"Yes, he read it, and then he left to go find Angelique." 

"Damn It!" Sargent Reid swore, pounding his fist against the steering column. "Sorry Alice!" he said after regaining his composure. "You said Michael hasn't shown up yet?" 

"That's right," Alice confirmed. "John also mentioned that Michael could show you where Angelique went." 

"Well, that's good news," Sargent Reid said, but still feeling frustrated. "Michael is on his way to the shelter now with Officer Ryan. Tell them what you told me, but tell them they are not to make a move until I get there. Let them know Angelique's backup is on the way." 

Alice no sooner hung up the phone did Michael and the officer walk through the front door.

"Alice," Michael called as he ran over to her. "Have you seen Angelique?" 

"No, but she was here. She left this note for you." 

Alice handed the note to Michael.

Quickly reading it over, Michael felt the panic surge within him. "No, no, no!" he yelled out loud, startling several of the children nearby. 

"What is it?" Officer Ryan asked. 

"She has gone after Rebecca on her own. She going to face Danny, one on one." 

Rereading the note, Michael asked, "What did she mean by she was meeting Danny at the place where they first met?"

"Your Brother John seemed to think you already knew what that meant," Alice said, now very concerned. If Michael didn't know, then how were they supposed to get help to Angelique in time? 

Michael looked at Alice, shocked. 

"My brother? John?"

Remembering what Sargent Reid said over the phone, she realized Michael must be under the same impression that John was dead. "He was here about ten minutes ago. He left and went after Angelique after he told me to call Sargent Reid."

It took a minute for the realization that his brother was alive to sink in. 

"He's alive!" he yelled, picking up Officer Ryan and swinging her about. "The bastard still lives. Praise God!" 

Alice thought it was a rather strange affirmation of faith, but got back to the matter at hand. "Sargent Reid is calling for back up he wants you two to say put until he gets here. He's counting on you to tell him where to find them." 

Michael tried to clear his thoughts to think about what she could have meant. 

"The first place they met? The first place she and Danny met?" Michael said aloud as he paced the floor. 

Officer Ryan and Alice stood and watched Michael. As he paced, they both stared on, willing him to remember. 

"High School?" Michael said, questioning only himself. It didn't sound right. 

"It's obviously a place you are familiar with," Officer Ryan said encouragingly. "Perhaps someplace you, your brother and Angelique had been together? They both seemed pretty certain you'd know where it was with no hints or clues or they would have told you where it was straight out." 

A place where they were all together: Angelique, John, Danny, and him. 

"That's it!" Michael cried out. "The glade behind the parish grounds. It's where we first found Angel. We were hunting. John, Danny, and I. We were young and stupid, hunting rabbits and small animals. The last thing we expected was to find a girl in the forest. Danny had accidentally shot Angelique that day." 

Michael remembered with clarity the event in its entirety. 

"That's got to be it! That's where we all first met. Come on, Mary. We got to go." 

It surprised officer Ryan that Michael used her first name. "But Michael, we need to wait for Sargent Reid." 

She understood Michael's urgency but was not willing to disobey her superior. 

"Look, we can reach him over the radio in your squad car, can't we? We really can't afford to lose time. We'll tell him to meet us at St. Joe's. I'll lead them to the spot from there. Let's go," he said, grabbing hold of Officer Ryan's arm and dragging her toward the front door to the squad car. 

"Are they going to be okay?" Tommy asked from the doorway of Angelique's office. 

Alice looked down at the boy and took his hand in hers. 

"I don't know, Tommy, but I think it's time we formed our prayer group to pray to make sure God keeps them all safe. What do you say?" 

Wanting desperately to help, Tommy left to gather the rest of the children.