Missing Ballerina

Write On Edge #16

Write 500 words using Elton John's song, “Tiny Dancer” as inspiration.

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Watching from her beach chair, staring into the sun with her hand shielding her eyes, Corinne, smiled watching her daughter practice pirouettes and arabesques in the sand safe from the water's edge. She liked that her seven-year-old ballerina was having a wonderful time.

Corinne returned to reading her book but automatically looked up five minutes later to check on Darby. Peering back at the previous location, she could not see her daughter.  Her eyes searched a wider area of beach to no avail. Darby knew well not to go into the water. Perhaps she had found a playmate. Reaching for her cover up, Corinne headed in the direction where Darby had been.

Standing in Darby’s faded footprints, she scanned the faces and beach towels. Trying not to become frantic, she began to call Darby's name and wandered among the sunbathers occasionally asking if they had seen a little girl in a pink bathing suit. One elderly woman toward the far end of the crowd recalled a child holding the hand of a middle-aged man speaking to him excitedly about a puppy. They had passed by just several minutes earlier. Unfortunately, only yards away, was a parking area.

Corinne dashed to the parking lot. Not allowing the full weight of her panic to emerge, she looked about wildly for signs of Darby. Her cell phone was back with her beach towel. She ran to the closest person begging to call the police. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers. 

By the time the police arrived, guilt was beginning to consume Corinne for not having watched Darby every second. If anything happened to her daughter, she would be to blame, and rightfully so. Darby had been nearby and in front of so many people at the beach. How could someone not have seen if something were awry?

The parking attendant at the exit to the lot recalled the car with the little girl and was able to provide the make, model and color, along with a brief description of the man. Since he'd been wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, not much specific could be provided. After speaking to the elderly woman as an eye witness, Officer Vincent called in an Amber Alert.

Corinne, too overwhelmed to drive, rode in the police car to provide her statement at the station. En route, the radio announced the car had been found and two officers were investigating. Officer Vincent headed to the location. Upon arrival, they found the child abductor in handcuffs on the ground. Darby was playing happily with a puppy under the watchful eye of the second officer of the first responding vehicle. Corinne ran to her daughter so ecstatic and relieved to find her unharmed. 

Later she learned the field where they were found was an empty lot next to the abductor's home. After a thorough search of the residence, evidence was found linking him to several missing children and murders of children over the past few years were being investigated.