However, by the time eight o’clock rolled around, with many answered calls yet to be returned, text messages sent to all my contacts who were parents of Ava’s friends, and multiple voicemail messages left, anxiety started to set in.
Then at 10 o’clock that evening, I was out driving around town checking the various places Ava frequently visited with her friends.
No one had any information regarding Ava.
The following day, the counselor at Ava’s school contacted me to inquire why Ava had missed first period.
It was at that moment that an overwhelming sense of panic hit me square in the chest, and I felt complete fear.
The next seven days were among the most surreal days of my life.
I was unable to eat or sleep; therefore, for the entire week, I was making phone calls every hour. When my phone would ring, my heart would stop beating for just a second, then return to a hurtful thump against my chest.
On the second day after Ava went missing, flyers were posted all over town.
On the fourth day, the stress of my situation began to affect me greatly, as I could not stop pacing and had not been able to sleep.
Although the police department was helping, they were taking way too long to help me; Ryan was right next to me throughout the entire ordeal.
I appreciated that Ryan was with me; however, I kept questioning my ability to trust anyone again.
Throughout the seven days, all I could think about was the empty bedroom Ava had once lived in.
I still cannot describe how hard it was to return to Ava’s room.
Ava’s hoodie was still hanging from the chair she normally wore to school, and her math book was still open on her bed, exactly as she had left it that morning before she left for school.I was on her bed trying to calm down and sort through my thoughts when the phone rang.
“Hello, Mrs. Carter?”
It was Principal Matthews from the school that Ava attended.
“We found something in Ava’s locker that has your name on it.”
Within a minute, I was in my car, and within 12 minutes, I was at the school.
Principal Matthews was waiting outside his office for me and appeared uncomfortable.
“A custodial worker found the item behind a couple of textbooks,” then continued leading me down the hall, “and we thought it was important for you to have it right away.”
My heart was pounding, making it difficult to give his comments much attention.
When we finally reached Ava’s locker, I recognized an old cell phone and folded note sitting next to one another.
I knew the cell phone was one that Ava had lost many months ago.
The front of the note had five words in Ava’s writing:
“Give this to my Mom.”
When I read the note, my hands started to shake.
“Mom, If I’m not here, please check the garage security camera video from my old phone. I was able to save it before he got rid of it.”
I read the note again.
Before he could get rid of it.
A knot formed in my stomach. My mind slowly started to remember Ryan’s face.
I grabbed the phone and found that it had no passcode.
The only thing in the phone’s gallery app was one video:
Garage Camera – Thursday, 11:48 p.m.
My fingers shook as I hit the play button.
The camera was focused on Ryan’s SUV, which was parked underneath the garage light.
I did not see anything for several seconds.Ava stepped into view barefoot with oversize pajama trunk pants and a hoodie. She appeared to be anxious. A moment later, Ryan entered the garage after Ava. My breath caught in my throat right away. Ryan was standing several feet away from Ava, speaking to her in a calming manner while she stood with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. After speaking with Ava, Ryan walked to the rear of his SUV and opened the trunk. My stomach dropped. Ryan reached into his trunk and pulled out a large cardboard box. Ava immediately stepped back from the box and away from Ryan. Ryan opened the cardboard box and showed Ava what was inside. Although I could not hear what Ryan said, I could tell that Ava was upset based on her facial expression and body language. After continuing to talk with Ava, Ryan stopped talking and Ava shook her head in a firm manner. After shaking her head, Ava turned and ran back inside the house. The video ended. I looked at my computer screen and tried to understand what had just happened through the video. There was nothing overtly threatening about the video. There were no screaming, shouts, or physical aggression; thus, Ava did not appear to be distressed to a level sufficient to have saved the video, based, in part, on her note stating that Ryan attempted to delete it before she saved it. “What was in that box?” I questioned in a whisper. After saying thank you to the principal for faxing me the video, I called Ryan while I was walking to my car. He answered after the second ring. “Claire?” he said. “Are you able to come to our house?” I requested. “Whoa……what is going on?” he asked. Based on how worried I sounded, Ryan came to my house. When I arrived home, Ryan was already in my driveway next to his SUV parked. As soon as I walked into the house, I held up Ava’s old cell phone. “Why did you delete the video of the garage footage?” I asked him. Ryan d frozen for a brief moment and then sat on the sofa as he rubbed his head.”She wouldn’t have done this if she hadn’t have to.”
I found myself frowning at Ryan who seemed to become drained from the whole situation. There was no anger or defensiveness from him, only pure exhaustion.
“You can’t assume what type of man I am until you hear everything,” he continued to speak softly.
I folded my arms across my chest and Ryan took a deep breath before he spoke again.
“A couple of months before I met you I found out that I had a daughter,” he said, which came as a complete shock to me, and I couldn’t even respond.
He went on to tell me that he had dated a woman for a short time years ago who had moved away after they split up. He was unaware that she had become pregnant. Then about a year ago he received a message on his online account from that woman’s mother.