When you lose your kid (Told in the perspective of mystery novel)

It's inevitable. Every mom and dad has to go through it. Its a gauntlet that's required of all parents. You're at the grocery store and you turn away for one second. BAM! Your kid is gone. He or she has roamed off to wherever, but your first thought is some kidnapper has grabbed him. Panic rushes all over your body and you begin to yell your child's name.
I bet if you look for clues you can find your kid with ease. Kids are dumb. Even the smart ones. They can't cover their tracks. So, to practice this I thought I would let Paxton loose in the house.
Step 1 was to get Caitlynne out of the house. She would never go for it. Mani/pedi gift certificate in her Christmas stocking. Step one - complete.
Paxton was let loose in the house. Like a cheetah out of a cage he was gone. Nowhere to be found. Step 2- look for clues.
I go to his favorite place. The ball pit. It's an obvious first pick.




Nothing. No baby and no balls. Strange. I turn around and see my next clue on the chair.




This has Paxton all over it. I can just picture him crawling up to the chair and reaching up and putting each ball up there. He does this all the time. Classic Paxton. But where to next. Ah! Got it. As much as he likes to put things on tables and chairs, he likes to sweep things off onto the floor. Especially from our entertainment center.




Yep, just what I thought. DVDs all over the floor. I know Paxton. He does this when he's fussy. So, bedtime.




My instinct steers me in the right direction. I realized how easy it is to find your kid once they're lost. It hit me like a ton of bricks! How did he get up there? I ripped back the covers.




It was a trap! I start looking fratically. Yelling his name hysterically. Where is he? Where has he gone. I run through the house and as I pass the entry hall I catch something out of the corner of my eye.
Evidence 12553-0SA




Caitlynne's keys are gone. The spare keys are still there. Where are my keys? It could be a coincidence. I have been known to walk in the house and put my keys down wherever. Put every lead is worth exploring.
Found him.




See, if you're at Walmart and you kid disappears. Chances are he's left a string of clues. You just have to know where to look.