Erika Wilson's job pays nothing, causes unbearable stress and so far has produced no results.

But Wilson is determined to pursue what became her life's work exactly six months ago —helping authorities find her missing son, Justin Gaines.

Jason Getz/AJC (ENLARGE)

Old photographs of Justin Gaines who disappeared from Wild Bill's nightclub off Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth during the early morning hours of Nov. 2.

Jason Getz/AJC (ENLARGE)

Erika Wilson stands next to her SUV with a sticker advertising the missing of her son Justin Gaines.

• Photos Recent headlines: [an error occurred while processing this directive]    • Gwinnett County news

"I never wanted this new life," Wilson said. "I didn't ask for it, but it's my job now."

Working from a garage converted into a home office, she has focused on making buttons and bumper stickers, raising funds for a reward, handing out flyers, setting up a telephone tip line and maintaining a Web site —anything to make sure the public doesn't forget her missing son.

No one has seen or heard from Gaines since he disappeared from Wild Bill's nightclub off Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth during the early morning hours of Nov. 2. Weeks of scouring the area with volunteer search parties turned up no clues.

"Not a shoe, not a shirt, nothing of his belongings," Wilson said.

Friends dropped off Gaines at the club on Nov. 1. At the time Gaines was 18 and a freshman at the Oconee campus of Gainesville College in Athens. He was home visiting his family in Snellville for the weekend.

Gaines reportedly made several calls later that evening to friends asking for a ride home. None of them were able to pick him up.

Wilson's prevailing theory is that Gaines got "the wrong ride" by someone who hurt him that night. But she also clings to a hope that he could be alive somewhere.

While the case remains unsolved, Wilson said she has no desire to return to her job in real estate.

Erica and her husband Steve Wilson have also hired private investigator Bob Poulnot of Lawrenceville to probe the case.

"I know it's been a long time," Poulnot said Thursday, "but we're still working on leads and we don't intend to give up."

Gwinnett police spokesman Officer David Schiralli said investigators have no more leads to follow.

"Every possible avenue that we could follow up, we followed through on," Schiralli said. "Now we're just waiting for anybody else to come forward with new information."

Schiralli said investigators have placed a wide range of items connected to the case into evidence, 75 of which were delivered to the GBI lab for analysis. He declined to talk about specific pieces of evidence. Schiralli said the GBI will soon meet with Gwinnett investigators to review the case "from an outsider's point of view."

Some of the six other children in the Wilsons' blended family —their ages range from 13 to 21— have celebrated birthdays in their brother's absence. When Gaines' 19th birthday passed on March 31, Wilson developed such a migraine headache that she couldn't move from her bed.

Steve Wilson, Gaines' stepfather, decided that day to have a likeness of Gaines tattooed above his heart. Wilson said her husband wanted to see his son's face every day in the mirror when he dresses.

On Friday, family and friends will gather for a cookout and candlelight vigil in remembrance of Gaines at Bethesda Park at 225 Bethesda Church Road in Snellville.

The Wilsons are offering a $25,000 reward to anyone with information leading to Gaines' whereabouts. Anyone with information can call 1-877-270-9500 or visit www.justingaines.com.

Until they get the tip they've been waiting for, Wilson's work continues.

"Every day I cry, pray and hope for answers," Wilson said. "I can't imagine doing this another six months. I want to quit this job."