39. Logan
logan
My mind is racing with everything that could go wrong, and when I pull onto Main Street and see the fire trucks, the ambulance, and the police crowded around Bottle Grounds main entrance, the erratic beat of my heart increases tenfold.
I was only just here a few hours ago. On my way to pick up Lue from school, I had a tendency to drive past the bar, even if it was out of the way, just to see if I could get a glimpse of Thea.
Whether or not I liked it, she was still buried beneath my skin, stuck in my heart, and even though things were bad right now, I knew that we weren’t over.
I’d even gotten lucky and saw Thea taking out a too-heavy bag of trash. I almost got out to help her but forced myself to stay put and just watched on as she moved.
My fists had clenched at my sides, watching as she walked back to the bar’s doors and wrapped her sweater around her tighter to hide from the chill.
I missed the hell out of her .
I park haphazardly and jump out, my booted feet pounding on the pavement as I make my way to the front, pushing past the emergency services people, most of them I’ve known my entire life.
I scan the ambulance and see a couple of people sitting at the back, one of them being the chef. Maybe something had gone wrong in the kitchen? The guess doesn’t settle my mind, and I know in my gut that’s not what happened.
My blood runs cold at the coincidence of events.
Thea gets the letter threatening her, a letter saying parole may happen, then she dumps us out of the blue with no real reason.
“You’re being a coward, Thea. You’re running away from something great because of your fear.”
My words come back to me suddenly. She was running away because of fear, but not fear for herself, fear for me, fear for Lue, fear for our family.
Fuck.
I can’t believe I was so fucking stupid.
I scan the area quickly, looking for her, hoping to God that she’s not hurt or worse.
My heart is tight in my chest, and Mitch taps my shoulder, pointing near the entrance where Juniper and Annmarie are standing, talking with the cops.
I race to them, stopping short, and grabbing Annmarie’s shoulder. She spins to me, looking tired and worried.
“Where’s Thea?” I ask urgently, my head and heart already preparing for the worst possible answer.
“Thea?” Annmarie asks but doesn’t really ask, her eyes unfocused for a few seconds. “Shit.” She looks around her, her eyes scanning like mine did moments ago. “Fuck. ”
Suddenly, she turns and marches into the restaurant. I’m right on her heels, along with Juniper and Mitch. We all scan the empty bar.
“Fuck,” Annmarie hisses, her hands digging into her hair, and she turns to me. For the first time since I’ve known her, she looks genuinely frightened.
“The fire was so chaotic,” she starts. “Everyone was running out of here, people were yelling and cursing and making a fucking scene.”
“I saw her run into the kitchen,” Juniper interrupts, her lip burrowed between her teeth. “I thought she was just making sure everyone was out.”
“Who else was in here?” I ask, my frantic thoughts narrowing in on one objective. Find Thea.
“No one that we saw.” Annmarie frowns, then something dawns on her, and she looks at Juniper. “Fuck,” she repeats.
Juniper looks back at her, fear crossing her face. “You think?”
“He wouldn’t,” Annmarie says.
“You don’t think so? He was a fucking psycho.”
I’m about to scream when Mitch grabs onto Juniper’s shoulder, gently turning her to face him. “Who are you talking about?”
“E-Eric,” she says, stumbling over her words and looking over to me. “Her ex, you know, the one you’ve been trying to protect her from.”
“That motherfucker.” I turn and kick one of the chairs behind me. “Where would he take her?”
I look at Annmarie. Her face shows just how pissed she is as well. “I don’t know. He’s not welcome in his club anymore, and that was way down in South Denver.”
“He would stay somewhere close, not risk kidnapping a chick and then going too far,” Mitch pitches in, and it’s the most I’ve heard of his voice since he came home. I wish I could appreciate it.
“I have to go.” I start out the front door.
“Wait!” Annmarie calls, and I feel her and the other two at my back. “What are you going to do? How are you going to find them?”
“I have my ways,” I respond, reaching my truck. I glance around, and the emergency service people are still tending to the distraught guests. I look at Annmarie and give her a serious look. “Don’t tell anyone she’s missing.”
Confusion crosses her face before she looks from me to my little brother. Something in his expression must solidify what I’m saying to her, and she nods, tucking her arm around her little sister’s. “Just bring my sister back.”
I give her a serious look and nod. “I will.”
Hopping into my truck, I turn it over and Mitch jumps in the other side. Before I can worry about anyone realizing what’s missing, I peel out of the parking lot, intent on finding my girl.
“What’s the plan?”
I clench my jaw, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. “First, we’re gonna grab some backup.”
“CT?”
He knew, of course, he’s not stupid. CT has been there for me in every fight I’ve ever had, and I had a feeling I’d need him for this one too.
“Yup.”
“Then what?”
I rack my brain, thinking over the options, and one dawns on me. “Then I go visit a friend.”