Jasper
My phone rings and I pick it up, laughing when I see it’s my mom. “Yeah? Don’t tell me. Claudia wants to eat dinner at the festival.”
I sit up straight in my car. “What’s wrong? Is Claudia alright?”
“Yes. Yes. But I took her to the restroom and when I got back, well, Willow wasn’t sitting where we left her. And I’ve looked everywhere, asked all my friends and nobody’s seen her.”
“Fuck,” I growl under my breath. “Just stay put. I’ll get ahold of Tessa and Cal. We’ll find her. She’s probably just wandered off.”
But I don’t believe it for a second. There’s no way she’d just up and leave my mom and Claudia with no warning and she doesn’t know anybody in town to talk to.
My stomach churns. I told her that she’d be safe. Even though I knew that there was a possibility he was here.
I didn’t want to scare her.
And now she’s lost and I don’t know where. And if he’s got her I’m gonna kill him.
And if he hurts her again? I’m gonna make sure he hurts worse than he’s ever hurt in his life.
“Tessa, I need an APB out for a five foot three curvy redhead with gray eyes.” My heart pounds in my chest describing the love of my life. Like she’s lost.
“Her name is Willow Wilder and she lives out at that old renovated farmhouse.”
“The one from the call the other night?”
“Yeah. She was at the festival with my mom and Claudia and then she disappeared.”
“Maybe she just wandered off.”
“No. She doesn’t like crowds. She wouldn’t go off by herself. I also found out that the guy who attacked her got out of jail on some stupid technicality. I think he might be in town.”
“Okay.”
“I hear you,” Cal clicks in. “Where do you want me to go?”
“Go and block off the road out of town as quick as you can. I don’t know what the fuck he’s driving so I’m blind on that. But if he leaves, he has to go that way.”
“Unless he heads up to the mountains.”
“I’m gonna head that way.”
“Check. I’ll let you know if I see anything.”
“Thanks, man.” Cal’s been a godsend in our little town. If I need him he’s always there. I know he had some trouble when he was younger but he’s a fantastic deputy. I know I can count on him.
My next call is a bit of a long shot. “Tate, man. Are you at work?”
“Yeah, man. What’s up?”
I explain it all to him and he sighs. “I’ll get out on the trails right now. I’ll let you know if I see anything at all.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it. I need to find her…” My voice trails off on a break and Tate grunts.
“I get it. I will help as long as it takes. We’ll find her. Trust me. I’ll get the place swept. If she’s here, I’ll find her. Where will you be?”
“I sent Cal to the road out of town and I’m heading up the mountain on the road. I’m not sure why but I feel like he’s heading up not away.”
Which scares the fuck out of me. Because he doesn’t care about getting away.
That says nothing good to me.
But I push that though way the hell down. Because I will find her. There is no other option.
My family is my whole world and she’s a part of that now. A part of me that I can’t bear to lose.
My chest tightens as I cruise up the mountain, my eyes searching for something, anything.
Any sign of the woman I can’t live without.