Facing Shadows (Summer Easton #2)

Chapter 1

Zander

No, no, no, no, no. The harsh reality of the situation hits me like a sickening wave of disbelief. This cannot be happening. Someone did not kidnap my daughter today.

I grab the keys from him and run back towards the gym.

“It’s the one with the blue ring on it,” he hollers.

I reach the front door, relishing the satisfying click of the lock disengaging, as I wrench the door open so hard it bounces off the wall.

Racing towards the washroom, E’s presence a blur in my periphery, I unlock the door.

Flinging it open, I burst inside. Holly is crumpled on the tile floor, unmoving.

The chilling silence in the air as I check the stalls and the sudden gust of wind from the open window in the last stall is a physical blow to my chest.

“FUCK!” The raw, desperate word tears from my lips. How did this happen?

I crouch down to check on Holly. A wave of relief fills me as I feel a strong pulse; her breaths shallow but steady. My fingers trace the contours of her head, searching for any sign of injury.

Bay comes skidding into the bathroom, his shoulder bouncing off the door to slow his progress. “Oh, shit,” he says, spotting Holly. “No sign of anything outside Z,” he tells me as he picks her up and brings her out to the hallway.

I stand back up, inhaling deeply to calm my mind and body. Grabbing my phone, I call Nick. “Z,” he answers.

“Summer is gone. Kidnapped. Find her, Nick.” Looking at my watch, I tell him she’s been gone approximately 25 minutes. “Check every damn traffic camera you can find. Let Samson cover for you. Find her now.”

“On it,” he says hanging up. I can count on him to remain calm and find her. If anyone can, it’s Nick.

Alex comes rushing into the bathroom next. “Nothing, Z. Open window and broken branches underneath outside.” He stands tall and straight, waiting for my next instructions.

“Comb this bathroom for something we can use, Alex.” He steps forward, starting with the first stall. His meticulousness will help him find any evidence.

I walk back to the hallway, finding Jaxon sitting on the floor, legs spread, cradling Holly’s head over his thigh, beside E and Seb. Bay is standing behind them, eyes darting up and down the hallway on alert. “Jaxon, did you see anything?” I ask.

“No nothing. What did they do to Seb and Holly?” He asks, keeping his eyes focused on her face.

Dropping to my knees, E leans back so I can examine Seb more closely. A deep inhale near his face fills my nostrils with a telltale sweet scent. “Someone chloroformed them.”

Coach comes jogging into the hallway at that moment, sneakers squeaking to a stop. “What’s going on? Summer is up next,” she says. I can hear her small gasp when she notices Holly and Seb unconscious. “Someone explain now,” she demands, rushing over to Holly.

“Summer has been kidnapped. The police and ambulance are on their way. Seb and Holly were unconscious when we got here, and the bathroom door was locked from the inside,” I explain, standing back up.

Years of military training keeps my mind moving forward, focused on the task.

“Bay and E check every door in this building. They’re not likely here, but I want confirmation.

” They both nod and take off in opposite directions.

“What are you doing?” Coach inquires as she gets up after assuring herself Holly is uninjured.

“Finding my daughter,” I tell her, as sirens blare in the distance. “Ambulance is almost here.”

“Holly’s mom is working in the emergency room today. I’ll call her,” Jaxon says, digging out his phone from his armband.

Coach approaches me. “Please fill me in after things settle down. You also seem to know what you’re doing?” She asks, raising her eyebrow.

“I’m a former Army Ranger and now own my own security company,” I inform her.

“Good. Find her. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll go outside and position two runners at the back door to deter people. I need to update the officials about the situation.”

“Will do. Thank you,” I reply sincerely. She nods and heads out. She’s good in a crisis.

I hear a commotion at the front door, so I call Alex back out into the hallway. It’s best to allow the police to do their job, or at least think they are. “Anything?”

“Some hair that looks like hers on the windowsill. Rags in the trash can that smell like chloroform. Nothing else,” he says as the police and paramedics round the corner.

“Over here,” I call, motioning to Holly and Seb.

A man wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt accompanies the man who gave me the keys. “I’m Principal Michaels,” he says, looking flustered.

“Zander Finn. Summer’s dad,” I reply, shaking his outstretched hand. I pass the keys back to the other man.

“Did you find her? What happened here?” He asks, but I’m already looking past him to an old military buddy, Officer Sean.

“Z,” he nods, coming over. “Fill me in.”

“Glad it’s you, Sean,” I say, providing him with the facts of today and the background of Summer and Ben.

“Two of mine ran the perimeter around the school, and two are still checking doors in the complex,” I mention, walking into the bathroom.

Using my back to hold the door open, I point, “chloroform rags in the trash can over there, and Summer’s hair caught on the windowsill. ”

He calls someone over to grab the hair and rags for evidence. “Who do you have working on this?”

“Nick is at the office on the computers, and the two guys searching the building. That’s Troy’s brother knocked out in the hallway.”

“Shit,” he mutters. “I’ll take care of things here and put out an APB on Summer and Ben. Tell Nick to send me their pics and a vehicle description. Once you finish searching, gather your guys and get the kids to the hospital. I’ll find you later.”

“Thanks, Sean.” I pat his shoulder, heading back into the hallway. Seb and Holly are both being wheeled towards the front door on stretchers. “Alex, go with Seb. We’ll meet you there.” He nods, tossing me his keys, and follows the paramedics outside. Jaxon is with Holly.

I can hear the principal complaining to the police, but I don’t really care about that. I pick up the phone and call Troy while I wait for Bay and E to return. “Z man. Did you find her?”

“No, Seb was with them. He was knocked out along with Holly. It was chloroform. He and Alex are en route to the hospital.”

“Dammit. Any injuries?”

“None, only knocked out.”

“I left Matthews in charge. Nick is closed in the back, doing his thing. Can you send E or Bay here? I’ll go to the hospital.”

“Of course. See you soon.” I hang up, pocketing my phone once more.

Bay comes jogging back to my side. “Except for the men’s washroom, everything on this side is locked.”

“Thanks. Alex left with Seb. Take his vehicle over to the office so someone is with Nick,” I say, tossing him the keys. “I’m heading to the hospital with E when he gets back.”

“Got it,” he nods and jogs towards the front door. This is why we have teenagers working at Finn. The boys are smart and can follow directions.

The damn principal tries to stop Bay from leaving, demanding answers. Sean must hear it and pokes his head out of the bathroom, telling one of his officers to let him through and anyone else with me.

I text Nick to send Sean photos of Ben and Summer and to find a vehicle description, then pace back and forth in the hall, waiting for E. This experience is completely surreal. I just found Summer, and now she’s gone. Be strong, darling, I think, sending it out into the universe.

“Z,” E hollers. “I found something.”

I yell for Sean before jogging over. We follow him to the last door on the right at the end of the hall. “It was closed but not locked,” he says, opening the door. “The window isn’t locked.”

“Did you touch the window?” Sean asks.

“No, but you can tell the lock's disengaged. The lever's flipped up,” E tells him.

Sean grabs a glove and pushes the window open. “Who’s office is this?”

“The baseball coach. Ben is on the team,” E replies. Ben is my primary suspect, and this office seems to confirm that.

“Alright. We’ll comb this office too, and I’ll get the coach pulled in for an interview. You guys head to the hospital.”

“Thanks, Sean.” He nods as we walk out. E follow me outside. Climbing into Summer’s Jeep, I take a deep breath before starting the vehicle. E jumps into the passenger seat, looking pale and terrified, his leg bouncing. “We’ll find her, E.”

“How are you so calm, Z? I feel like I’m going to throw up over here, and I can’t focus.”

“Years of training. Something I’m grateful for right now,” I reply, driving out of the parking lot towards the hospital.