Chapter 4 #2
Fair enough. I released his arm and headed for the checkout lines, all six of them packed with people whose carts overflowed with supplies. Like they were planning to be snowed in until spring.
The elderly cashier at register three looked familiar—Helen or Ellen. She’d been working here since I’d moved to town. I waited until she’d finished ringing up a man with enough bottled water to fill a swimming pool.
“Morning,” I said, trying for casual. “Place is crazy today.”
“Tell me about it.” She pushed her glasses up her nose. “Haven’t seen anything like this since that storm in ‘06. You stocking up too?”
“Actually, I’m looking for someone. Woman about my age, long brown hair? She would have been driving a white SUV with New York plates.”
Her face scrunched in thought. “New York plates? Can’t say I’ve seen any. But I’ve only been on register for the last hour. Maybe check with Carl in the parking lot. He’s been helping people load their cars.”
Carl turned out to be as useless as a screen door on a submarine. Hadn’t seen any New York plates, hadn’t noticed any woman matching Kelsey’s description, hadn’t really been paying attention to anything except trying to keep his fingers from freezing off.
The parking lot was even more chaotic now, cars sliding on the ice, horns honking, people abandoning their carts in the middle of traffic lanes. I headed back to the Bronco and pulled out my phone. No messages. No missed calls. Just the two texts I’d sent earlier, still undelivered.
My thumbs moved across the screen, opening the group chat with the girls.
Me
Either of you heard from your mom this morning?
The response was almost immediate.
Addie
Not since last night. She said she was going grocery shopping this morning. But she hasn’t responded to any of our texts.
Sky
you’re not mad we tricked you last night, are you???
Addie
It seemed like the only way to get you two in the same room.
I scrubbed a hand over my jaw, the wind blowing hard enough to rock the Bronco. Of course, they’d ask about that now. I wasn’t about to unload thirty years of marital failure in a goddamn text message, and sure as hell not while their mama was out in this storm.
Me
We can talk about that later.
Sky
so, you ARE mad
Me
Mad, no. Cold, yes. Roads are hell here. Any luck at the airport?
Addie
The flight situation here is a nightmare. Everything’s being canceled due to the blizzard.
Me
Not surprised. They’re shutting the highways down, so even if you managed to make it to Denver, you’d be stuck in the airport.
Addie
They’re saying maybe tomorrow afternoon, but honestly, I’m not optimistic. This storm system is massive. At least we’re still in Austin, so we can go home and wait it out. Better than being stranded in an airport.
Sky
what if we miss Xmas???
My chest tightened. The girls missing Christmas was bad enough. But if something had happened to Kelsey, if she was hurt somewhere and they couldn’t get to her…
Me
Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure something out. Your mama and I can handle things here. Y’all focus on staying safe.
Sky
does this mean you’re going to see each other again???
Addie
She didn’t mean that.
Sky
what
it’s a legitimate question!
Me
We can manage.
Addie
Okay. But it’s not like her not to respond to a text. Are you sure everything’s okay? Is she mad?
I stared at the screen, weighing how much to tell them. They were adults, technically. Addie was twenty-five, Sky twenty-two. Old enough to handle the truth. But they were also two states away, helpless to do anything except worry.
Me
I’m sure she’s fine. Probably just taking her time at the store. You know how she gets about comparing brands.
It was a weak lie. Kelsey had never been one to linger over grocery decisions. She shopped like she did everything else—with ruthless efficiency and a mental list organized by aisle.
Sky
tell her we love her when you see her
Addie
And remind her to charge her phone. You know she always forgets.
Me
Will do. Love you both. Keep me posted on the flight situation.
The rational part of my brain offered explanations. Maybe she’d driven to a different town. Maybe she’d decided to abandon the holiday plans and catch the first flight back to Texas.
Maybe she was holed up at a coffee shop somewhere, reading one of those romance novels she thought I didn’t know about, oblivious to the approaching blizzard.
But the irrational part—the part that had lived through finding our thirteen-year-old son—that part was starting to scream.
Something was wrong.
I could feel it in my bones, the same way I had that early morning I’d woken up in a sheer panic for no reason I could explain. Just a feeling that I needed to check on Levi. And I’d been right then, even if it had been too late to change anything.
I wouldn’t be too late again.
The engine roared to life, and I pulled out of the parking lot faster than was safe, tires spinning on ice before finding grip. If she wasn’t in town, and she wasn’t at the cabin, then she was somewhere between the two.
Somewhere on winding mountain roads that were getting worse by the minute.
I just had to find her before the storm did.