AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mom is missing.
As soon as I got home, I checked on her and her room was empty. I asked Mrs. Carlton if she made it home and she told me she hadn’t seen her.
I knew I shouldn’t have left her to get a cab back and as my brother Troy heads through the front door, I blurt out,
“Mom isn’t home.”
“Where is she?”
“She had a lunch meeting with Isabelle Faiers. She took a cab and never made it home.”
“Have you tried calling her?”
I roll my eyes. “Obviously, and I’ve checked my find a friend, and she’s not even registering.”
Troy looks shocked and I whisper, “Do you think?—”
“No, Melissa. I don’t think anything. Have you reported it?”
“It’s too soon. She must be missing for twenty-four hours before they treat it as a missing person. But Troy …”
“Don’t say it.”
He holds up his hand and reaches for his phone and has a tense conversation with a man who can help us.
As he cuts the call, he says kindly,
“She’ll be okay. She’s just going off the grid. It was inevitable.”
I nod but I’m not feeling any happier and he says with a sigh, “Come. We could use a drink.”
I nod as he crosses the room and takes me in his arms, holding me tightly as I whisper, “I’m so scared, Troy. What if…”
“Hush, Max will find her. He’ll bring her home before we finish dinner.”
I am so grateful for my brother’s strength right now because I can’t deal with this on my own and we head into the living room where Troy pours us both a glass of brandy and points to the seat before the open fire.
“I should have gone with her. I blame myself.” I say miserably as I stare into the glass, strangely fixating on the light from the fire, catching the swirl of the amber liquid.
“You can’t follow her everywhere, Melissa.” He tries to reassure me, and I shake my head sadly. “She seemed so happy today. I asked her at breakfast what her plans were, and she told me that after visiting the cemetery, she was going to meet Isabelle and then head home. What do you think happened?”
“I wish I knew.”
Mrs. Carlton heads into the room. “Sir, madam, dinner is ready, but I can delay it while we wait for Mrs. Remington.”
Troy says firmly, “We’ll eat. Keep my mother’s for when she arrives.”
“Of course, sir.”
I glance up, “I can’t…”
“We eat!” He says in a voice that offers no argument. I nod, sighing as I look away.
As we take our seats, Troy says irritably, “Where’s Harrison?”
I shrug. “He’s probably banging his realtor.”
Troy obviously finds that amusing and I sigh. “Tell me about your day, Troy. Distract me from my misery.”
