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“Yes.” The word came out low and husky and sexy as hell.
She cleared her throat in an attempt to rid all the ridiculous lust from her system. “I wonder if she ever goes by Pat? Erica’s mentioned that name a few times.” She handed him the journal.
Owen’s phone buzzed on the table in front of them, and he grabbed it and checked the screen. He pressed the phone to his ear and a high-pitched screech poured through the speaker. “Okay, hold on.” He stretched his hand toward her and dipped together his brows. “It’s your mom. She’s upset, and I can’t understand a word she’s saying.”
Marie bit back a groan. She should have never given his number to her family. She took the phone and emotionally steeled herself for whatever trouble her mother had found. “Mom? What’s going?”
“She’s gone. She should have been home hours ago.” Wails dominated the speaker, jumbling her mom’s words.
“Who, Mom? What are you talking about?” She tried to keep her voice calm. Feeding into her drama would only make her mom more upset.
“Renee! She didn’t work today and should have been home after school. I’ve called the diner to see if she picked up a shift and no one’s seen her. I’ve called, and she doesn’t answer. She’s missing.”
Intense fear swept through Marie and she tightened her grip on the phone, locking her gaze with Owen. She sucked in a deep breath, surprised she was even able to breathe. “My sister. Bill has my sister.”
18
Chills danced down Marie’s arms, causing goosebumps to erupt over her exposed skin. Ragged breaths tore through her tight chest, and memory after memory of every horrible thing she’d suffered at Bill’s hands flooded her mind.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she pressed a palm to her throat and fought the nausea churning in her stomach. Her mom’s screeching voice assaulted her eardrum, but she couldn’t make out her words, couldn’t fight the fear suffocating her brain. She’d left town with Bill to protect her family, and now her sister was missing.
A gentle touch grazed her knee, and she locked her gaze on Owen.
Concern creased his forehead, but laser focus beamed from his narrowed eyes.
“Marie, take a breath. Calm down and tell me what happened.” Kindness seeped into his no-nonsense tone and broke through the fog in her brain.
She blinked, filled her lungs with air, and cleared the cotton from her throat. She held up a finger, indicating she needed a moment. Before she could talk to Owen, she needed to calm her mom. “Mom, stop yelling. It’s hard to understand you.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just scared to death. This is so unlike her. I don’t know what to do.” Wanda’s voice wobbled, as if she fought a losing battle against keeping tears at bay.
“Did you call any of her friends?” She clamped her free hand over Owen’s, which still rested on her knee.
“No one has seen her.”
Owen leaned forward. “Has she reported your sister missing?”
“Mom, did you call the police?”
“They said she hasn’t been missing long enough to be declared a missing person, but they’ll keep an eye out for her.”
Marie cupped a hand over the speaker. “Mom called, but she’s only been missing since this afternoon.”
“Tell her you’ll call her back. I want to get some information from you, and then I’ll call the station. If they understand the situation we’re dealing with, it will prompt them to take this more seriously.”
Marie nodded, dropped her hand from the phone, and let his calm take-charge attitude keep her from jumping out of her skin. “I need to call you back, Mom. I’m with a sheriff’s deputy right now from Water’s Edge, and he wants to get more details about Renee and speak to the police back home himself. If you hear from Renee, call this number immediately.”
“Okay. We have to find her. If something happens to her…” Weeping took over the line.
Marie’s heart pounded in her ears and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “We’ll find her. I promise.” Her vow rang with false hope, but that was all she had to hold on to right now.
“I love you, honey.” Exhaustion made Wanda’s voice heavy, as if all the tears she’d cried weighed down her words.
Marie cleared her throat, but emotion clogged her windpipe. “I love you, too.” She disconnected the call and fell forward, leaning against Owen’s strong frame. He wrapped his arms around her, and she melted against him.
He rubbed his palm up and down her back. “Can you answer a few questions for me?”
She nodded against his shoulder, unable to speak and unwilling to pull away from the comfort of his arms.
