CHAPTER NINETEEN
HARLEY
The guysand I got a decent amount packed up and ready to take over to Embers—our—place. I can’t stop the grin that’s taken up permanent residence on my face since this morning when Ember asked me to move in with her. The guys have been relentless in their teasing of me. I’ll take my title of “whipped” any day if it means spending every morning waking up to Ember. I’m not even a cat guy, but I ordered a new cat tree for Maggie this morning.
I texted Ember that I was on my way to the bookshop about fifteen minutes ago. The copy I’d made of the house key earlier sits in my pocket. I pull into the parallel parking spot in front of the shop and see the front lights are off, but can still see the back lights on. I check my phone to see if Ember has responded to my text, and seeing that she hasn’t, I turn off the truck and head to the door. The doorbell rings whenI push the door open.
“Hey babe!” I yell into the shop. “I have that key for you.” I walk deeper into the shop, stopping at the counter when I see all of Ember’s stuff. “Babe?” I yell again. No answer.
I walk back into the back area she sometimes sits in, and find nothing. Panic starts setting in. She would have never left all of her stuff. She would have never left the shop open.
I pull out my phone and call her. It rings until it sends me to voicemail. I hang up and try again—still no answer. I head out the door and look around. I don’t see Ember’s car out front, so it must be in the employee spot behind the building. I walk to the back lot and see her car, it’s off and still in its spot. I get to her car and try to open the driver side door, but it’s locked.
Nothing is making sense. I turn to run back inside, but I’m stopped when I hear something coming from the dumpster area. I sprint over to it and open the bin. Opening the lid, I move trash bags around, searching for the source of the noise. I don’t see anything.
I slam the lid down, and my breaths are starting to come in fast and deep, panic rising in my chest. I hear the noise again, but it’s coming from behind the dumpster. I race around and find a kitten trapped. Near the trap, I see uneven scuff marks in the dirt. I follow the trail, finding two large footprints that disappear where tire tracks appear.
I bend at the waist and empty the contents of my stomach.Dean got her.I know it. I dial Chase and try to form words, but I’m choking as I try to speak.
“Harley?” Chase questions over the speakerphone after my silence. I try to answer and get sick again. “Hey man, you need us to ride up there?” he asks, and I can already hear the truck door slam.
“Ember,” is all I can manage before the tears are streaming down my face.
I take a few more moments to pull myself together. I take pictures of the scuff marks, boots, and tire tracks. Once I’ve sent the pictures to Chase, I dial the Officer who helped us that day at Atlas and Asher’s place.
“Officer Ulrich,” his rough voice speaks through the line.
“Officer, this is Harley Blackwood.” I wipe my face and try to clear my voice. “I think Dean took Ember.”
“Do you have any evidence to support the accusation?” he asks, and I hear his radio in the background.
“I came to the shop to drop off a key, and the shop was unlocked, Ember’s stuff is still here. Her car is here.” My voice is starting to fail me. “I came out back to see if her car was here and found a trapped kitten, and there’s a disturbance in the dirt back here.” The tears start again.
“I’m on my way and dispatching back up, please return to your vehicle and do not disturb the scene,” Officer Ulrich commands. We hang up and I dial Chase, but then I see his truck pull in across the street and quickly hang up again. Him, Grey, and Andrews run across the street together, meeting me at the truck.
“Dude, what the fuck is going on?” Grey asks, confusion etched onto his face.
“I got here and all her stuff is here, but she’s gone,” I tell them. “I sent you the pictures of the markings I found out back.”
Chase pulls out his phone and studies the pictures before looking up with worry and fear written across his face. “I’m gonna send these off to our guy and see what he can pull for me,” he says quickly, before turning away from us and dialing for extra help.
Officer Ulrich pulls into the entrance of the parking lot. He gets out of the car and slams the door shut. “Mr. Blackwood.” He stickshis hand out to shake hands. “Please stay here so I can assess the scene inside.” I nod my head, and he disappears into the shop.
I cross my arms and chew on my bottom lip, rocking back and forth on my heels. Chase comes back over and leans his head down, speaking low enough that only the four of us can hear. “Avery confirms shoe size as eleven and a half, and car tires fit a Dodge Caravan.”
“Dean drives a Nissan Altima?” I say, attempting to make sense of this.If it’s not him, who the fuck could have taken her?
The doorbell on the store rings as Officer Ulrich exits the building. “Two out, over and out,” a voice over the radio says.
“Copy.” Officer Ulrich presses the button on his radio as he approaches. “Mr. Blackwood, our crime scene team is on the way. I do have reason to believe Ms. Alden may be in danger. Have you contacted her next of kin?” he asks, looking at me.Fuck, I didn’t even think of Atlas.
“I’ll call now,” I tell him, pulling up Asher’s contact information. The phone rings a few times before Asher’s voice comes on the line.
“Hey man, what’s up?” Asher says, completely relaxed, and my stomach immediately drops.
“Ash,” I say, trying not to throw up again. “I don’t know how to say this, so I have to just say it. I think Dean took Ember.”
“What the fuck do you mean?” he says, panic rising in his voice, and I can hear a door click.
