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Two seconds later, Jazz appeared in her doorway. “You okay, boss? You sound panicked.”
“Lindsey contacted me. She’s at Little River Campground, in trouble,” Toni responded without glancing up at her friend and employee. Instead, she searched the top of her desk for her car keys, scattering papers and pens to the floor without care. “Shit! Where the hell are my keys?”
“Didn’t Zach drop you off this morning? Maybe you didn’t bring them,” her manager said as she also scanned the desk.
Nooo. Her heart sank as her anxiety skyrocketed. “Fuck, you’re right.” She fisted her hair on either side of her head, resisting the urge to pull until the sting overrode her helplessness.
“I’ll drive you,” Shell said from the doorway. “It’s practically dead in today. Jazz, can you handle my tables?”
“Yes, of course. You two go. I’ll hold down the fort. Go. Go!” Jazz ushered them out of the room.
Hey! What about my hot sauce?” wrinkled-shirt called out.
Neither Shell nor Toni paid him any mind.
Without even thinking of their coats, Toni and Shell ran for the car. “What about Tex?”
Shit! She’d forgotten all about the prospect who would most likely be kicked out for letting them leave without protection. That was a worry she’d have to tackle later. Running back in for him would waste precious minutes.
“There’s no time,” Toni said as she reached the vehicle. “We need to go before the snow starts.”
For just a fraction of a second, Shell hesitated. Then she nodded. “Where are we going?” Shell asked as she yanked the driver’s side door open.
“Little River Campground.” Cold immediately penetrated her long-sleeved T-shirt. Shell had to be feeling it as well. Both wore jeans and fashion sneakers. Nothing to prevent the cold or wet from seeping in.
Though whatever she was experiencing, Lindsey had to be feeling it ten times worse.
“Geez, what’s she doing out there? That place is a ghost town in the winter. There’s nowhere to take shelter.” Shell started her car and peeled out of the lot, heading onto the highway with far more speed than the law permitted.
“I don’t know.” Toni grabbed the oh-shit bar as Shell whizzed around a particularly sharp turn.
“Sorry.”
“No worries. I’m good. Just get us there fast and in one piece. Maybe Lindsey picked the campground because it’s deserted,” Toni said in a vain attempt to distract herself from the treacherous trip. “I’m pretty convinced she’s a runaway. An isolated campground seems like the perfect place to hole up until the temp drops too low. Maybe she has a tent. I don’t know. I’m just trying to keep my mind from going to the worst case, which would be someone forcing her there for who knows what reasons.”
Toni stared out the window, hundreds of possibilities rolling through her head. When was the last time Lindsey had eaten? Did she have a warm jacket? Some kind of blanket? Had someone hurt her? Taken advantage of her? She shuddered as she recalled the strung-out men under the bridge where she and Zach had searched earlier in the week. God, why hadn’t she offered Lindsey a place to stay when she’d had the chance? She’d been so worried about coming on too strong, but maybe they could have prevented this.
“Hey.”
The feel of Shell’s hand closing around hers had Toni pulling her gaze away from the scenery hurtling by. Not that she’d actually seen any it.
Shell cast a quick concerned glance in Toni’s direction. “Don’t even go there, Antonia. There isn’t a single thing about this that is your fault. I can feel your guilt ramping up from here.”
With a sigh, Toni leaned her head back against the seat, then closed her eyes. “I know. You’re right. I just…”
“You’re an incredible woman who cares about everyone and wishes she could save the world.”
Toni huffed out a self-deprecating laugh. “Yeah, something like that. Maybe not the incredible part.”
“I’m serious. We’re almost there. You wanna give her a call? See if we can pin down exactly where she is. This is a pretty big place.”
“Okay, this is my first time here, so I’m clueless as to where to go,” Toni replied as she dialed the number Lindsey had called her from. They passed a rundown cabin with smoke billowing from the chimney. One lone house next to the campground’s entrance.
“I haven’t been here since I was a kid.” As she slowed the to a roll, Shell scanned all around the car.” If I remember correctly, the road makes a big horseshoe shape, coming back out on this road a half-mile or so up that way. She tilted her head to the left.
With the cell pressed to her ear, Toni did the same. Five rings later, an electronic voice rattled off the phone number and once again encouraged her to leave a message. “Lindsey, it’s Toni. I’m here and looking for you. Call me.”
