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“Every single one,” he confirms. “There’s no way they’ve left Stone Lake, not with Joshua in tow.”
“Then, where in the hell is he?” I rub the back of my neck trying to figure out what my next move should be. I’m usually calm and collected during the chase, but then I’ve never been a father with a missing child before. “I should have protected him more,” I mumble under my breath, guilt hitting me so hard that it’s suffocating me.
“You did everything you could do, Lodge,” Ben says, and I look at him, shaking my head in disagreement.
“No. I should have made sure they had a guard in the house with them. Then, they wouldn’t have been ambushed.”
“You can’t think like that. We need to concentrate on what we can do to get Joshua back, not what we should have done.”
“You don’t understand, man.” I look away from him.
“Luna and I dated for a while before you came back into town, Lodge. I might not have been that boy’s father, but you’re full of shit if you don’t think I didn’t care for him. I love Josh, and I’m not going to rest until we get him back. I’ll do whatever I have to do, but I need you as focused on this case as I am,” he says and the burn in my gut intensifies. He’s telling the truth, and I can respect he loves my son. It doesn’t make it any easier to hear about the years I lost with my family. He’s right, however. I need to focus on the present, so I make sure I have a family in the future.
“So, we’ve checked everywhere?” I ask the men, trying to sift through my brain and figure out where this twisted fucker would go.
“Right down the list Agent Lodge, double checked most of them. We have a crew out in the woods now.”
I nod, rubbing the side of my neck. I need to check on Luna and then I’m going to go back out. I can’t stand around here, if I do, I might lose my mind.
“Where’s Luna?” I realize she wasn’t here when we got back. She has been hanging on every word and demanding updates.
“She had a migraine and was going to lay down on the sofa in the Sheriff’s office. She said to make sure you got this note. I’m sorry I forgot in all of the chaos going on in here,” Myrtle says.
I don’t bother with the note. I need to see Luna. Whatever she has to tell me, she can say in person. Being able to hold her and talk to her is the only thing keeping me sane. When I get to the office, however, it’s completely empty.
“Luna?” I call, already opening the small bathroom that’s attached.
Empty.
I storm back to the main part of the building, but I’m not even sure how I’m walking. I can’t lose Luna too. The only thing holding me together right now is the fact Luna left a note. She wasn’t abducted—at least I don’t think she was.
“Where’s the note?” I demand, yanking it from Myrtle’s hand before she’s even fully reached it to me.
“What’s going on?” Kingston asks, my voice obviously alerting him to a problem. I ignore him, reading the note and with each word anger and terror rise in me to levels that I’ve never experienced before.
“You checked the high school?” I bark to everyone in the room.
“Of course, all that was there were a few of the summer staff, but every room was empty, even the basement and janitorial supply closets,” one of the deputies answers.
“What about the old high school? That was on the list. Was it checked?” I question. I see the shock and guilty expression spread across all of their faces and that’s my answer.
“But, Lodge,” one of them says. “That place is nothing more than fallen bricks and mortar. It’s been condemned. Heck there’s only a couple of rooms still standing. The county is set to clear off the lot and start construction on a new strip mall there next month.”
“That was on the damn list. A killer only needs a small amount of space to kill, dumbass.”
I take off for the door, Kingston following me, and I can hear the other men behind him.
“What’s going on?” Kingston asks as we get outside.
“Luna said the kidnapper contacted her. Instructed her to go to the old high school alone. Said if anyone was spotted with her that they would kill Josh.”
“Fucking hell. She should have let us know!”
“She did, she left a fucking note,” I complain, making it to the squad car. I come to a dead stop when I see Dern standing beside the car, looking like fucking hell, but obviously stone cold sober.
“I don’t have time for you right now.”
