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Annie flicked the wet hair away from her face. “May we come in?”
“Oh, sorry.” She stood away from the open door. “Get out of the rain.”
Annie stepped into the foyer and wiped her wet feet on the rug. The charming blue-and-yellow decor in the living room off to the right felt warm and welcoming. A cinnamon scent wafted from somewhere and added to the homey atmosphere.
She started to take off her shoes, but Mary stopped her. “These old floors have seen more than a little rain. Come in and sit down.”
Annie eyed the upholstered furniture and chose a wooden rocker that could withstand the saturation in her clothes. Jon crossed the room and sat on the brick hearth.
“Though we haven’t found Michelle yet, we do have some information.” Annie took out her phone and called up the photo.“A wildlife cam got this picture of a man carrying her out of the woods. Is there anything about him that seems familiar?”
Mary took the phone and studied the image. “Michelle looks unconscious.”
“There’d been an ATV accident.” Annie held back the information about Grace. “We think she might have injured her leg too.”
“So he could have been carrying her to get help?”
“She hasn’t turned up for treatment, so unfortunately we suspect he took her somewhere.”
Mary, eyes wide with alarm, looked up from her perusal of the picture. “You mean, he abducted her?”
“We don’t know what happened since we haven’t been able to find her. Or him. Is he familiar at all?”
Mary shook her head. “He’s much bulkier than Chad, and I don’t think any of her friends are that muscular. This guy looks like he works out.”
Annie had thought the same. Her thoughts raced to the Wolstincraft brothers she’d questioned about the murders of the teenage girls when Jon came back to town. But being muscular was hardly unique in this area. “I know the lighting isn’t great, but I’d hoped something was familiar.”
“So you don’t have any idea who he is or where he took her?”
“Not yet, but we’re working hard on it.” Annie rose and retrieved her phone from Mary. “Thank you for your time. If we hear anything else, I’ll let you know.”
Mary walked them to the door, and they ran back to the truck in the rain. Annie flung herself behind the steering wheel. The rain began to stop, and the sky lightened a bit.
She peered up into the clouds. “I’m starved. I’d suggest westop for dinner, but I need to retrieve Kylie. Bree probably has her by now.”
“I brought snacks.” Jon rummaged in a backpack by his feet and produced a stick of something.
“Jerky?” She’d eat jerky, but it wasn’t her first choice.
“Buffalo mixed with cranberries. Tanka bars. Lots of protein and actually good.”
“It doesn’t sound good.” But she was always willing to try new snacks, and it might be something she could buy for Kylie.
She unwrapped it and took a bite. “This is really good.”
“Told you.” His bar was nearly gone.
She chowed down hers and ate another as she drove. A rainbow appeared in the horizon ahead of them. She hoped it meant they’d find Michelle. Alive.
Twenty
The pain in Michelle’s leg was at excruciating levels again. Why couldn’t the guy at least have brought some Tylenol? Did he want her to get better or not? Every muscle in her body ached as well. The journey through the yard had been tough.
She stared at the window. The nails in the sash mocked her. She had no claw hammer or anything to remove them. When she ran her fingers through her tangled dark hair, it felt greasy and in need of a wash. She’d kill for a shower. It had been nearly a week since she was taken.
And no one was looking for her.
Why would they? She’d vanished off the face of the earth for a year, and even the editor at the magazine didn’t expect to hear from her until she had something to show her. Her mom might be wondering, but Michelle wasn’t sure even Mom was concerned yet. She would be as the days stretched on with no word, but she might think Michelle had gone to ground again to avoid Brandon. She’d give anything to hear her best friend, Brayonna’s, voice right now.
