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Winter’s still too traumatized from the incident that left her stranded in the middle of a snowstorm. She barely had a jacket or coat when we found her. Frozen and scared, she’d begged us to help her.
I don’t want to push her for answers before she’s ready but I need to find out what she’s running from. I can’t let my brothers fall deeper in love with her without finding out about her background.
“I have to find the answers myself,” I decide.
Grabbing my phone, I select a single photograph of Winter from the hundreds that Kai took yesterday. Next, I open a chat app and send the picture to Detective Tom Miller. He’s an acquaintance of mine who works at the local police department and often helps us with our security business.
Find out as much as you can about her, I type out the words below the photograph.She says her name is Winter Brown but it might not be true. Do this for me and I’ll reward you for your efforts.
I’m about to put the phone down on the desk when it suddenly starts vibrating in my hand. To my surprise, I see that Miller’s calling me back.
“Hey,” I say, answering the call.
“How do you know this girl, Jacob?” Miller asks in a low, grim tone.
“What does it matter? Just find out what you can about her.”
“Jacob, it matters.” He takes a heavy breath before continuing. “She’s a runaway. The cops are searching for her everywhere.”
“What?” I straighten up in my chair.
“Her posters are everywhere in Knightswood.”
“What about her name?” I ask desperately. “What’s her real name, Miller?”
“I thought you knew,” he says with a sliver of confusion in his voice. “It’s Winter. Her name’s Winter Brown and she runs that old bakery On the Rise in Knightswood.”
My breath rushes out as relief floods my veins. Winter didn’t lie about her name. She’s been truthful to us about that, at least.
“Tell me what you know about her,” I demand at once.
“The girl lives with her stepmother. No previous reports of any troublemaking. She’s been working at that old bakery for the past couple of years now. Last week, she left the place late in the evening and stopped to chat with one of the neighbors. That was the last time anyone saw her.”
Some of the things Miller says matches up. It would explain how Winter could make such heavenly pancakes and how she has a penchant for cooking amazing food. I also trust the fact that she’s no troublemaker. Living with her for a week is proof enough. However, the part about her living with her stepmother irks me.
Winter had been scared the night we found her in the middle of a deserted road. Her cheek was bruised and there was a cut on her lip. I never asked her to explain her injuries, hoping she’d tell us what happened when the trauma of the night wore off.
“What do the cops think happened?” I ask.
“Possible kidnapping and homicide. They didn’t find her body, so they’re still searching for her.” He’s quiet for a moment. “How do you know her? When did you last see her?”
“I found her on the day she disappeared,” I say, thinking back on the night when I first laid my eyes on Winter, all wet and scared.
“Where is she now?” he asks in a desperate tone. “Jacob, the police are searching for her. Any information you have can help us locate her before she gets hurt.”
“Winter is safe.”
He lets out a frustrated noise. “How do you know that?”
“She’s been living with us.”
“Listen to me,” Miller says in an urgent tone. “You need to bring her down to the precinct and clarify matters. Her family’s worried about her. We need to let them know that she’s safe.”
“What family?” Winter’s voice makes me look up.
She’s standing at the threshold of the room with a tray in her hand. Cole and Kai are right behind her, their gazes fixed on me.
“They’re the ones who drove me out of the house.” Coming forward, she places the tray on the table and stares down at the phone in my hand.
