“We have to consider the possibility that he’s caught on. Maybe he’s changed up his tactics, moved east, west, south…we don’t know.”
I stand up suddenly, feeling at a loss. “So what do you know? Because it doesn’t seem like you know anything.”
She raises her hands again. “Elijah, I implore you to take it easy—”
“No!” I shout, not being able to keep it in. “I won’t stop. I’llneverstop.” I rush out. “Pull up the map again. Let me see it.”
She stares at my eyes for a beat, judging my forcefulness.
My fists tremble at my sides until Gwen grips my wrist and pulls me back into the chair.
“Okay. Let’s think about it.Together.” Jameson takes out her phone again, showing me.
“Okay, here.” I point at the screen re-tracking what she showed me before. “These don’t make sense. It’s like he’s moving in a jagged line, unsure of where to go but still north.”
I let that thought settle in my brain. “Maybe he’s searching for something…”
We all stare at the map for a while, as I bite my thumbnail.
“You think he found whatever he was searching for and that’s why he went cold?” Gwen asks, looking at me.
“Maybe.” I nod. “Or maybe hedidn’tand that’s why he came back for Tobias.” I run my hand through my hair.
Jameson’s whole body stops as she looks at my face. “Wait…”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. I just…”
“Does your dad have anything of importance in this area that Derrick would’ve wanted?”
I look at the map again. “I guess. But he’d be way off. The lake house is this way.” I point a few hours east of where he was headed.
“What if he was trying to throw us off? And what if he still needs something and that’s why he’s come back for Tobias?”
My eyebrows raise. “You think he’s at the lake house?”
“It’s worth a shot to check.”
“The lake house isthreehours from here…if we’re wrong…” A cold dread washes over me. “That’s a lot of time lost.” I shake my head.
“We’ll move fast.” She says signaling to her police force to follow.
“Okay, let’s do it.” I jump up, Gwen following close behind. She’s right. If there’s even a possibility Tobias is anywhere, we’ve got to try.
Jameson’s eyes flick over to me. “Woah, where do you think you’re going?”
I throw on my jacket and grab the keys from my pocket. “If you think I’m not coming, you’re fucking crazy.” I huff.
Gwen snags my keys from my hand as she shoves past the both of us. “I’ll drive.” She says to me. “Come on, what are we still doing here!?” She swings open the door.
Jameson and I exchange a look before making our exit outside.
I’m coming, Tobias.
38
Tobias
I hear the creaking of the floorboards above me. Derrick is busy doing God knows what. The thought is unsettling.
