“Maybe. We can go check it out. I think the watch has to be discarded somewhere in the entrance to the forest, but I can’t fucking find it.”
I run a hand over my goatee. “Let’s hit the diner. It’s almost dark, and we’ll get lost in there. Fuck, I don’t want to leave the area, but if the fucker knows it, and we don’t? Plus, Debbie is losing her mind… What if we do a circle and come back?”
Curt puts away the phone in his pocket and nods. Fear crinkles the lines on his face, and it doesn’t help.
Whoever sent the pictures is connected, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. I should have had security put on her without her permission, but that makes me no better than every other man she’s had in her life.
Once we reach the diner, Debbie paces inside. I knock at the door, and she runs over to let us in. “Burke, I’m so sorry.” She’s frazzled and wrings her hands together.
“It’s not your fault. I’m glad you weren’t put in danger. Where are your cameras?”
She leads us back to the office, and Curt and I view the coverage of the store, but the motherfucker has a dark mask on. Why did I envision an idiot stealing my girl? He was quick to come in through the back and inject both of them with something.
Hauling one out at a time, my gut wrenches in knots, and I push away from the desk.
“The only option is the forest. I don’t want to wait. I’ll tear him limb from limb and chew his fucking heart out.” Holding myanger is heavy. I don’t want to be here, and my skin feels like it’s shrinking.
“You’re not going to listen to reason?” Curt asks, and I raise my eyebrow.
“Let’s go.”
Driving back to the forest, I get out and lock the door to the car. Curt hands me a flashlight, and we’re off on foot. After a couple hours, we seem to meet in the middle.
“Where the fuck does this even go?” I tighten my grip on the light.
Curt rests his hand on my shoulder and grips me. “Let’s go home. I’ll find out the lay of the land and we’ll pick it up tomorrow.”
“Clara is out there somewhere with a fucking deranged man who wants to hurt them. How can you tell me to go home?”
“Because we’re not helpingrightnow, are we? If he wanted them dead, he’d have done it at the back of the diner.”
“She’s been through too fucking much. This is my fault—I should’ve protected her better.” I sink to my knees on the forest floor and bang my fists against the dead leaves.
Curt kneels and grabs my arm. I’m weak for acting like this and know I can do better.
“Tomorrow—fuck, basically a few hours. Go home, shower, change, and wait for me. Pull it together for her now. She’ll need you more than ever.”
Fourteen
Clara
Idon’t even know how many days we have been here. I’ve tried to count by the daylight from the little window up high, but it has been hopeless.
Surviving everything I have feels like I need to be the strong one for Bailey.
She isn’t coping well, but who the fuck does when you’re drugged, kidnapped and taken to a shack? Honestly, I am unsure what the fuck we’re in. All I know is it smells like manure is deep soaked in the grain of the wood slats lining the walls.
Being without my meds has tangled my intestines into a jumbled mess much like my nerves, and shame fills me when we have to use the bathroom and heap the dirt over it.
The bare minimum meals he brings us hasn’t done us any favours, and I give her most of the water because I don’t want her to get any sicker.
“Clara, what’re we gonna do?” Bailey whispers. Her usual blue hair is a mess, and varying stages of bruises cover her face.
Pacing the locked room, I’ve tried everything I can to get out, but it has been futile. “I’ll figure something out. I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this.”
“What do you mean?”
I’ve avoided this for however long we have been here, pretending I’m as clueless as she is.
