Jake looks around the room and frowns. “No.”
Chapter 3
“The boys were here a few minutes ago,” Annie says as she scans the room. “Honey, when was the last time you saw them?”
Jake heaves himself up onto his feet. “They came racing out of the kitchen and into the foyer. I imagine they’re upstairs getting into trouble.” He heads to the foyer. “I’ll go check.”
Mom and Bridget walk into the great room from the kitchen.
“It’s baby time!” Bridget says as she steals Henry from me. Mom picks up Hazel.
“My dreams have come true,” Bridget says as she gazes down at her newest grandson. “With seven kids of our own, Calum and I figured we were bound to have more than a few grandkids.”
Calum and Dominic come inside through the back door, each carrying an armload of wood for the fireplace. They’re both bundled up, and their heads and shoulders are covered with snow.
“This should last us through the night,” Calum says as he lays the logs he’s carrying on the iron rack. He shudders as he removes his hat. “The temperature’s really dropping fast out there. I hope Hannah and Killian get here soon. I’m afraid they might get snowed in at the airport.”
“It’s two degrees out there,” Lia chimes in. “Colder than a witch’s—”
“Thank you, dear,” Bridget says, cutting off her youngest daughter. “We get the picture.”
“I was going to saynose,” Lia says with an innocent look on her face. “Colder than a witch’snosein the Klondike.”
“Sure, you were,” Dominic says as he lays more logs on the iron rack.
Jake returns to the great room with a frown on his face. “They’re not upstairs. I checked our rooms and yours,” he says to me.
“Who’s not upstairs?” Bridget asks.
“The boys.” Jake props his hands on his hips, his expression thoughtful. “How long has it been since you last saw them?” he asks Annie.
“I saw them both in the kitchen about twenty minutes ago. Luke followed Aiden out of the kitchen.”
“I saw them run into the foyer,” Lia says. “Maybe they went downstairs to play in the arcade.”
“The pool’s down there!” Bridget says, sounding alarmed.
“Don’t worry,” I say. “Shane put electronic locks on all the pool doors now that there are so many kids in the house. They can’t access the pool without an adult.”
“We’ll go check downstairs,” Lia says with a sigh as she grabs Jonah’s hand and pulls him along with her.
A few minutes later, Lia and Jonah return to the great room.
“We searched the entire lower level,” Jonah reports. “The arcade, the movie theater, and the pool room. They’re not down there.”
“I’ll double-check our rooms,” I say as I rush off to the stairs. I check our bedroom as well as the attached kids’ room, but Luke’s not there. Ava is stirring, though, so I get her out of her crib, quickly change her diaper, and bring her back downstairs with me.
Just as I rejoin the others, Shane walks through the kitchen door. He’s bundled up in a heavy winter coat, gloves, and a black knit ski mask. He whips off the hat. “It’s a complete white-out,” he says as he stomps his boots. “And it’s cold as hell. Hopefully we’ll hear from Hannah soon. Their flight landed. They should be on their way here.”
“Shane.” I strive to keep my voice even. “We can’t find the boys.”
His gaze snaps to me, then to Annie. “When did you last see them?”
“They came through here about thirty minutes ago,” Annie says.
“Jake checked upstairs,” I say. “Lia and Jonah checked the lower level. I checked our rooms. There’s no sign of them.”
Jake returns to the great room. “Their winter gear is missing from the coat closet.”
