The sucking sensation of fear pulled at her insides, but she wouldn’t cower from this monster.
“You’re about to find out.”Meredith flashed her another grin then stomped on the gas pedal.She sailed through a stop sign and onto Pioneer Road.
Away from civilization and into the woods.
Dez needed a plan.
Now.
CHAPTER 12
Aiden turned ina circle.Even though the fire was out, heat still radiated off the building.Where was Dez?He’d left her right out front and she’d gone to look for Louise, but he hadn’t spotted them.
Hank strode by and Aiden caught his arm.“Have you seen Desiree or Louise?I can’t find either of them.”
Hank drew his eyebrows together.“No, last I saw Desiree was with you.Louise was around before you showed up, but I haven’t seen her for a while.”His eyes widened.“You don’t think they would have gone inside for something, do you?”
Aiden shook his head.“No, Desiree wouldn’t do that.”
The older man nodded but flagged down a firefighter.“Hey, Jimmy.Can you check and make sure no one went inside?”
Jimmy gave him a salute and entered through the open metal frame of the front door.
Anxiety pitched in Aiden’s gut.Something wasn’t right.He’d told her to find a place to stay for the night, but she wouldn’t have left without telling him where she was going.He dug his phone from his pocket and tapped her icon then made his way toward where he’d parked.Maybe she was waiting in the car.Yeah, that was possible.
He pressed his phone to his ear.After four rings her voicemail kicked in.He cursed and hung up.Clenching his hand around his device, he broke into a jog.Sweat collected at his brow.
Dozens of people lingered around the store and even more on the street.She couldn’t have been snatched that easily.Not without someone spotting something.He reached the car and his heart sank.
Empty.
Cupping his hands over his mouth, he raced back toward the crowd.“Desiree!”he bellowed.
A few people turned his way.He stopped a couple watching the scene.“Have you seen Desiree?The owner of the shop?She was just here.”
The man shook his head but the woman frowned.“I think I saw her walk that way,” she said, pointing toward the direction he’d come from.
“Was she alone?”
“Yes.But she was speaking to someone on the phone.”
Maybe McKenna or Josie had picked her up and she’d forgotten to call.He brought his screen to life and found Jaxon’s number.
“Deputy Thorne!”A frantic female voice made him snap his head up.
Louise ran down the street, arms flailing in front of her.She pushed through the crowd, and he marched toward her.He returned his phone to his pocket.
Her lined cheeks puffed in and out as if she’d been running.A red tint coated her skin, and her hair was fluffed around her shoulders.“Louise, what’s wrong?”
“It’s Desiree.She—she took her.In my car.”Tears rolled out of the corners of Louise’s eyes to run down her cheeks.
Terror gripped his insides and his body temperature plummeted.He caught the woman’s shoulders and squeezed.“I’m going to find her, but I need your help.What kind of car do you drive?”
“A 2002 blue Toyota Camry,” she said, her voice shaking.
He gazed at the crowd, looking for Hank.He’d need as many cops out looking for the vehicle as possible.“Who was driving?Male?Female?”
“Female.Oh gosh, I don’t want to guess, but I recognized the woman’s voice and I saw her hair peeking out from her ski mask.”
