Grace was with Ollie. Our other friends and family had joined me in scouring Silver Ridge for Piper, and they were spreading the word around town that she was missing. Milo and Earl were helping too, driving out to Zach’s place to look for him.
Nothing.
So I was in my truck, engine running, trying to figure out where to go next.
I’d never felt anything like this. So powerless. Not even when I’d first been arrested and the MPs were interrogating me. Not even when Silas Drummond gave me that terrible ultimatum or on my first day at Leavenworth.
I had to find Piper.
I’d survived a hell of a lot in my life, but I didn’t think I could survive losing her.
“We need to call the police,” Ashford said. He was on the linetoo. He’d canceled his martial arts class when he heard about Piper.
I put my truck in gear. “Do it. But don’t expect me to wait around answering their questions.”
Another call came in. Milo. Driving aimlessly along the road, I switched over and said, “Found anything?”
“I just had an idea,” Milo said. “When Zach has a lot on his mind, he sometimes goes to their family property. There’s a house where the Kirbys used to live before the fire. They never tore it down.”
“Wouldn’t Dillon or their mother look for him there?”
“Their mom, I don’t know. But Dillon wouldn’t go there. I went there once with Zach, and that place seemed…haunted. If he’s trying to avoid people, that’s where he would go.”
“Tell me how to get there,” I growled.
Milo gave me the general directions and promised to send an exact address to my phone. My truck careened down the highway as I accelerated.
“Can you call the police?” I asked. “Give them the information? Dane and Ashford were already planning to contact Chief Nichols.”
“Yeah, man. I will. You’re going to the Kirby property by yourself? If Zach’s there and he really kidnapped Piper, he’s gone off the rails.”
“I’m going to help Piper. Whatever it takes.”
“Do you want me to let Dillon know you’re heading there? Or…”
“Do whatever you think is right,” I said. “But it won’t be good for him if he gets in my way.”
I didn’t care what I had to do. Nothing was going to keep me from her.
Unless I was too late.
FIFTY-EIGHT
Piper
“When did Danny contact you?”I asked.
“Couple months ago. It started with phone calls. Once he realized I already knew my dad was your father, he figured I was hooked. He didn’t admit until later, after I asked for his alleged proof, that he didn’t have the jewelry box in hand.”
It was bizarre to think Danny had known the identity of my real father and kept it to himself.
Had he found that jewelry box at my mom’s house after she died? He could’ve seen this “proof” about my parentage then. But why wouldn’t he take the box right away?
Everything had been pretty chaotic in those days. Planning the funeral, trying to pack up my mom’s stuff. I’d stuffed most everything in the basement to deal with later. Maybe Danny had assumed he could find that box later, too. If he ever decided to make use of it.
And now, years later, Danny had done just that. He hadn’t paid child support in six months. He’d somehow gotten himself into dire financial trouble and decided to use this knowledge about me to his advantage. To blackmail the Kirby family with Mr. Kirby’s dirty secret.
But that jewelry box was nowhere to be found.
