By the time I passed the beach walkway and the sun had dipped low, my nerves buzzed, static creeping up my spine. I pulled up to Dalton’s and parked. He’d been Michelle’s first call at six sharp, but he’d been grounded and hadn’t been allowed to go out with the boys.
I knocked. Dalton’s mother answered.
“Hey, Bonnie. Are the boys here?”
“No, Michelle already called—”
“I know, but I thought maybe…” I cleared my throat. “Can I talk to Dalton? Maybe he knows something.”
The look on my face must have said everything, because she called out immediately. “Dalton. Come here.”
Then, to me, she said, “They stopped by on their way to the skate park, but I wouldn’t let Dalton go because he’s grounded.”
Dalton appeared, saw me, and his brows furrowed. “They’re still not home?”
“No,” I said. “They never made it to the skate park. Do you know anywhere else they might’ve gone?”
His expression turned. “Wait… what are you saying? Are they missing?”
“I’m sure they’re just fine,” Bonnie cut in gently. “They lost track of time, that’s all.”
But the look in Dalton’s eye didn’t match his mother’s tone.
“Dalton, do you know something?” I pressed. “Maybe they went somewhere they weren’t supposed to. I promise you won’t be in trouble if you tell me.”
He shook his head. “I swear, Mr. M. That’s where they said they were going.”
A slow, heavy dread settled in my chest.
“All right,” I said. “Thanks, bud.”
He was closing the door when he paused. “Mr. M.?”
“Yeah?”
“They would never miss curfew.”
The door shut, and I stood there a second too long, staring at the wood grain like it held an answer. Dalton was right. I could pretend this was normal boy stuff, but it wasn’t. Not for my kids. Something was wrong. Not kid-being-late wrong. Wrong-wrong.
I walked to the minivan, each step heavier than the last. How could I face Michelle and tell her maybe—maybe—her worst nightmare was coming true?
She was outside when I pulled up. Probably spotted the van at Dalton’s. She stepped off the porch the moment she saw the empty backseat.
“Where are they?” she asked, fear fermenting into blame. “You said you’d find them.”
I shook my head once. “I looked everywhere.”
“Did you check the entire skate park?”
“Yes.”
“The beach? The convenience store? The school?”
“Michelle—”
“The corner park? Please tell me you went to the corner park.”
I took her by the arms, steadying her even as my own calm slipped. “Michelle, I looked everywhere.”
