Worry and unease gnawedat my gut as I tromped up the steps to my front door. We’d combed through downtown and the surrounding areas and found only one sign of Adrienne. Her cell phone, cast alongside the road, presumably where she’d been walking home.
No twenty-one-year-old just casually tossed their cell onto the ground. And there’d been marks in the dirt that could’ve indicated a scuffle. Nothing good.
We’d pulled every available officer in to search, and local volunteers had gotten to work handing out flyers and talking to their neighbors. Nothing.
At this point, I knew something bad had happened. It felt beyond wrong to go home. But darkness had closed in, and there was nothing else we could do. The officers patrolling tonight were on alert, and we’d all be back at it first thing tomorrow.
Sliding my key into the door, I turned the lock. Charlie’s and Drew’s laughter met my ears as I stepped inside. I quickly plugged in the alarm code and locked the door behind me.
The boys were moving around the living room, playing battle with what looked like pool noodles, blissfully unaware of the darkness swirling just outside their door. My gaze kept moving, searching.
I found Luke and Hallie sitting at the dining room table, working on a puzzle. Hallie’s hair was piled in a bun atop her head, and my fingers itched to pull it loose. To watch the blond locks tumble down her back.
Luke looked up at my approach, concern lighting his features. He pitched his voice low. “Did you find her?”
My brows lifted.
“Vi told me. Her dad’s helping organize the civilian search.”
Of course. Normally, I would’ve made the connection much sooner, but I was exhausted. “We haven’t found her yet.”
Hallie’s face paled as her fingers curled around a puzzle piece. “Poor girl,” she whispered.
I moved then, not caring if my son was sitting right next to her. My fingers curled around her shoulder, squeezing and kneading. A silent promise that I was there. That she was safe.
“Can I do anything, Dad?” Luke asked.
I glanced at my son. “I’ll show you her photo. You can keep an eye out. And you can get your brothers ready to head to your grandparents’ for dinner.”
Luke sent a look in Hallie’s direction. “Maybe we should just stay home tonight.”
God, I loved my boy. I’d forgotten he could be this way. Protective. Always looking out for his people. “We’re going. All of us. Hallie, too.”
Hallie’s body jerked at that. “I don’t know—”
“Mom and Dad have been dying to meet you, and this will take all our minds off what’s going on.”
She bit the corner of her lip but nodded. The fact that she’d given in so easily meant she was scared to be here alone. Damn, I hated that.
Hallie pushed to her feet. “I need to freshen up. I’ll be quick.”
I watched as she headed for her bedroom, long, leggings-clad legs carrying her down the hall.
“She’s tweaked,” Luke said, bringing my focus back to him. “She covers it pretty well, but I can tell. I don’t think she should be here alone when it’s dark.”
I nodded. “Thanks for looking out for her. Hallie’s lucky to have you.”
Luke shifted uncomfortably in his chair and then stood. “Gotta get my jacket.”
I guessed we weren’t at the praise part of our reconnection. “Hey, warriors, grab your stuff for dinner.”
Charlie’s head popped up. “Can we bring our lightsabers?”
I had to fight a chuckle. I guessed that was what the pool noodles were. “Let’s leave the weapons at home.”
“Aw, man,” Charlie complained.
“You know your grandparents have approximately eighty-two million toys for you to play with at their house, right?”
