Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 19919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 100(@200wpm)___ 80(@250wpm)___ 66(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 100(@200wpm)___ 80(@250wpm)___ 66(@300wpm)
I rush through the house, scanning rooms for signs she’s been here, but I’m disappointed to find it just as l left it this morning.
Needing to do something to find my girl, I sprint down the sidewalk toward Jasper's house, my pulse pounding like a war drum.
When I finally reach Jasper's front porch, I don’t even bother to knock. I barge in, feeling semi-crazed, and find Jasper on the phone. He’s pacing, and I can see the worried furrow in his brow before he even registers my presence.
He lifts a finger, signaling for me to hold on, and I pace the room, anxiety tightening my chest like a noose as I listen to him explain the situation to Sheriff Armstrong. “I’m not overreacting. They should’ve been back by now.”
He listens to the sheriff for a few moments before hanging up. “Dillon is on his way over here.”
While I pace back and forth in Jasper’s front hall, the floorboards creak under the weight of my unease. My mind races as I wrestle with the dark thoughts swirling in the pit of my stomach.
Jasper sits in a chair, the worry lines on his forehead deepening by the minute as he watches me wear a groove into the floor. “Your pacing is driving me nuts,” he grumbles, trying to mask his concern with a teasing tone that he’s not nailing.
“Welcome to my world,” I shoot back, feeling the frustration bubbling inside me like a pot boiling over. “I can’t lose her,” I mutter the words swirling around my mind.
“You won’t,” Jasper assures me, but I won’t breathe easy until I have her back in my arms again.
There’s a knock at the door, and Jasper rushes over to answer it. Sheriff Armstrong steps in, his presence commanding the room. He’s a tall guy with a rugged demeanor, wearing his years in law enforcement like battle scars.
“Alright, explain to me what’s happening,” he says, eyes narrowing as he takes stock of the scene.
“Remi and Winston went out for a walk a couple of hours ago and haven’t come back,” Jasper explains, the weight of his words hanging thick in the air.
Sheriff Armstrong nods, jotting something down in his notepad. “And you tried calling her cellphone?”
What a stupid goddamn question. “Several times,” I reply, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling underneath.
The sheriff looks from me to Jasper, and I can see him evaluating how serious this really is. “Any unusual behavior from her or anyone else recently? Any fights or problems between you two?”
“No, everything has been great between us,” I mutter. My heart shudders to a stop when a thought suddenly occurs to me. “But I have a missing employee, too.”
Dillon blinks several times. “What the fuck?” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Please explain everything.”
“Daniel, my foreman, called me earlier to let me know he’d sent my new employee over to drop off some tools at my house, but he never returned,” I tell him as Jasper listens on. “I forgot all about Julian when Jasper called to tell me Remi hadn’t come home.”
“Does Julian know Remi?” Dillon Armstrong starts reeling off questions. “Do you think his disappearance could have anything to do with Remi’s?”
“He made an ass out of himself staring at Remi at lunch the other day. I just…” I pause to school my thoughts. “Maybe I’m connecting dots that aren’t there, but it didn’t feel right. He was making her uncomfortable and pissing me the fuck off,” I admit, unease crawling up my spine.
The sheriff jots down another note, his brow furrowing deeper. “Alright. Has he made threats or acted aggressively?”
“No,” I respond, my irritation and worry flaring anew. “I would’ve fired his ass on the spot.”
The sheriff stands straighter, flipping through his notes with newfound urgency. “Alright, we’re going to send out some deputies to search for your company truck and keep an eye out for Julian. In the meantime, I’m going to drive around the area.”
“I will, too,” I say, already turning to gather my thoughts and shake off the dread that’s suddenly gripping me. “I need to do something.”
“Here’s my cell number,” Sheriff Armstrong says, jotting it down and handing it over. “If you see anything or if any other leads come up, don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thanks, Dillon,” I reply, determination settling into my bones. I shove the piece of paper into my pocket as I head for the door. I turn to Jasper. “I won’t let anything stop me from finding her.”
“I know.” He sits down on his sofa, looking every bit of his seventy-plus years.
“Call me if you hear anything,” I tell him before sprinting to my truck. I slam the door shut and crank the engine as my mind races with possibilities. I grip the steering wheel, forcing my breathing to steady, but every distracted glimpse out the window sends adrenaline shooting through me.