A week before their high school graduation, Ellie's boyfriend walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight, just like any other night. But there was nothing ordinary about what followed. Austin disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again...
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"I can't find anything that even hints to anyone running searches on Ellie," my brother grumbled from his almost permanent spot in front of the computer screens. "As far as I can tell, nobody is on to her, or showing any interest in her."
"Yet."
"Come on, Bro," he groaned, "don't be negative. It's doesn't seem like they know who she is. That's a good thing."
It was a good thing, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Or worse than normal. That pit in my stomach was full of dread that something was about to happen and it was terrifying.
I just shrugged my shoulders in response to my brother. There was no need for him to worry any more than he already did. It was enough that I felt like our lives were about to implode all over again because I'd failed all of us. He worked so hard to keep us afloat and ahead of whoever was after us, and possibly Ellie.
Me? Not so much.
Any intentions I'd had to step it up and get a job to help support us, or to be better for Ellie, had gone out the window. I'd barely been functioning ever since Ellie's frantic phone call that someone had been to her job. I could handle being on the run myself, and having to look over my shoulder wherever I went, but I couldn't handle knowing Ellie was in danger.
Especially not because of me.
It had been two days, and I didn't even know what I'd done with most of that time, other than worry. My brother had been on the computer non stop. Working for his actual job and running searches and checking whatever traps he had set up for us. The only time he actually took a break was to eat, use the bathroom, or take the occasional nap. He hadn't slept a full night since. And neither had I, but for different reasons. He was working on keeping us safe while I just kept stressing about our safety.
Bear felt my anxiety. He was never far away from me and he'd only sleep if part of his body touched mine. He was sprawled out across most of the couch next to me, and there was a slight snore coming from him.
"From what I can tell," my brother said and rubbed at his tired eyes, "the man hasn't returned the car yet and he's no longer in Georgia. His license plate just pinged on a highway in Alabama."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," he confirmed.
That was good news. Very good.
"Do you think he's coming here?"
"It's possible, I guess, but it will take him at least fifteen hours to drive non-stop."
I leaned my head back against the couch and let out a loud exhale which startled Bear. For the first time in two days, it felt like I could actually breathe. Even if he was coming here, we had time to prepare. And the most important thing was he was away from Ellie.
"I've set the search so it will follow him and give me updates periodically through the night. But since Ellie is in no immediate danger, I'm going to go to sleep for a few hours."
"Okay. Thanks, Sport."
He yawned big as he got up and stumbled towards the bedroom. On his way past the couch, he gave my shoulder a squeeze. "It'll be alright."
I responded with a "yeah," although I was pretty sure neither one of us was sure of that. And despite knowing the man was in Alabama, I couldn't shake that something was coming...
