Winter's Bite

Chapter 22 Owen

'Owen.'

I opened my eyes and looked up. Jeb stood over me, shaking my shoulder.

'What's the matter with you? I couldn't rouse you,' my uncle grumbled.

I sat up. My head felt fuzzy.

'What is it?'

I glanced over at the window. Darkness pressed against the panes. What had happened? I'd only meant to rest a few hours.

'Why aren't you with Cait?' Jeb asked.

My eyes widened. I shook my head to dispell the fuzziness.

'I don't know what happened. I meant to phone her earlier.'

I glanced at my bedside locker.

'Where's my phone?'

I climbed from my bed.

'I'm sure I left my phone on my locker to text Cait when I got up.'

I searched my jacket and jeans.

'My phone's missing.'

Jeb swore under his breath.

'When Cait went into the park after school I figured she went to meet you. I didn't want to play peeping Tom to your courtship so I came home. I thought her safe. But now I find you here.'

I stared up at him.

'You're not the only one who's watched over Cait. I'm concerned for her too.'

'Maybe she went to the park hoping to find me,' I ventured.

Would Cait have gone to the park on her own with a murderer on the loose? She had before.

But that didn't explain my missing phone. I knew I'd had it when I came home last night. I'd looked at the time before I lay down. And why had I been unconscious so long? That didn't feel natural.

'How did you know I wasn't at the park?' I asked.

Estelle came downstairs with Flame. She said she'd heard him whimper and scratch your door to get out and that you were dead to the world.'

'I need to get to the park.' I pulled on last night's clothes as I spoke.

'I'll come with you.'

We didn't waste time running. I opened my window and we jumped into the sky.

The dismal park was empty except for one old woman and her dog. We searched but found no sign that Cait had been there.

'You're sure she came here?' I asked.

I saw her go through the entrance,' Jeb replied. 'I didn't hang around after that.'

'Maybe she went home,' I suggested.

Within minutes we were outside Cait's home. I listened to the heart-beats inside. One andente and mature. A child's allegro. An allegretto teenage beat.

For a moment my heart soared, but then I remembered Cait's cousin. I only heard one allegretto beat. I risked a glance through the kitchen window. Kevin sat at the table with his mother.

'She's not here.'

Fear coursed through me. It was Magdelena all over again. I had no idea what to do.

'We'll find her.'

Jeb's voice brought me back from panic.

'Let's speak to the others. They may know something.'

'It'll waste time. We should search for her,' I protested.

'An informed search will yield better results. Besides, we can enlist their help.'

That convinced me. We ran into the trees and soared into flight once we were sure no-one could see. Minutes later we set down on my balcony again.

We split up to gather everyone. As they entered the living-room I saw some-one was missing.

'Where's Chloe?'

I stared at Justin.

'I think she went into town.' He shrugged.

'What's wrong?' Estelle asked.

'Cait's missing.'

I told them I'd been unconscious and about my missing phone.

Nathaniel examined my eyes.

'I think you've been drugged.'

'Chloe handed me blood when I got home last night,' I remembered. 'She could have drugged it.'

'You think Chloe's responsible for Cait's disappearance?' Darren said.

'She's acted weird ever since I've been seeing Cait.'

Jeb came back from checking outside.

'No vehicles are gone.'

My eyes returned to Justin.

'Maybe she went for a walk. I don't know.'

'If you know something you'd better tell us,' Nathaniel warned

'I don't know anything,' Justin insisted.

'When did Chloe leave,' I asked.

Everyone looked at Justin.

'Maybe an hour ago.' He didn't meet my eyes.

Jeb and I exchanged glances. A half hour after Cait had arrived at the park.

'Could Chloe have sent Cait a message and made her think it was from you?' Nathaniel asked.

I thought about it.

'Yeah, all my messages to Cait were on my phone, it wouldn't be too hard to imitate one. But we searched the park. Cait wasn't there.'

'Chloe didn't arrange to meet Cait at the park. But somewhere within a half hour radius of the village,' Nathaniel said.

We stared at him.

'Chloe didn't leave until a half hour after Cait arrived at the park. Although she can travel quick, Chloe wouldn't take the risk Cait might not hang around for half an hour. For the same reason Chloe would want to be at the real meet before Cait arrived. So it must be somewhere it would take Cait half an hour to get to.'

I thought about that.

'He's right,' Jeb said.

'The hills or the woods,' I said. 'Everywhere else is too public or open fields.'

'But if it's dark she mightn't care if it's public,' Estelle ventured.

'I think Owen is right, Chloe would want somewhere she wouldn't be disturbed. But we won't take a chance we're wrong. Estelle, you and Darren search the nearest villages. Jacob, you and Therese take the fields up to four miles around Garntor. Justin and I will search the hills. Owen, you and Jeb take the woods.'

'I don't know if we can trust him.' I glared at Justin.

'Don't worry. I'll keep a close eye on him.'

Nathaniel fixed Justin with a grim stare.

'You won't harm Chloe if you find her?' Justin asked.

He looked scared.

'That depends on what she does to Cait.'

I jumped to my feet, eager to begin the search.

'I don't know this girl. Will she hurt Cait?' Jeb asked.

Estelle and I exchanged glances.

'I think she might,' Estelle admitted.

'I think she may have killed my last girlfriend,' I said. 'I think she may have killed Magdelena.'