Page 83 of Being Lost

He does. It only takes a few seconds to peruse it.

Darling Dan

I’m so sorry to leave without talking, but I know you’d try and dissuade me. I can’t have you or Lost, or the MC putting themselves in danger. Please don’t try to find me. Speak to Lost, he’ll help you get sorted I’m certain.

Tell Beth I love her, but this is for the best.

I love you, Dan, always remember that. Wherever I end up, I’ll be thinking of you. Thinking of both you and Beth.

Tell Lost… Tell Lost I’ll never forget him.

Your ever-loving mom xxx

Goddamnit! I’m glad I intercepted the note, Dan would be distraught to read it. Why the hell had she taken off?

I have my suspicions, but they’re not for examination now. Now we’ve got to find her.

Taking my phone out of my cut, I try to call her.

“No good, Prez,” Token says. “I’ve traced her phone, she left it here.”

“Fuck!” I roar, slamming my fist down on the table. “How the hell do we find her now? Did she say anything, Prospect, about where she was headed?”

Wrangler shuffles, looks down at his feet, then when he looks up it seems to have dawned on him how badly he fucked up, and can already see the chances of him getting patched in are fading into the distance. “I didn’t ask,” he mumbles. “I didn’t think. Sorry, Prez.”

Sorry isn’t going to cut it. Dart’s looking from the prospect then back to me, his eyes wide open in horror. He’s been here before when Alex disappeared. At least I know Patsy hasn’t been kidnapped by her crazy ex.

“Who let her out the fuckin’ gate?”Could someone more intelligent than Wrangler have stopped her? Is there a chance she’s still here?

Wrangler shifts awkwardly. “Sorry, Prez. I was behind the bar and watching the monitors. I opened it for her.”

“Lost, Brother. I’m so fuckin’ sorry…” For once Dart is at a loss for words. His expression directed toward the prospect shows he’s also questioning how he could have been so stupid.

I’m at a complete loss. My impulse is to rush after her. But where? I could put my fist in Wrangler’s face, but how would that help?

“What are we waiting for?” Token asks, his expression not what I would have expected.

“What do you fuckin’ suggest we do, Toke? Send search parties out in every fuckin’ direction? How long has she fucking been gone?”

Wrangler brightens at a question he can answer. “About an hour.”

“Then I suggest we go get her. If we hurry, we can catch up to her.”

“If it were that fuckin’ easy…” I again catch the strange, almost self-satisfied expression on Token’s face. My lips press together and my eyes narrow. “What do you know that I don’t?”

Token shrugs. “Only that I put a tracker on her car.”

“Which she might have already swapped for another, or a rental.” Patsy’s not stupid, she’d known enough to buy a burner phone.

“Not when I’ve already frozen her bank accounts. I suspected she might do something stupid.”

I could kiss the fucking asshole. “What are we fuckin’ waiting for then?”

Dart rushes past me. I’m hot on his heels as he enters the clubroom and whistles loudly. “Patsy’s gone. We’re bringing her back. Who’s with us?”

It seems quite a few. Salem puts down his undrunk beer, Pennywise slurps back some of his before slamming the bottle onto the table. Scribe, Dusty and Blaze stand. Grumbler, Bones, Kink and Snips are already running out to their bikes.

“I’ll go in the truck with Wrangler,” Token suggests. “I can track her, you all follow.”