Page 56 of Weather the Storm

Without another word, I turn and leave, grabbing my phone and dialing Magnolia as I go. It rings and rings and rings before her voicemail finally picks up. I hang up and try again, only to get the same result.

I barge back into the salon, and right away Seraphine can sense something’s not right. “Where is she, Simon?”

“I don’t know. I…wait!” I move back behind the desk and retrieve the bag I threw away. “Do you know what she ordered?”

“Chicken salad,” she whispers, seeing exactly what I’m seeing: the destroyed remnants of two chicken salad sandwiches.

I order Seraphine to call the cops while I keep trying Magnolia’s phone. Eventually it quits ringing, going directly to voicemail instead.

Pacing and panicked, I rake my fingers through my hair. “How in the hell does someone just disappear in broad daylight?” I mutter to myself.

Within minutes of calling, a squad car pulls up to the front of the salon. I rush to meet them, relieved to see it’s Byrnes and Benson.

“What’s goin’ on?” Officer Byrnes asks. “We got a call that Ms. Ellington is missing?”

“Yes, sir.” I relay to them everything I know, and Officer Byrnes informs me there would usually be a twenty-four hour wait period, but given her history, they’re going to green-light listing her as missing and endangered.

I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing they’re going to take this seriously. I know soul-deep exactly who has her, I just don’t know where. I swear, though, if—no, not if—whenI find this motherfucker, there will be hell to pay.

After filling out a few forms, I stand by as they question Seraphine, clenching my jaw and tryinghardnot to blame her for this. Deep down, the logical side of me knows she isn’t at fault, but at the same time, a little voice in the back of my mind niggles:If she’d gone with her, Magnolia would be safe.

I steel my resolve and tell that voice to shut the hell up, because truth is, if Seraphine had been with Magnolia, it’s more than likely she’d have been hurt or taken too.

When Byrnes and Benson dismiss us, Seraphine calls and cancels Magnolia’s appointments. She doesn’t go into detail, and luckily her clients are more than understanding.

After we close up the salon, Seraphine heads home to talk to her dad while I make my way back to the house. Even though I’d love nothing more than to go door to door asking people if they saw anything, I know I’d just be in the way of the police performing their actual investigation.

At the house, I’m restless.

Anxious.

Nauseous.

Enraged.

Worried.

And then some.

With shaking hands, I call Drake, knowing he’ll rally the crew.

He answers on the first ring. “What’s up, brother?”

I decide to cut right to the chase. “Magnolia’s missing.”

A prolonged silence and then he says, “Come again?”

“You heard me.”

Drake growls out a few unintelligible curses. “I’m on my way over.”

I disconnect the call and throw my phone down on the coffee table, but then snatch it right back up, just in case Magnolia finds a way to call.

Fifteen minutes later, my front door busts open, Drake and Azalea rushing toward me. The minute they wrap their arms around me, I break, not caring one bit how it makes me look.

“I promised her she’d be safe with me—”

Azalea speaks over me, halting my dark thoughts in their tracks. “You hush up right now, Simon McAllister. Everything is gonna be fine.” Then quietly she adds, “It has to be.”

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