Page 171 of Craving Consequences

“Mr. Weaver,” Candace hurries forward, expression outraged. “This is no way to behave.”

I ignore her and move to peek through the windows along the garage door.

No car.

She really isn’t home.

Goddamn it.

I turn and meet Candace’s rigid expression. “Where is she?”

It’s a stupid question. For one, they wouldn’t be camped outside her door if they knew, but also, they wouldn’t tell me if they did.

“Your barbaric—”

I ignore her as I dig out my phone and call the only person who Everly might go to.

To my surprise, Lauren actually picks up.

“Dad, I’m serious—”

“Where’s Everly? Is she with you?”

There’s silence followed by the familiar rattle of springs and bedframes creaking.

“No, she should be home.”

“She’s not.” I push down the stairs, meeting Dolores’s pursed outrage with an annoyed scowl. “Do you know where she’d go?”

I hear the rustle of fabric and the rapid patter of feet.

“She probably went for a drive,”Lauren’s saying as keys jingle, and a door slams.“She’s not really in any kind of headspace to ... Jesus, Teddy. What the fuck are you doing standing there like some weirdo?”

Ihear an awkward cough, followed by a male voice,“Just headed out. Wasn’t expecting anyone to come barreling down the stairs. Everything okay?”

“You have a car. Drop me off somewhere?”

“Oh, yeah, sure.”

A second later, Lauren’s voice is in my ear,“Dad, I’m coming over.”

The line goes dead, and I’m left with even less answers than when I called her. Moreover, she left me alone, surrounded by a small army of pissed off women.

I face their leader. If anyone can keep me from getting mauled to death, it’s her. Hopefully.

“We care about Everly as much as you do,” I tell Candace. “And we are just as pissed about what happened as you are. I personally would like to be the first person to get my hands on that turd stain, but the only important thing right now is making sure Everly’s okay because if she’s not home and she’s not with Lauren, where is she?”

“And the sheriff is still looking for Bron,” Maisie gasps, big, dark eyes swinging to Candace. “We need to find her. What if he has her again?”

I had not even thought of that.

Neither had the other women based on the raised chatter of concern as all attention pivots to Candace.

The metaphorical queen of Jefferson purses her nude lips and takes a deep inhale that lifts her shoulders. Her neatly manicured hands clasp at her midsection as she addresses the crowd with cool, calm confidence.

“Okay, settle down, we can’t lose our heads right now.” She turns to Daisy who stands just a little ways away from the group. Unlike the others, her expression is one of quiet deliberation. “Daisy, can you run over to the Singh’s next door and ask if they saw Everly come home. Thelma, call Sheriff Brewer and ask him when he last saw Everly leaving the department. I will call the phone tree, and we will get more eyes out and about in case she’s taking a little alone time somewhere. Meanwhile, the rest of you, go home. There is nothing any of us can do at the moment, but I will call you if you’re needed.”

With only me and Lachlan remaining, she turns her attention to us.

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