Page 46 of Crow's Haven
“I can have it done within twenty-four hours.”
Rigs nods firmly, determination sparkling in his eyes. “It’s good to see that we’re covering all our bases.”
“I’ll search for any hospital deaths involving kids that have happened in the past few months. See if that can narrow things down,” Zen adds.
I speak up again, “We just need to find her. I think she was heading towards the interstate. I spent a while searching up and down there and didn’t come up with anythin’. I thought she might have gotten a ride to town and cruised around, looking at every place I could think of and obviously didn’t find her.”
Rigs states firmly, “You’ve got brothers at your back, Crow. We’ll canvas the fuck out of this town until we shake loose some leads.”
I breathe out slowly, shoulders loosening a fraction. I feel more confident in our ability to find her after talking to my club brothers. “Thanks, Rigs. I need all the help I can get.”
Siege clasps my arm firmly, eyes serious. “We’ll get her back and hear her out. Let her tell us her version of the events. You just need to stay calm this time.”
“I will,” I promise quietly, meeting his steady gaze. “I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
“You’d better not,” Rigs warns with a note of humor in his voice. “Sharon is family now. We need to treat her right.”
I appreciate that he’s trying to lighten the mood, but I’m not there yet.
“Then let’s move,” I say firmly, before heading back to my bike. “She’s out there alone and scared. I won’t rest until she’s safe.”
Chapter 14
Sharon
Iwake up to the faint scent of diesel and coffee. The low rumble of the engine vibrates beneath my exhausted body. I curl deeper into the passenger seat, my knees tucked tightly against my chest, every muscle sore from running to the road earlier. The glow of the dashboard casts shadows across the dark cab, alerting me that it’s either night or the wee hours of the morning.
Beside me, Sam shifts gears smoothly, eyes fixed steadily on the road ahead. In the dim glow, his weathered face seems kind rather than intimidating, the deep wrinkles around his eyes softening when he glances my way.
“You hungry, sweetheart?” he asks gently, his gravelly voice edged with grandfatherly warmth. “Ain’t much, but I’ve got some snacks behind the seat.”
I hesitate, unsure, then nod cautiously. “Maybe a little. Thank you.”
He reaches back easily, steering one-handed, and pulling out a granola bar and a bottle of water. “Here ya go, darlin’,” he murmurs, handing them over. His eyes soften further as I carefully unwrap the snack, my hands trembling slightly.
“You remind me of my granddaughter,” he says after a moment, his voice low, quiet, and steady. “Same wary look, like you’ve been through too much already.”
I glance up sharply, heart hammering, but there’s no suspicion in his eyes. He’s not blaming me for anything, just trying to show some basic human compassion. It catches me off guard, coming from a total stranger, and makes tears prick unexpectedly at the corners of my eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, voice cracking. “I didn’t mean to drag you into my problems.”
He shrugs gently, a small, reassuring smile tugging at his lips. “Don’t apologize. World’s a rough place. Everyone needs a hand now and then.”
I exhale slowly, the tension in my shoulders easing just a fraction. Outside, highway lights flicker past, marking each mile further from Crow and the relationship wreckage I left behind.
“You need to make a call?” he asks softly after a long moment. “Figure you might not have your phone, considering how you flagged me down.”
My cheeks flush, embarrassment twisting my stomach. “Yeah, I don’t have anything.”
He nods slowly, calmly, untroubled by the admission. “We’ll hit a truck stop in about fifteen minutes. Got a phone you can use in privacy to call and talk to whoever you need.”
My chest tightens because his small acts of kindness mean so much to me right now. “Thank you, Sam. I appreciate it more than you know.”
“It ain’t nothing. Just being human in a world that’s forgotten its manners as of late.”
His sense of humor catches me off guard, and I laugh before I think.
Sam gives me another one of his crooked grins. Suddenly, the world seems a lot nicer for having him in it.
