Page 72 of If the Summer Lasted Forever
The driveback to Gray Jay feels like it takes all night. True to his word, Landon doesn’t speed, though I know it’s killing him. Only his promise to his dad is making him follow the restrictions on the white signs dotting the road.
Every green, reflective mile marker we pass brings us closer to home, and hopefully closer to Caleb. I keep telling myself that we’re going to pull in and they’ll have already found him, and everyone will laugh that he wasn’t actually lost, he was just digging through rocks somewhere in the campground and didn’t hear people looking for him.
But I know it’s not true because if they found him, Landon would receive another call. And his phone has been eerily silent.
What we do find when we pull in is chilling.
Landon’s hands tighten on the steering wheel, and he swallows, probably trying to choke down his fear. Flashlights bob around the campground, making it look like we have a whole mess of adult-sized Halloween tricker treaters wandering the property. From the looks of it, lots of people have come to help with the search.
Several sheriffs’ cars sit in the registration parking area, and a bunch of people are talking to Paige’s dad, my mom included.Relief washes over her face when she spots the Jeep, and she holds up her hand in a somber greeting as Landon pulls around the back.
“We’re back,” he says into his phone, already talking to his parents, who are thankfully in cell range somewhere. “Where do you need me?”
I’m ripping off my buckle before we’re even stopped, ready to join the search.
Landon hangs up the phone and turns to me. “Dad wants me to talk to the officers, find out where’s the best place to go.”
We hurry to join the group with my mom. As soon as she sees me, she pulls me into a tight hug. The porch lights cast harsh shadows. Her sweet, pixie-esque face looks almost haggard in her worry.
“How long has he been gone?” I ask as Landon talks to the officers.
Mom shakes her head. “We’re not sure. Hunter was watching him, but he disappeared a few hours ago.”
“He took George?” I overhear Landon say, his tone incredulous.
Paige’s dad nods.
Even though the dog is lazy and scared of the dark, it makes me feel a tiny bit better that Caleb isn’t completely alone out there.
“Where do you need us?” I ask Officer Hilden.
“Paige is with the other kids right now in the family’s camper,” he says to me. “They’re awfully upset. They know you pretty well—why don’t you give her a hand?”
I nod. Though disappointed I won’t be joining the search, I’ll go wherever I’m needed.
Then Paige’s dad says to Landon, “We have another group of volunteers going out in a minute. We don’t want anyone taking off alone, but you are welcome to join them.”
Landon nods. He then reaches for me, pulls me into a tight hug, and follows Officer Hilden to several more officers, a few men I recognize from town, and Paige’s brother Trenton.
Now that Landon’s out of earshot, I turn to mom before I join Paige in the Tillmans’ camper. Lowering my voice, I ask, “They don’t think he was kidnapped, do they?”
Her face crumples, but she quickly schools the sharp stab of fear. “We don’t know for certain, but they don’t think so at this time. He took his bike, backpack, that small tent they set up in front of their camper, and thedog. Right now, they’re treating him like a runaway.”
“Caleb wouldn’t run away,” I argue.
“No, but you and I both know there’s a good chance he wandered.”
And then it hits me where he’s at, where he’s gone off to, and my legs almost give out. I grab hold of my mother. “When did you say he left?”
“Probably about five hours now.”
Right after the Tillmans got the news that they were leaving.
“He’s looking for gold,” I whisper, horrified. Gone off to find those circles on his map that we promised we’d take him to next weekend. But they won’t be here next weekend—they’ll be in California.
“Landon!” I yell across the parking lot, racing away from Mom without any explanation.
The group he’s with turns toward me.
