Page 52 of Shattered
"Hmm, explains why she always kept to herself," he lifted the first page and stared at the second before handing it back to me. "I've seen that guy hanging out at Joe's a couple of times. Logan, he's been in town for a while."
"I was afraid of that," I threw my head back and stared at the ceiling. "Where the hell could they be?"
"Have you asked Lizzy? The Diner is the only decent place to get breakfast and lunch around here; chances are he's been there. And you know Lizzy, she would start up a conversation with a rock."
My friend was right! If anyone knew anything about newcomers, it was that woman. I gave him a quick pat on the back and then raced to the diner. Luckily the worst of the breakfast rush was over.
"You know it's way too early for pie, right?" The smile she always greeted everyone with faded when she laid eyes on me. "What happened?"
For what felt like the millionth time that day, I recounted everything that had happened. Lizzy's expression morphed into one of mortification when I showed her the photo of Drew. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she mumbled out an, "Oh shit!"
"You've seen him? Here? In the diner?" I peppered the poor woman with my questions. "Do you know where he's staying?"
She covered her face with her palms, flaming red curls swishing back and forth as she furiously shook her head. I didn't know what was going on with her, but I didn't have time for a breakdown. I reached up and gripped her wrists before dragging her hands from her face.
Thick tears were rolling over her cheeks. "I didn't know. I swear, I didn't know," she whispered.
I was getting absolutely nowhere. Still holding on to her wrists I stooped, so we were eye to eye. "Lizzy," I said firmly, "Do you know where I can find that man?" I made sure to punctuate every word.
For long seconds, she just stared at me; eyes wide and a river of tears spilling from them. Then ever so slowly she began to nod her head. For the second time that day, I allowed myself to have just a sliver of hope.
"Okay," I breathed. "Where?"
Lizzy tried to compose herself as much as she could. "I'll show you."
I didn't have to be told twice, turning on my heel I headed for the exit. Following her directions, we made our way out of town. It wasn't long before Lizzy told me to turn onto a narrow dirt road, surrounded by an endless amount of trees.
Behind my breastbone, my heart started beating at a furious pace. Images of Harper and Flynn being hurt flashed behind my eyes, I had to force them away.
"There," Lizzy's voice sounded from beside me. She looked about as close to death as I felt. "That's his car."
I turned my gaze to where she was pointing and sure enough, there was the blue sports car parked in front of the cabin—the only cabin for miles, I might add. Slowly, I pulled to a stop. Without turning off the engine, I reached into my pocket to pull out my cell.
"Shit!" Frustrated, I dropped the dead thing to the floor. "Do you have your phone on you?" I asked Lizzy who immediately began to shake her head. I turned my attention back to the cabin in the distance. There was a good possibility that my family was in there with a psychopath.
Leaning over, I placed my hands on Lizzy's fidgeting ones in her lap. "You're gonna have to go back to town and get Eli." On autopilot, her head bobbed up and down. "Lizzy, this isn't your fault, you hear me?" More nodding.
I wasn't a heartless man, but I wasn't a man with time on my side either. Sliding out from behind the wheel, I waited till Lizzy took my place. "Go get Eli." With that, I ducked into the woods and started for the cabin.
"Hold on, Sugar. I'm coming."
"Mommy, who is that man?"
Big, scared blue eyes stared up at me. The bed Flynn was sitting on seemed to swallow my boy whole. Fighting back my own emotions, I reached down and grabbed Flynn's backpack, hoping that what I needed was still in there.
Somehow I'd managed to convince Drew to let me put my son in the bedroom while we 'talked'. As I rummaged through his bag, I tried not to show him how scared I was too. He needed my strength now more than anything.
"It's no one you need to worry about, baby." Relief filled me when I found the tablet and earphones I'd been looking for. I pulled up Flynn's favorite movie and dropped to my haunches in front of him. "I want you to put these on," I handed him the tablet and earphones. "Don't take it off no matter what, okay?"
My boy's eyes glistened and his lip started to quiver. "I'm scared, Mommy."
I had to bite back the sob stuck in my throat. "I know, my sweet boy. Right now, mommy needs you to be brave, just for a bit."
Nodding his head, Flynn covered his ears and tried to concentrate on the screen in his hands. I dropped a kiss to his head before I left the room and closed the door behind me.
With every step I took back to the living room, I tried to find the strength to fight back. I couldn't allow Drew to win this time. Just as I entered the small space, he came up to me and grabbed a fistful of my hair. With my strands in his grip, he dragged me to a nearby couch and shoved me onto it.
The woman I used to be would've kept her head down while she waited for whatever was to come next. I wasn't that woman anymore; I hadn't been for a long time. Reaching ahead of me, I snatched a small vase off of the table and hurled it at Drew.
