Page 2 of Lost Love Cove 3
“It all happened so fast,” Carrie muttered. “I called Alisha to tell her that Trent was going to call her so they could meet and he’d get them to a safe place. But she was distraught and afraid. She said that someone had followed them from the movie house. She said I must tell Trent to hurry, and then the line went dead.”
“Did you try calling her back?” Matt pulled out his phone. His hands were shaking, and he clicked it on only to find there were no bars. He was about to grab the receiver, but Carrie caught his hand.
“Matt… stop!” Carrie said, her eyes holding his, but she didn’t let go of his hand. “Trent found her within a few minutes. She wasn’t too far from where he was.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Matt said, breathing a sigh of relief. “You nearly gave me heart failure for a min…” his voice trailed off at the look in her eyes, telling him there was still more to come.
“When Trent found Alisha, she was unconscious.” Carrie’s words sent a wave of ice through his veins, and he couldn’t find his voice as she continued. “The kids…” She sucked in a shaky breath, and tears welled up in her eyes. “The kids were gone… taken.”
"WHAT!" Matt's voice tore through the room like a thunderclap, his face contorting as blood rushed to his temples. He slammed his fist against the desk so hard the lamp jumped, sending shadows dancing wildly across the walls. “Tell me… tell me everything.”
“That’s all I know,” Carrie told him. “We were cut off.”
Within a snap and a swipe of the tears on her cheeks, she was back—Police Captain Carrie Ware. “I know the shock and anger that’s resonating through you right now…” She took his handthat he’d ripped from hers moments ago to slam the desk and gave it a gentle squeeze, steadying him. “But we have to be rational. I want nothing more than to go tearing through that front door, storm be darned, but all that will get is us being blown away and drenched.” She glanced at the wooden board covering the windows, creaking as the wind howled and the rain pelted down. “And we’re still stranded on the island and can’t even get to Key West.”
Her conviction steadied Matt as he let her words wash over him and ground him to the reality of it all. His eyes held hers, and while she was outwardly portraying a pillar of calm reason, he could see the fear and worry casting dark shadows in her eyes.
Matt nodded, taking her other hand in his. “You’re right.” His voice was gruff with emotion. “Thank goodness Trent came to Florida early.” At least Carrie’s son would have connections, and if Matt knew his daughter, Alisha would already be on him about getting reinforcements and then ripping Key West apart looking for the kids. That brought him a bit of comfort, but didn’t stop him from feeling useless.
“I know.” Carrie swallowed, and her voice wobbled while the tears welled once again. Matt could see her fighting to keep her newly found control. “Trent and if I summed Alisha up right, between the two of them, they’ll fight through this storm to find the kids.”
A tear forced its way over Carrie’s eyelid and started to roll down her cheek. Matt instinctively stepped forward and wiped it away from her soft, smooth skin. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the storm seemed to fade, leaving only the two of them in the room. Matt’s hand lingered on her face, and he didn’t know if he stepped closer or if they both did as his heart kicked up speed and suddenly his head dropped towards hers as hishands moved around her back and hers slid onto his forearms as he drew her closer. The warmth of her body pressed against his chest, the scent of her caught between them, and for a fleeting moment, the world outside did not exist. It was just the two of them.
As their lips brushed, the sound of the dog's angry barking echoed through the house, jolting them back to reality. A banging of the front door, a yell, and more angry barks and growls added to the commotion.
“Don’t try to run,” Andy’s words cut through to them.
Matt and Carrie sprang apart, breathless, the space between them suddenly wide and exposed.
Before they had time to respond, Andy was already at the study door, with the excited dogs hot on his heels as he shoved a drenched figure forward into the room. The young man stumbled inside, as Andy yanked him upright by the scruff of his hoodie.
“I caught him trying to break in,” Andy snapped.
Matt’s eyes widened as he took in the newcomer’s face. The boy could not have been more than eighteen. His soaked hoodie clung to his thin frame, his hair plastered across his forehead. He lifted his hands defensively, eyes wide with panic.
“I was not trying to break in. I just needed shelter from the storm,” the kids sprouted defensively. “Have you seen what it’s like out there?”
Carrie stepped forward, all traces of a shaken grandmother gone. Her voice was cool, steady, as she switched back intopolice captain mode. “Hands where I can see them,” she warned the young man.
The boy froze, then lifted his arms higher. “I swear, I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”
“Who are you?” Carrie asked, eyes narrowing.
“My name’s Oscar,” the boy said quickly. “I was delivering letters. I thought I could get them done and back home before the storm broke.” His eyes darted to the wind and rain, trying to force its way into the house. “But I got to the door of this house and…” He shook his head and pursed his lips. “I was wrong about getting to the cove and back home.” His eyes met Carrie’s. “I did knock. But no one answered. So I tried the door handle and that’s when I heard the barking and then…” He turned and glared at Andy. “Captain America here yanked the door open and hauled me inside.”
“You were delivering letters?” Matt scoffed before Carrie could. “In this weather? You really think we believe that?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“I can prove it,” Oscar faltered, then reached instinctively toward his pocket.
“Don’t move,” Andy barked, grabbing Oscar’s wrist before it could vanish into the front pocket of the hoodie.
“Wait,” Oscar said, his voice cracking, and the one strap of his backpack slipped from the force with which Andy grabbed his hand. “It’s just the letters. That’s all.”
Carrie’s voice cut through, calm but commanding as she nodded at Andy to release Oscar’s hand. “Take them out, slowly. And if you’re lying…” Her eyes drifted to Luna and Muttley, who werenow sitting protectively beside her. “My furry friends won’t take too kindly to that.”
Oscar swallowed hard, his eyes darting toward the dogs before he nodded and then reached carefully into his pocket. He drew out two soggy envelopes, the ink smeared from the rain. Carrie leaned forward and took them. Matt tilted his head to see the handwritten names on the envelope. The ink had run, but there were still a few pieces of the last names on them. Matt could just make out a “Par…” and a “Ca…”
Carrie’s brow furrowed as she examined the envelopes.
