Page 51 of Due North
Heat filled my cheeks as the humiliation of being played filled me all over again. I couldn’t keep doing this, not for me or Poppy. I made the right decision ending it with Caleb, but I wasn’t going to quit working at Heavenly Lane. I might love him, but I’d be damned if he was going to chase me away from the only family I have left. He can stay on his side of the ranch, and I’ll stay on mine.
I whimpered as I stuck my feet into my slippers. I wanted to pretend I was tough, but really, my heart was breaking. I didn’t know how I would work with Caleb every day, especially when Poppy loved him so much. That was the real kicker. He even did Poppy dirty by carrying on with Tobi behind my back. I told myself I could stay here on the ranch and work without being affected by his presence, but that was a lie.
I reached into the crib to check on Poppy, but it was empty other than her blankets. My heart stopped in my chest. Where was she? I looked around on the floor and under the bed, but she was nowhere.
Oh God, she got out of the crib. How did she get out of the crib? The side was down. The realization hit me, and a sob escaped my throat. I forgot to put the side up last night because I was so upset! Stay calm. She must be in the house. She’s probably playing with her toys in the living room.
“Poppy!” I yelled, my voice loud, scared, and frantic. “Poppy!” I cried again as I ran through the house, checking the kitchen and living room.
“Cecelia?” Beau asked, running down the stairs in his stocking feet and flannel sleep pants. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Why are you yelling Poppy’s name? She can’t hear you.”
The realization had me squatting down to the floor, so I didn’t fall. “Poppy isn’t in her bed, Beau. She’s not in her bed.”
“Cece,” Dawn said, coming down the stairs. “Are you okay?”
“Poppy isn’t in her bed,” Beau said to his wife just as she reached me on the floor.
“How did she get out?” Dawn asked, taking my shoulders.
“I was distracted las—last night,” I said, a sob sticking in my chest. “I fought with Caleb and forgot to put the side up on the crib. She must have climbed out.”
“Kids will do that,” she assured me. “We’ll find her. She can’t get outside, so she has to be here somewhere.”
“Where?” I asked, my arms going up frantically. “I’ve searched the whole downstairs.”
“Kids love to hide,” Beau said logically. “She’s probably sleeping under a bed or in a closet. I’ll check the upstairs. You guys check downstairs again. Yell out if you find her.”
He dashed up the stairs while Dawn and I took off for the spare bedroom. We checked everywhere we could think of, including the closets, under the beds, and the tub. She wasn’t in any of the rooms.
“She’s not here,” Dawn said as we ran back to the living room. “Beau, did you find her?”
He came down the stairs two at a time. “Na-no,” he said. “I-I called Bah-Blaze and Heaven. They’re on their way.”
Ash burst through the front door at that moment and grabbed Beau. “She’s outside. I noticed her footprints in the driveway, but they disappeared from the wind once she was away from the house.”
“I’ll call the police!” I yelled, running for my phone, but Dawn grabbed my arm.
“Wait, we have more manpower than Sheriff Nash has. We’ll get all the hands out on horseback and find her. We’ll light this place up like the Fourth of July. Caleb!”
“What about him?” I asked, fresh anger stirring over the fear spiraling in my belly.
“Do you think she’d try to find him?” Dawn asked logically.
Ash already had his phone to his ear, waiting on the ring.
“How did she get out? The door was locked. The doors are always locked,” I said, my voice shaking. “I locked the door. I know I locked the door.”
Dawn held my shoulders firmly. “Look at me, Cece,” she ordered, and my eyes found hers. “Focus on Poppy. What was she wearing?”
“HerPaw Patrolsleeper with the little feet in them. Oh, God, she doesn’t even have shoes on,” I cried, tears filling my eyes. “It’s freezing out tonight! I have to find her!”
I tried to get away but turned and ran straight into Ash. “Cecelia, I have the ranch hands on the horses already. Call Caleb. Find out if he’s seen her.”
“He would have called me if he’d seen her!” But I grabbed my phone from the floor where I’d dropped it and checked for messages. There weren’t any.
“Call Caleb. Blaze is out with the ranch hands on our side of the ridge. Heaven and Amity are coming over as soon as they bundle up Eden. We will find her. Stay calm.”
“I can’t stay calm!” I yelled, tears falling down my cheeks. “She can’t hear, Ash,” I whimpered. “She can’t hear anyone calling to her if she’s lost.”
