Page 82 of To Belong Together
Nothing.
How had it come to this? How had he disappeared?
She locked John’s car and studied the key in her palm.
He would come for the vehicle. How should she get him the key? She wouldn’t hide it in a wheel well or under a mat. Not with a car this valuable. Hirsh Auto wouldn’t be open until Monday, and he’d want it back before then.
Delivering the key would involve driving. If she could stay awake behind the wheel any longer, she’d continue looking. Instead, she’d dozed off once, veering onto the shoulder before snapping back to attention.
Still, she longed for a way to avoid heeding Susanna’s insistence that she go home for a little rest. Others may be searching, but she knew her father. Surely she had an advantage in locating him.
Not that her relationship with him had helped her find anything but a growing sense of helplessness. Hopelessness.
Focusing their efforts so close to the grocery store may have been a mistake, even if the radius included the entirety of Hartley. Memory might have drawn Dad out to one of his old fishing spots, traveling much farther than anyone expected.
The wind whipped her skirt again, and her toes had gone numb. It’d been below freezing last night, though a trickle of melting snow now snaked past her open-toed shoe.
Please let Dad be safe and sound somewhere.
He could’ve checked himself into a hotel or … the thought fizzled. If he were around people, wouldn’t they have noticed something was wrong and gotten in touch?
God, you have to lead us to him. Please.
At least the sun had risen. The searchers might see something she’d missed overnight. Perhaps tire marks would indicate him veering from the road, like she’d found at the site of John’s accident.
Her fingers closed tighter around his key. If John’s car hadn’t called for help, how long would it have been before he’d been found?
Sick uneasiness rolled through her.
She couldn’t take this break. Not while Dad was still out there.
She needed someone to take over driving for her so she could continue the search despite her fading capabilities. Everyone she knew had either been out all night, as she had been, or were out searching now.
Only one person remained who hadn’t already been enlisted to help. John should’ve gotten a good night’s sleep. She hadn’t asked him for help sooner because, at first, she’d assumed they’d find him. Besides, he was busy with his sister’s wedding.
She still hated the thought of him with that bridesmaid, and she couldn’t hold a candle to the beauty of his last girlfriend. He must’ve been thinking along the same lines, which would explain his half-hearted attempts to get in touch.
One voice mail and one text, both exceedingly short.
His voice mail said he and Tara weren’t dating, so Kate must’ve told him about their conversation, but he didn’t care enough to elaborate or try again. Then, a few hours later, he’d texted to ask if she was safe.
Safe.
Why hadn’t he asked if she was okay? At least that would’ve encompassed her emotional state too. Or he could’ve called back again. Tried to get her to talk.
One more question from him, and she would’ve spilled everything.
A cold wind splashed her legs and sent the dress fluttering.
Was he trying to give her space? After all, she’d been the one to leave.
She could call him. Should have hours ago, really. She hadn’t been thinking clearly, hadn’t expected it to come to this. How had they lost a person? How had the whole car disappeared?
John was a good guy.
And hopefully a forgiving one.
Because she’d run out on him yesterday, but she needed him today.
