Page 67 of Forbidden Secrets
The principal came back on the line.“Her backpack’s gone.It’s not in the classroom.”
“Call the sheriff’s office now,” Gage said, “and we’ll be there in a minute.”
Melanie ended the call, her lips tight.“She could’ve grabbed her backpack and taken off.”
Gage eased off the gas as they entered the neighborhood around the school.“Keep a lookout.There’s a back exit to the school somewhere around here.It should be locked this time of day but if Addy jumped ship, she could have gone out that way.
Melanie rolled down her window, her head swiveling as she searched.“She could be anywhere, Gage.”
Pancake stuck her nose out the window as far as her seatbelt restraint would let her.
“I know, sweetheart.We’ll find her.”
Gage turned onto a street where houses shared a back fence with the playground.The next turn would take them to the front entrance of the school.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of green and pink.“Jesus Christ.”He whipped the SUV to the side of the road, jamming the transmission into park.“I see her.”
He was out of the car and running up a gravel path.He could hear the slamming of the car door behind him and Pancake’s excited bark.Addy’d climbed over the gate and he’d seen her backpack as she’d dropped down.
“Gage,” Addy screamed his name, then she was racing to him, arms outstretched.He swung her up, and her arms and legs went around him, her backpack dropping to the ground.Her little body shook with tears he could feel soaking his shirt.He closed his eyes and breathed deep.
“I’m sorry.I’m sorry,” she hiccoughed.
“It’s okay, baby.You’re safe.It’s okay.”He rubbed her back while she sobbed.
Melanie reached them and he brought her into the hug.They stood like that, arms around each other.“She’s okay,” he murmured, voice hoarse.
Holding on to a little girl he’d come to love, and her mother, who he’d fallen for, hard, solidified what he’d been feeling: Addy and Melanie were his.This little girl, this woman, they’d become the focus of his life.He wanted them to be together as a family.Addy?She seemed to be on board.It was her mother who might need some convincing.
He kissed them each on the forehead before transferring Addy to her mother’s arms.
He picked up the backpack.Melanie set Addy on her feet and tipped her head up with a finger under her chin.“We need to talk, Adelyn, but first I have to call Mrs.Majors and tell her we found you.”
Addy drew in a wobbly breath and wiped her eyes.“Was she looking for me?”
“Yeah.It’s a big deal when a kid goes missing.”
“Am I in trouble?”
Melanie sighed.“You might be.I need to know what happened first.But, Addy?What’s most important is that you’re safe.You scared me.”
Addy ducked her head.“I wastryingto be safe.”
Melanie made the call and Pancake cried pitifully in the car.
“Pancake’s here?Can I go to her?Please?”
Gage thought time with Pancake would do them all good.“In a minute, sunshine.”
Melanie assured the principal they’d bring Addy to the school, then disconnected the call.
“Do we have to go back?”Addy asked.
“Yeah, we do.”Melanie rested a hand on her shoulder.“But first I want to know what happened.It’s not safe for you to run away from school, Adelyn.”
Addy sent pleading eyes in Gage’s direction.He crouched down.“What happened?Why’d you run away?”
“Liam tripped me at recess and I scraped my knee.See?”She pointed to a hole in her leggings and the torn skin beneath it.The sight of the bloody little scrape had Gage seething.
