Page 14 of SEAL's Angel
“I didn’t find out until after you were already on your way.” Dawn pulled out another chair and sat down, holding the mug between her hands. “Cindy told the cop. Said that Joey told Chase he couldn’t go camping with them because he didn’t have a dad anymore.”
“What the fuck?” Rafe blurted out. “Kids are so damn cruel. But they’ve been friends forever.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said. It seems like one of the other boys put him up to it. Anne and John brought him over, and he apologized. The kid was distraught that something might have happened to Chase.”
“Good,” Rafe added.
“He’s only eleven, right? He probably didn’t even think about what might happen,” Jake said and looked at the map again. “How the hell would he get to Bristlecone? That’s got to be ten miles from here.”
“Yeah. I don’t think Chase would even know how to get there if he could walk that far.” Dawn put the mug on the table and ran her hand through her hair.
Jake hid his smile by taking a drink from his mug. Brother and sister had the same nervous habit, and he’d never realized it before.
“I’m sure he could make it that far, but it would take a while, and I’d think someone would have seen him,” Rafe said as he studied the map. “It’s out of White Pine’s jurisdiction. Did they bring in the state police?”
“Yes, but when I called Spencer just before you texted, he said there was no sign of Chase yet.”
“What did he wear to school today? Is anything missing from his room?” Jake asked, wondering if the boy had planned it ahead of time.
“Not that I could tell when I checked his room. But he could have taken an extra jacket and some food in his backpack, and I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell. It didn’t look overloaded when I dropped him off at school.”
“If he couldn’t make it to Bristlecone, is there a park or woods that are closer? Easier to get to?” Jake asked. He wished he was familiar with the area. Rafe and Dawn had grown up in White Pine, Colorado, and he’d bet anything his teammate could figure out where the boy was hiding.
“Hmm, maybe. Is the hiking trail still there? The one behind the baseball field?” Rafe asked as he focused on the map.
“Yes, it’s all protected land. Do you think he might be there?”
“Only one way to find out,” Jake said as he pushed back from the table. “C’mon, bro. Let’s go find your nephew.” He hoped that Rafe’s instincts were as good as usual, and they’d find the boy. But even if they did, Dawn would still have a long night ahead of her. They all would.
Dawn followed them to the front room as they grabbed flashlights out of their bags. “I wish I could go, too.”
“I know, but you need to stay with Cindy. We’ll call if we find him.” Rafe stuffed the map into his back pocket.
“Call if you don’t, too. I want to know either way,” she said, looking forlorn.
This time, Jake didn’t hold back. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. “It’ll be okay, angel. We’ll find him. If not in the park, then we’ll keep looking. I promise.”
When Dawn rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, and something inside his chest shifted, like a missing puzzle piece slipping into place. He met Rafe’s eyes and nodded.
The last thing he wanted to do was to let her go, but they needed to do what they’d come for—find Chase.
“C’mon you two, you can make kissy faces when we get back,” Rafe joked.
Dawn stepped out of Jake’s arms and smiled. “Do you want water or more coffee to take with you?”
“Nah, we’re good. This is just a walk in the park for us.” Jake gave Dawn a huge grin as he pulled open the door, and she gifted him with a return smile as a reward.
“Be safe out there.” Dawn watched from the doorway. Jake understood how much she wanted to go with them, but it was better if she stayed behind, even if Cindy wasn’t in bed.
After tossing the keys to Rafe, he got inside the Jeep and slid on his seatbelt. It would be easier if Rafe drove since he knew where they were going. As they backed out of the driveway, Dawn waved. She looked so small and alone, standing in the doorway, and he prayed for the first time in a long time that they’d find Chase unharmed.
“How confident are you we’ll find him in that park?” Jake asked.
“About fifty-fifty. Chase is a smart kid, and I don’t think he would have tried to hoof it to Bristlecone. Definitely not alone. But it wouldn’t surprise me if he got upset and hid in the park. Then after it got dark, maybe he couldn’t figure the way out of there,” Rafe answered as they sped through the darkness.
“Makes sense since he had that fight with his friend. He seemed like he was doing well when he visited over the summer. Has he had a tough time dealing with Bob’s death?”
“They all have over the last couple of years, but I think Chase is struggling the most right now.” Rafe glanced over at Jake. “Having a relationship isn’t easy. But when you add in the long-distance aspect, and that she’s a single mom and a widow, it gets exponentially more complicated. And Dawn refuses to move East and uproot Chase and Cindy.”
