Page 111 of Xavier

“Mmm-hmm.” I say, not really wanting to have a conversation right now, but also not wanting to be rude.

“I have a proposition for you.” He says as he comes over to the balcony railing and leans on it.

Is he just trying to keep my mind off Xavier and being stuck in the dark about what’s going on?

Intrigued, I turn to face him. “What’s the proposition?”

“I think we should do my morning patrol around the building, and then we can go for a walk on the beach. You can collect more shells and I’ll enjoy the warm water.”

“You go on patrols around the building even though you have cameras?” I whisper so none of his neighbors can hear if they are hanging out on their balconies.

He nods and whispers, “I like to check for exposed wires or any other damage every few days, and on the days that I don’t need to check, I just like going for a walk. It helps me get up and stretch and get out of the house.”

“I could use more shells for my collection, but after we’re done with the walk, you have to try to call Xavier and make sure he’s alright.”

He glances out at the ocean for a few moments before meeting my gaze. “Deal, but I want to enjoy the beach for a little while. So, no asking to come back after five minutes.”

“I promise I will stay outside for at least fifteen minutes, maybe longer, if I find some pretty shells.”

He chuckles. “I’m not going to rush you. You can take your time looking for shells. I need to start a camera update real quick, while we are going to be outside to monitor things.”

“How long does the update take?”

“It should only be a few minutes, if that, but I like doing updates when I can be outside.”

I nod and say, “That makes sense since there’s so many.”

We walk back inside, and he heads down the hallway to his office. I grab his phone and try calling the house phone.

There’s still no answer, so I end the call and dial Dad’s cell number. It goes straight to voicemail. Dialing Mom’s number is pointless as well because her voicemail is full.

“Ugh.” I throw the phone on the couch and slip on my sandals.

At least Jordan is going to call Xavier today, so one way or another, I should have answers.

If Xavier doesn’t answer Jordan’s call, then I’m calling the Lieutenant and filing a missing person report for Xavier, Dad, and Mom.

“You ready?” Jordan asks as he bounds into the room.

“Yep. Where do you start?”

“This floor first, then upstairs. Then downstairs. Then the parking garage and outside last.”

It sounds like a lot, and it is, but it doesn’t take as long as I thought it would. It takes a few minutes inside, and a few minutes in the garage to check the cameras.

The outside cameras take a little while longer because Jordan doesn’t want anyone to see where his cameras are.

Before long, my toes sink into the soft, cold sand of the beach.

“There’s something so relaxing about walking on sand.”

Jordan chuckles and nods. “I agree. That’s why I live this close to the beach. The sounds, smell, and view are great relaxers and great reminders to slow down and live life to the fullest.”

“Yeah.” I mumble before heading toward the water’s edge to search for shells.

I find several purple seashells, and a couple of giant ones with broken edges. I throw the broken ones back into the ocean and continue walking down the beach in search of the perfect shell.

Jordan jogs up to me with a worried look on his face. “Hey, I need to head back up there. I got a notification on my phone that one of the front cameras just went offline.”

---