Page 39 of The One that Got Away

Oliver scanned the road, his protective instincts on high alert. It was quiet, too quiet for his liking, until the sound of an engine hummed in the distance. His hand instinctively rose, fingers stretched wide.

"Come on," he urged, striding toward the edge of the road where gravel met the verge of the wilderness they had just escaped.

"Please, stop!" Lisa called out, her voice laced with an urgency that made Ethan echo her plea.

"Stop, please!" he shouted, his young voice cracking.

The truck, an old blue pickup, rumbled closer, its engine’s growl growing louder with each heartbeat. For a moment, it seemed as though it would pass them by, but then brake lights flashed red, and with a sigh like a tired beast settling down to rest, it rolled to a stop.

"Need help?" the driver—a man with a weathered face and kind eyes—hollered through the open window.

"Could you take us to town?" Oliver asked, his tone rough with gratitude. "Our kids are exhausted, and we've been through a lot."

"Of course, hop on."

Lisa managed a weary smile, climbing into the bed of the truck with Ethan's assistance, Abigail still nestled in her arms. Ethan’s eyes were wide with the responsibility he felt for his family, and he adjusted Julia in her carrier, then kissed her forehead, making sure she was settled safely.

"Thank you," Lisa said again, sharing a look with Oliver that conveyed words they didn’t need to speak. Their family was safe, for now—but their journey was far from over.

As the old blue pickup rattled down the road, they all sat close together in the back, the wind pulling at their tired faces. Oliver wrapped his arm tighter around Lisa, her head resting against his shoulder. The truck's steady hum was a comforting contrast to the chaos they'd fled. He could feel her body tense with unspoken thoughts, the same ones that were racing through his mind.

"Once we get home," Oliver murmured, his voice barely audible over the engine's roar, "we'll figure out our next move together."

Lisa lifted her gaze to meet his, and he saw the reflection of his determination in her eyes. "We'll find them," she said, the words a promise, "Ava and Daniel… We have to."

The driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror, sensing the gravity of their situation. As they neared the town, buildings emerging like specters from the fog of dawn, the couple shared a moment of quiet resolve. They knew the risks ahead, the secrets that lurked in the shadows of their small town, waiting to be brought into the light.

The familiar storefronts were now passing by in a blur, each one a reminder of the life they fought so hard to build. But beneath the heartwarming sight of their community, there hid an undercurrent of danger, a threat that had already touched their lives more than they cared to admit.

The truck slowed as it approached the edge of town, and the driver turned to them once more.

"Where to?" he asked, shouting out of the window, his voice kind but laced with curiosity.

"Main Street," Oliver instructed, pointing toward their café. "Drop us off there."

"Got it." The driver nodded and turned back to the road.

As they disembarked onto the familiar pavement, they profusely thanked the driver, who tipped his hat and drove away, leaving them in the slowly brightening day. They watched the truck disappear around a corner, feeling the weight of isolation settle upon them once again.

Oliver took a deep breath, the cool morning air filling his lungs with a mix of dread and anticipation. "We have to be smart about this, Lisa. We don't know who we can trust."

"Except each other," she replied firmly, gripping his hand. "We'll start with the places Ava might have been taken. This is a small area. Think, Oliver. Think where they could be kept without anyone knowing."

"Let's get the kids settled first. Then we plan."

They walked toward their cafe; their haven turned into a makeshift command center. Behind the warmth and comfort of their everyday life, the gears of their minds turned, plotting a course through the unknown.

"Oliver," Lisa whispered, her voice tight with urgency as they reached the door, "what if we're already too late?"

He met her gaze, allowing no room for fear. "We're not," he said. "We can't be."

Chapter Fourteen

Lisa's fingers flew across the keyboard, a flurry of urgency as she scoured the internet for schematics of the abandoned mill on the outskirts of town. They had narrowed it down, and this had to be it, they agreed. It was the only place it could be if they kept them around here. It was worth a shot. The dilapidated structure, shrouded in local folklore and an air of menace, was where they believed Daniel and Ava were being held captive. They had even been staking the place out and seen suspicious-looking types come and go. Types that very much resembled the men who had chased them through the woods.

"Here," she breathed out, pointing at the monitor. "I found an old floor plan. It'll help us navigate once we're inside."

Oliver leaned in closer, his eyes scanning the blueprint. The familiar scent of sawdust clung to him, a testament to the hours spent in his workshop, crafting with hands that now trembled with barely contained rage. This wasn't a piece of wood he could shape or mend; this was life and death. They had called the sheriff and reported Ava and Daniel missing and told him they believed they might have been kidnapped and perhaps were being held at the old mill. Sherriff Coleman had answered that he couldn’t do much about it if there were nothing more to go on. It was private property owned by a family that lived in the next town over. So, Lisa and Oliver knew they had to go there alone, even if they risked getting arrested for trespassing. They needed to know. And if it turned out that Daniel and Ava were there, they needed to give the sheriff the proof so he could take over from there and help them.

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