Page 112 of Never Fall Again

“We don’t know exactly. But we’re almost positive Ignacio is the one behind it. Mo found something.”

“I tried to call you. You didn’t pick up. I figured you were busy. Should have kept calling. But because I didn’t, no one knew anything was wrong until Carla and Connor stopped by the SPQ office after school.” Mo’s face was a mask of anger and frustration.

When it was clear he wasn’t going to say more, Meredith continued with the story. “Carla and the kids stayed in the car. Connor ran in to get something from his desk. He walked in and saw your clipboard on the floor under the coffee table. Then he noticed that some of the chairs weren’t in the right spot. He went to straighten them and saw some kind of needle on the floor.”

“I think I was drugged or ... something.”

“Connor called you. You didn’t answer. He tried Landry. She didn’t answer. He called Mo, who said he saw your truck pull up to the house around two. You went inside my house. Mo didn’t think anything of it and went back to work.”

“Because there was no way I wanted to interrupt you and Landry if you were having another one of your discussions like the one I interrupted yesterday,” Mo grumbled as he scooped more dirt from Cal’s leg. “I was going to give you thirty minutes, then I was going to come tell you what I’d found. Stupid. Should have made sure.”

Meredith shushed him. “Anyway, after Connor called, Mo pulled up the security cameras, and that’s when he saw you carrying Landry out of the house and putting her in your truck.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“That’s because it wasn’t you.”

“What?” Cal managed to get one leg to move. “What do you mean it wasn’t me?”

“Dude. You’ve been in the ground.” Mo threw a handful of dirt over his shoulder. “That psychopath was wearing a mask of your face.”

Cal dropped back to his side. Maisy lay beside the hole, watching him. None of this made sense. “I’m confused.”

“That’s because Mo interrupted me.” Meredith’s frustration was evident in her tone. “Once Mo saw that footage, he called Connor and told him what he’d seen. Connor called the school. Aunt Laura remembers seeing you”—Cal could hear the air quotes she put aroundyou—“driving through the car line. Your truck. Landry was asleep in the passenger seat. No one questioned it. Everyone knows she’s been sick.”

“He must have drugged her too.”

“Probably.” Connor grunted and tugged on the burlap around Cal’s legs.

“Don’t be too mad about that.” Mo studied him. “I think that drug is what saved your life.”

“What?” Four voices responded to Mo’s claim.

“His respirations would have been shallow and slow because of the drug. He didn’t know he’d been buried, so he couldn’t panic about it. If he’d been conscious, he would have used up all his air in a few minutes. The loose soil and the drug are why he’s still alive.”

Cal knew that at some point in the future, he would have to think about how close he’d come to dying. But that point wasn’t here yet.

“Anyway”—Meredith huffed out a breath—“Mo ran a GPS tracker on your truck. It was on an old logging road about fifteen minutes out of town. There were tire tracks for a different truck. Best guess is that Ignacio, or whoever, abducted Landry and Eliza, parked the truck there, drove yours out of town, then switched vehicles.”

One huge tug later, Cal was free. Hands grabbed his arms, legs, and chest, and he was out of the hole. After a round of hugs, back slaps, and more than a few tears, he knelt to give Maisy as much love and praise as he could manage in his current state. He scanned the area. “He buried me on Landry’s land.”

“Pretty sure this guy hates you, bro.” Chad pulled his phone from his pocket. “I need to let everyone know you’re okay.”

Connor approached and held out his phone. “Talk to Mom before she skins our hides.”

Cal took the phone. “Mom. I’m okay.”

A stifled sob was the only response. Then his dad’s voice came through the speaker. “We’re on the other side of town. Coming back toward you. Connor said you were drugged and buried alive. Your mother wants you on oxygen, and she’s going to need to do some bloodwork before she’s convinced you’re okay.”

“I know. But we have to find Landry and Eliza first.” Cal could still hear his mom crying.

“Agreed. If you get any leads, call us. If we don’t hear anything, we’re heading to your mom’s office to get the oxygen and prep a bag.”

Cal didn’t need his dad to explain further. She wanted to be ready to take care of everything from gunshots to scratches.

“Thanks, Dad. And tell Mom I really am okay.” Physically. His mind was clearing with each breath of fresh air. But he wouldn’t be truly okay until they got Landry and Eliza back. He refused to consider a scenario in which he didn’t get them back. He disconnected the call and handed the phone back to Connor.

Then he turned to Mo. “How do we find them?”

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