Page 17 of Gage

The shattered glass glinted under the floodlights, and dark stains inside the van painted a grim picture.Howcould she have survived this?But if they took her, she must have been alive when it happened. That meant we had a chance.

“Let’s get her picture out there,” I said. “We need to know if anyone saw her or noticed her walking along the road.”

“Send me her photo,” Officer Johnson said. “I’ll handle it.”

I glanced over at Brian, who was scrolling through his phone. “Where’s her father?” I asked.

Brian nodded toward two figures standing under a tree. “He’s over there with Matthew.”

I approached Lori’s dad and extended my hand. He surprised me by pulling me into a hug.

“Gage Sparrow,” he said. “It’s good to meet you. Lori talked about you—she was looking forward to your date. Once we find her, you two can set a new date for that dinner.” He paused, his tone steady despite the situation. “I don’t believe for a second that any of that blood is hers. Lori’s a fighter. She had her gun with her, and I’m sure she used it on whoever attacked her.”

His confidence was a relief, and I nodded. “If she took her gun, she probably injured whoever attacked her. If they took her alive, there was more than one of them,” I said.

Matthew stepped closer, joining the conversation. “If they had another vehicle, there might still be tire tracks near the scene. We should check.”

I turned to the officer nearby. “Did you document the tire marks from other vehicles?”

The officer shook his head, his face clouded with regret. “No, there were too many vehicles at the scene. The tracks were compromised before we arrived.”

“Damn it,” I muttered. “At least tell me you didn’t let anyone touch the van.”

“We didn’t,” he assured me.

I exhaled sharply. “Lori’s resourceful. She’ll find a way to escape if she's not tied down. She won’t go down without a fight,” I said, glancing at the others.

10

Lori

“Do you hear that,Jasper? A car’s coming!” My voice wavered as I grabbed his collar. “Hurry—let’s get to the road!”

My heart pounded as I ran, my breath ragged by the time I reached the roadside. Desperation surged through me as I jumped up and down, frantically waving my arms to flag the vehicle down. Relief turned to terror when I saw who was driving.Them.

I bolted back into the forest, my legs burning as laughter rang out behind me. They were chasing me.Damn it. Why wasn’t I more careful?

“If you don’t stop running, I’ll shoot the damn dog!” one of them bellowed.

I froze, my chest heaving. “Fine! I’ll stop!” I turned to face them, my mind racing. “But I’ll tell you something you didn’t know. While these two were digging my grave, they talked about killing you.”

The leader’s face twisted with suspicion. “What did you say?”

“You heard me.” I kept my voice steady, trying to ignite the chaos I needed. “They said they’d kill you and take me for themselves.”

The tension crackled like a live wire. His eyes narrowed as he swung his gun between the two men. “So, you two want to kill me, huh? Take my woman?” His voice dropped, icy and menacing. “She’s mine. I told you—no one else can have her. Now, should I kill both of you or just one?”

All three of them started shouting, accusations flying. Each man’s gun was aimed at the other, their rage boiling over.Perfect.

I moved carefully, step by step, trying to stay out of sight as they argued. My fingers clenched Jasper’s fur for comfort.Almost there.But then—

The shot came out of nowhere. Searing pain erupted in my back, and I staggered.

“Why did you shoot her?” one of them yelled.

“Because she’s causing too much trouble!” the shooter snarled. “She deserves to die.”

“You idiot,” another hissed. “You don’t shoot unless I say so.”

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