Page 120 of Shattered Promise

“Of course I did. I have the whole family under my new location services software.”

Beau curses low under his breath. “One of these days, you’re going to go too far, man.”

But not today,I think.

“What are you waiting for? Track her.” I pace the perimeter of Graham’s office, adrenaline chewing at my nerves. The place is more server farm than living space—towers humming, blue LEDs casting everything in a kind of deepwater glow. The rain beats hard against the roof. I can’t stop imagining Abby somewhere out there, cold and alone, maybe hurt, maybe worse.

Graham’s eyes flick over his screens, hands a blur on the keys. He talks mostly to himself, reciting IP addresses and carrier data, a half-muttered litany of numbers. It’s the only thing keeping me from losing my shit.

“She’s not showing up,” he says finally, tilting his monitor toward us. “No cell signal pings in the last two hours. It’s either off or she’s in a dead zone. Once I install my program as an app on all of our phones, it won’t matter if we’re in dead zones or our phones are dead, I’ll still be able to track it.”

“What about her laptop?” Beau asks, snapping his fingers.

I shake my head, my thoughts spinning as my gaze zones out on Graham’s monitor. “No, it was left on her table in her cabin. Along with all her suitcases and her espresso cans in the fridge. But her coffee mugs, book club paperback, all her toiletries—they were all gone. I just . . . I don’t know where she would go.”

A thick quiet falls over the command center. Graham’s hands hover above the keyboard, waiting for something to materialize from thin air, but there’s nothing. Just the blue-lit hush of too many monitors and the sound of the storm pressing against the glass.

And I’m helpless.

I’m a grown man, a father, a mechanic with a tool for every problem, and still—there is nothing in my hands but empty air.My fists clench and unclench as I continue to pace the room, watching the world fail to yield a solution.

“She wouldn’t just leave,” I say, voice barely above a whisper. “Not without saying goodbye to Theo.”

“You’re thinking about this wrong. Instead ofwhereshe is, let’s think aboutwhoshe’s with,” Graham says.

Beau and I look at one another and say, “Lansing.”

The name alone makes something sharp twist in my gut. I don’t know if he’s involved or not, but he’s the only person I can think of right now. Almost everyone Abby talks to is in this block of maisonette apartments.

Graham’s already typing. The clack of his keys is fast, methodical, lethal. “Jake Lansing. Abby’s ex-boyfriend. Lives in Maple Grove now, works at Hobbs Inc., drives a Camry. Last pinged location was at the apartments on Highway RAF.”

The road that serves as the border between Rosewood and Avalon Falls.

I’m already moving, but Beau claps a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “Hey,” he says quietly, “whatever you’re about to do, we’re with you, yeah?”

I nod, barely absorbing the words. My hands shake, and the only thing keeping me from breaking every bone in Lansing’s face is the fact that I need answers more than I need revenge.

We’re down three flights and into Graham’s truck before my pulse even slows. The rain is a waterfall, thunder shaking the world itself. Graham drives, Beau rides shotgun, and I wedge myself into the back.

Beau’s phone pings. He doesn’t look at it. “So what’s the plan?” He’s talking to me, but his eyes are on the road ahead, scanning for threats, for hope, for anything.

“Find her,” I say. “And bring her home.”

It’s beena while since I’ve driven with Graham. I’d forgotten how he handles a car. He doesn’t drive as fast as Beau or I would, but he’s efficient. Taking the fastest route to Highway RAF.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out with my heart in my throat, hoping it’s her.

You’ve been added to the group.

Beau changed the name of the group to Dudes.

Beau: @jasper you busy? We need backup.

Beau: Meet us at the apartments on RAF.

Beau: How tight are you with Rosewood PD?

There’s a pause—long enough to hear the next crack of thunder overhead.

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