Page 89 of Before the Night Falls
Not again. Please, God, not again.
But it was too late.
The drugs on the cloth took effect.
And the world blurred around her.
* * *
Tyson knew something was wrong the moment he stepped into the kitchen.
It was too quiet. Normally at this hour, he’d hear Hobbes preparing breakfast or Olivia moving about upstairs. But the house felt empty.
He glanced at his watch: 7:15.
He’d had an early morning video call with a client in England, so he hadn’t been able to go outside to enjoy the sunrise as he usually did.
However, the security team should have already checked in with their morning report. Reaching for his phone, he dialed Stephen, the guard on duty.
No answer.
A chill crept up his spine. He tried the second guard’s number.
It went straight to voicemail.
That wasn’t normal. Tyson tried not to jump to conclusions, however. Maybe there was a good explanation.
Tyson moved through the house, calling Olivia’s name. Her bedroom door stood open, bed made. But there was no sign of her in the bathroom or any of the guest rooms.
Tension continued to mount between his shoulders.
When he reached the back door, it was unlocked.
His heart beat harder. It wasn’t entirely unusual. But it probably meant Olivia was out there.
Stepping out, the morning sun illuminated the patio, washing everything in golden light. A Bible lay on the ground on the patio beside Olivia’s favorite chair, pages fluttering in the breeze. He paused. It almost looked as if it had been dropped and left there.
Olivia wouldn’t have done that.
His pulse quickened.
Tyson took the patio steps two at a time, scanning the property as he walked.
But he didn’t see Olivia anywhere.
He grabbed his phone to call her.
As he did, a ringing sound came from under a patio chair.
Olivia had left her Bibleandher phone? No way.
Something was wrong.
He jogged back into the house, running into Chandler as he emerged from his bedroom.
Chandler raised an eyebrow. “Where’s the fire?”
“I can’t find Olivia, and my guards aren’t answering. I need you to help me look for her.”
