Page 68 of Where We Found Our Home
“You keep telling yourself that, but it took a village for us to keep you and Izzy in line.”
“You know he hates when you call him that.”
“Oh, I know. Alright, let me go. I’ve gotta finish getting everything together.”
I‘m still not convinced she’s okay enough to handle this. “Okay, sis. But Sasha?”
“Yes?”
“You’re sure you’re okay. After…everything?”
“Oh my gosh. Yes, Linc. I’m fine. I was freaked out when a brick came sailing through my window, yes, but I’m over it now. My main concern was Nevaeh, and she wasn’t even there to see it so we’re good. If anything, it made me respect Ciara even more because she’s been dealing with shit like that for the past two years. You got a good one, Linc.”
Don’t I know it. “I know.”
“Okay, get off my phone.”
“Bye, sis.”
“Bye.”
I put my phone away and go back to creating the shift schedule at work when the alarm rings, signaling it’s time for the real work.
False alarm.
The call we responded to was a false alarm.
I don’t mind a false alarm because it means no one is in danger, even if it’s a pain in the ass to process, but something in my gut is telling me that something is wrong. The guys and I get back to the station, and I check my phone and find ten missed calls from Sasha and four from Ciara. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Whatever the fuck is going on is not good. I decide to call Sasha back first.
“Lincoln, Nevaeh is gone!” Sasha screams into the phone the minute the call connects.
I still. “What do you mean she’s gone?”
“I went into the back room to grab something, and when I came back out, she was gone! I don’t know where she went. She wouldn’t just go off on her own, Lincoln. She knows better. Something happened.” Sasha speaks a mile a minute.
I give my captain the bare minimum of information and get the fuck out of there. “Sasha, I’m on my way. Did you call the police?”
“Yeah, they’re here asking questions. Ciara is here too.” Good, at least she and Sasha have eyes on each other.
“I’m on my way, just hold on for me.” I can hear her hyperventilating, and suddenly Ciara is speaking to me.
“Linc.”
Her voice calms me, but I’m still dangling on the edge. “Are you okay?”
“I…fuck. Just get here.”
“I’m coming.” We hang up, and I speed the whole way there, praying I’m not too late.
When I get there, Ciara has her arms around Sasha, and it seems like she’s the only thing keeping Sasha standing. The police are looking around for evidence while one officer asks Sasha questions that I don’t even think are registering. When they look up to see I’ve joined them, Ciara supports Sasha until she can transfer her into my arms.
“We’re gonna find her.” I look over to Ciara, but her eyes are completely vacant. She’s shutting down before my very eyes.
“Okay ma’am, can you tell me again what Nevaeh was doing when you went into the back room?” the officer inquires.
“She was sitting at a hightop with her tablet. We were the only ones here at the time, so I stepped into the back to grab clean mugs for the front.”
Ciara reminds the officer that this could be connected to her situation with Eddie. Her voice is so cold and distant, I don’t even recognize her.
