Page 103 of Beat around the Bush
“Are you going to tellOakley?” she asked.
“Of course I’m going to tell Oakley. I think she’s hanging out with Lettie and Brandy tonight, though, so I’ll wait to tell her tomorrow.”
My phone rang from the pocket of my sweatshirt and I pulled it out, seeing Jacey’s caller ID lit up on the screen.
“I’ll be right back,” I told the two of them as I walked out onto the front porch.
I tapped the green dot to answer and brought the phone to my ear. “Hey, Jacey. What’s up?”
“Someone locked me in the stock room and I don’t know where Oakley is,” she said hurriedly, her voice full of panic.
“What? Do you have a key?”
“No, it was up at the register because I was waiting for Oakley and her dad to finish talking before we left.”
“Her dad was there?” A million possibilities ran through my head. I didn’t know every detail about her and her dad, but I knew he wanted her to go back to Denver. What if he took her? Oakley wouldn’t have left to go to Lettie’s house after work if she wasn’t sure where Jacey was.
“They were talking in the office. It seemed heated, but I’ve been yelling for Oakley and I don’t know if she can’t hear me or what, but she hasn’t come to get me.”
I cursed under my breath, shoving my way through the front door, back into my parents’ house. “I’ll be there soon, okay? Call the police and keep them on the phone with you.”
I pulled my cowboy hat off the hook and crossed the kitchen to grab my keys off the island.
“Okay. Hurry, Lennon. Please,” she begged, a fear I’d never heard from Jacey clear in her voice.
“I am, Jacey. Hold tight.”
“What’s wrong?” Beck asked, standing from his seat. I wasn’t sure where our mom went, but it was best not to worry her.
“Jacey’s locked in the stock room at the store and she doesn’t know where Oakley is.”
“I’ll come with you,” Beck said, grabbing his coat off the hook on the wall.
I shook my head. “Stay here in case Oakley shows up, okay? I don’t know if she’s at the store or…” I trailed off.
“Or what, Len?” Beck pressed.
“Her dad was there and I don’t know what his intentions were.”
His brows pulled together. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a long story, but he wanted her to go back to Denver and she didn’t want to. I have to go.”
He sucked in a breath as the worst probably flew through his mind. “Okay. Be safe,” he said, his face hard as stone as I hurried out the door.
I tried calling Oakley as I rushed to my truck, but it went straight to voicemail.
As soon as I was in the driver's seat and heading down the driveway, my phone rang. I hit answer without seeing who it was, setting it on the seat beside me.
“Have you heard from Oakley?” Lettie asked through the speaker.
“Why? Has she called you?” My foot was like a brick on the gas as I sped down the main road toward town.
“No. That’s why I’m calling you. She was supposed to come over tonight, but she’s almost an hour late.”
“I’ll let you know if I hear from her,” I said, having to bite my tongue from adding anything else. I didn’t want Lettie to worry, and I especially didn’t want her to get involved if anything had happened to Oakley.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. She must’ve heard something in my tone.
