Page 57 of The Monster I Loved
Mascara ran down her face. Tears filled her red eyes. “Summer, have you seen Wylie?”
I frowned. Seen him? “No? What’s wrong? Wait, you don’t know where he is?” My voice lifted in panic.
As I asked my questions, Ashley spun around and ran away.
“Wait!” I yelled, then grabbed a pair of sneakers by the door. With no time to put them on, I ran barefoot across the street to her house. Well, their soon-to-be former house as soon as the sale went through. “Ashley, what’s wrong?” The tension had my heart racing.
Henry and Eden walked out of the house. That was when I understood how serious this was. Only something really bad would get Ashley and Henry together in the same space again so soon. I noted Henry on the phone as Eden held Ashley. I repeated my question while slipping on my shoes.
“Wylie is missing,” Eden croaked.
Hearing the words spoken aloud seemed to push Ashley to the brink. She fell to the concrete, looking like a mother whose heart had just been ripped out. I jumped to help Eden comfort her as Henry ended his call. “The police are looking, but we can’t stay here; let’s split up and search. He has to be around here somewhere.”
“What if he was kidnapped?” Ashley spat.
She was a lover of the Investigation Discovery channel, and I could imagine how much of that information wasn’t helpful right now.
Henry rolled his eyes and looked behind us. I turned to see Thaddeus pulling up. He rushed out of the car, yelling as he approached. “Any news?”
“No,” Henry admitted, his stricken face showing a vulnerability I’d never seen from him before.
Thad embraced him and spoke firmly. “He couldn’t have gone far on foot. Let’s check every inch of this town.”
“He’s right,” Ashley said, already on her feet and rushing to her car. Her tears could wait; she was in mother mode and eager to find Wylie.
Henry turned to Eden. “Can you stay here in case he comes back?”
“I’ll call the second he comes home,” Eden said with a warm smile.
Henry nodded and then jumped into the car Ashley was waiting in.
Divorce, cheating, embarrassment: none of those things mattered right now. Everyone could all go back to hating each other tomorrow, after Wylie was home safe.
“Summer, you and Thad check the park,” Ashley yelled from her window, then froze as she realized what she was asking.
Quickly I answered, knowing my feelings about Thaddeus weren’t important right now. “That’s fine. We can check Patriots Park, the library, and Main Street.”
“And we’ll check all the schools on Broadway and their playgrounds,” Henry said, then gestured for Ashley to drive off.
Wasting no time, I ran after Thaddeus. After pulling the passenger side of his truck open, I climbed in before slamming the door a bit harder than I meant to. He took off as I clicked my seat belt into place. Normally, I’d remark on his speed, but I understood the urgency. My eyes briefly trailed to Thaddeus’ side of the car, and I saw the worry etched on his face. Deep creases were set in his forehead, and he clenched his jaw so tight I thought it’d break.
We were all terrified, and rightly so. When it came to situations like this, you had to run by the clock.
At the corner as he waited for a break in traffic to turn, the silence was deafening. The engine was abnormally quiet, and the radio was off. My sharp and uneven breathing was all I heard. Next to me, Thaddeus gripped the steering wheel tightly.Through pinched lips, he ordered, “Keep an eye on that side of the street. I’ll do this side.”
Within seconds, I plastered my face to the window, wondering how Thaddeus planned to drive and study everything that passed his driver’s side window. Now wasn’t the time to ask questions. I scanned the houses and the paths between each as the car strolled down the street. Heart beating hard in my chest, I prayed I’d spot a familiar little boy and tried not to imagine what might happen if I didn’t.
I saw no signs of him.
“We should check Patriots Park first,” I said, my voice cracking. “Maybe Wylie’s there.”
I wasn’t particularly close to the boy, but he was a kid, and they loved parks.
“That’s where we’re going,” Thaddeus muttered, low and tense. “Keep your eyes on the street. I don’t want to drive past him.”
“I know how important this is, Thaddeus!” I snapped.
His eyes flicked to me briefly but hot enough to sting. Then he exhaled, ran a hand through his hair, and shook his head. Friction flooded the car. Anxiety bounced between us.
