Page 96 of Part of Me (The Seaside Chronicles 2)

Brody

I walked into Seaside Grill and immediately spotted Barbara talking to Addie and Gannon. When she saw me, she rushed over, with Addie and my brother hot on her trail.

“Hey, I thought we were meeting at Pete’s Place?” I asked as I bent down to kiss Barbara on the cheek. “I waited there for a bit before I realized no one was showing up.”

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” Gannon asked. It was then I finally noticed the worried looks on all of their faces. Keegan came walking out of the kitchen and looked relieved to see me as well.

“Is Sutton with you?” he said. “Why haven’t you two been answering your damn phones?”

“Keegan, calm down,” Barbara said, a concerned tone in her voice.

Addie approached her father. “Dad, take a deep breath and don’t get upset. I’m sure there’s an explanation.”

I looked at all of them and frowned. “I lost my phone. Well, honestly, I think someone stole it.”

“Then you haven’t spoken to Sutton?” Addie asked.

“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “Not since this morning. I thought the plan was for her to pick you guys up, and I’d meet you at the restaurant.”

Barbara put her hand to her mouth.

“What’s going on?” I asked, dread filling me.

Gannon stepped forward. “Sutton never showed to pick up her parents. We called Harlee, and she said Sutton and Palmer left the store together. Palmer was heading to work and Sutton was going to the spa.”

“Palmer went to the spa to see if maybe Sutton got held up for some reason,” Addie added. Then her phone rang. “It’s Palmer.”

I instantly felt a sharp pain in my chest. Turning to Gannon, I whispered, “Something’s wrong.”

“Don’t freak out, Brody. It could be nothing.”

I grabbed his arm and pulled him away. “Something is wrong. My phone just happens to go missing this afternoon, and now no one can get a hold of Sutton?”

He frowned. “What are you saying?”

Before I could respond, I heard Addie say, “What do you mean, her car’s still there but they haven’t seen her?”

Barbara started to cry, and Keegan pulled her to him. “Someone call Braxton, now,” he said.

“I will,” Ruby stated as she quickly pulled out her phone.

I made it to Addie in two large steps. “What’s going on?”

She looked to me, then Gannon. “Palmer, come to the restaurant. Yes, now!” She hit End and took in a deep breath. “I think we need to call the police.”

It felt like someone reached into my chest and squeezed my heart. “Why, Addie?”

Tears filled her eyes as she fought to stay calm. She looked over at her parents, then back to me. “Kimberley said she walked Sutton into the spa. The receptionist showed her to the locker room and told her where to go to wait for her facial. But after almost fifteen minutes of waiting for her to come out, they went in to check on her. Sutton wasn’t in the locker room. She never changed or anything, so they assumed she left without telling them. But Palmer said her car’s still in the parking lot.”

“Oh my God! Where is she?” Barbara called out.

Turning to Gannon, I said, “We need to call the police. Give me your phone.”

Gannon handed it over, and I dialed 9-1-1. “Addie, don’t you have that Find My Friends app on your phone?” I heard him ask.

Addie’s eyes widened. “Yes! It’s not that one, but another tracking app. We all have it.”

“Pull it up!” I barked just before the dispatcher answered. After quickly telling her everything I knew, she said someone was on their way to the restaurant and to stay put.

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