Page 93 of Tangled Up

“I know what you mean.” My smile is tight, appreciative. “You’re so focused on finding her. I guess I thought you were close.”

“I knew her by reputation, and when the chief sent me out here, I knew she’d be pissed. He told me she’d be pissed at being treated like a helpless female.”

“Yeah, she’s got a real problem with that.”

“She wasn’t rude to me at all. I walked her to her brother’s place, and we talked. She was really cool.” He looks down at his hands. “I can’t believe this happened on my watch.”

His voice is quiet, and I hadn’t thought about how he might be taking it, being charged with keeping her safe. I’m not sure how much I want to let him off the hook. I mean, shit, he did have one job. Still, what right do I have to dogpile a guy for fucking up?

Henry leans forward to brace Kevin’s shoulder in a firm grip. “Don’t worry. We’re going to find her.”

“Then you can tell her you’re sorry for not sticking to her like glue.” As I say it, I know this poor kid never stood a chance. It’s clear Alize had planned this. “Carly won’t be mad.”

He exhales a bitter chuckle. “How long have you two been together?”

Straightening in my seat, I’m not sure how far down that road I want to go. “We’ve known each other since we were kids.”

“Damn.” He shakes his head. “I can count on one finger the people I’ve known that long.”

“My family had a place here, and I’d come here every summer. Henry and I were friends first… Then Carly. I was in love with her from the first day I saw her.”

I can see her laughing and dancing around the edge of the water, her long, dark curls flying in the breeze.If anything happens to her…

My chest clenches, and I glance in my rearview mirror. A tight smile is on Henry’s lips, and his eyes are fixed on the darkness around us.

“So it’s the real deal,” Kevin says. “From our conversation this morning, I’m glad she has a man like you in her life. She deserves it. You’re lucky.”

My brow lowers. “Now, let’s find her.”

He pulls out his phone and taps the face several times. “I’m tracking the police scanner, the EMS scanner, firefighter scanners… We’ll know the minute anyone reports anything.”

We fall once more into silence, and frustration tightens my jaw. I can’t tell what any of the cars look like until we’re on top of them. As it stands, we’re just driving to Pensacola, hoping for the best.

Reaching out, I push the button to fill the space with music, anything to cut the tension. It’s a classic rock station, and Tom Petty surrounds us, joined by Stevie Nicks. I’m not listening to it. I’m looking out the window, straining my eyes at every car, hoping against hope for a break.

Kevin looks out the window, and it’s clear he’s thinking the same thing as me. “I’ve worked on cases where it’s taken days, weeks to find a missing person.”

My mind breaks at the prospect of it taking that long to find Carly. “I might lose it if we don’t find her soon.”

“Don’t worry.” He glances over his shoulder at Henry. “So many people are searching, I think we’ll turn up something soon.”

“I just want her to be okay,” Henry says. “Not afraid.”

“From what I could tell, she’s not afraid of anything.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I mutter through clenched teeth.

Miles pass, the songs change, more miles. Leaning my head against my hand, I scrub my fingers in my hair. Kevin takes out his phone and sends another text, then he checks the scanner.

We’ve been driving so long in the dark, my eyes are crossing. I shift in my seat, doing my best to rouse my brain.

A blue sign passes, and I nod towards it. “Let’s stop and get some coffee.”

“You sure?” He frowns like it’s a crazy suggestion.

“If it was even her.” I hate to say it, but I’m not entirely sure we’re not chasing a phantom. “I need to wake up. We’ll move fast.”

“I guess they have to stop at some point, too.”

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