Page 5 of The Best Bad Boy

“The window’s open,” Maria said. “And the tree is bent. She might have broken its trunk!”

“Oh, for fucks sake,” I muttered, jumping to my feet. Maria averted her eyes when she saw my underwear.

“Sorry, Maria. I’ll go look for her, okay? You just go ahead and start dinner. Don’t worry,” I assured.

Maria nodded and patted my shoulder before she retreated.

I bounded out the door and down the steps. Where would this foolhardy girl have gone? Twenty-five acres of the surrounding woods were mine, so she couldn’t have gotten far. I had security at the front and sides and right behind the house, but not on all twenty-five acres. I had cameras around the perimeter, so I’d see her if she reached my property line. Past that, on one side, was a state-owned forest that went on for miles. If she made it that far, I might not be able to protect her. On the other side, the property ended at a babbling creek that turned into a river. Surely, she wouldn’t go that way and try to swim downstream to safety?

As I stood on the front steps, I contemplated what the best course of action was. If she got lost in the woods, there was the threat of wild animals attacking her, even on my property. I glanced left and then right. It would make sense for me to search on my ATV. I’d be able to cover more ground. I plucked my phone from my pocket and was just about to notify my security team when my phone rang. A familiar voice sounded from it when I answered.

“Hey Warwick, can I meet you somewhere? I think I’m right near your place,” Alex asked. I groaned. It hadn’t taken this fool long to find my safe haven.

“I’ll come to you,” I said into the phone. “Where are you?”

Alex was a mile from my property, which was closer than I wanted him to be but far enough away that he likely wouldn’t run into Sarah.

I met him at a local coffee shop. He looked disheveled and upset, a far cry from the confident boss in training he liked to portray.

“What’s up?” I asked cooly.

“As you know, Sarah went missing this morning.” He started.

“I didn’t know. I left, remember?”

Alex squinted at me and sighed. “Listen, I don’t care. I didn’t want to marry her anyway. But Dad’s livid, and he thinks you have something to do with it. Do you?” he asked. His brown eyes looked tired and drawn.

“No,” I said firmly.

“I mean, why would you? But they think you do. And they’re looking. Dad doesn’t know where you live exactly, but he will before the day is out if this girl doesn’t show up. And we’re all going to hear about it. Me? I hope she stays missing and has a nice life wherever she is. I’m not into her or the merger. In fact, I agree with you, Dad should have gone legal. But it’s irrelevant what I think. I’m too deep now to get out, and Dad would never let me anyway. So listen, do me a favor. Keep your ears out. You know as many people as I do, and if she stays in the state, we’ll get her easily. If not, well, we all move on.” Alex sipped his coffee as he spoke.

“Okay. But please Alex, as your brother. I don’t know where this girl is and I don’t want to be involved. Please don’t tell Dad you saw me. Or where. Tell him you called. Whatever you have to. I just want to live in peace.”

“I get it now,” Alex said. “And I won’t tell him.”

I nodded and shook Alex’s hand. He smiled at me and with a small shrug walked out of my life for what I hoped would be the last time. I suspected the universe had other plans though and that I would see him sooner than I wanted to.

I hopped on my bike and rode away from the coffee shop. I had to make sure no one was watching. I stopped at a nearby diner and contemplated what to do next. Did Sarah still have my burner phone? If she did, I might be able to reach her.

I fumbled in my pocket for the number and dialed. She didn’t pick up. I sent a simple text.

It’s Warwick

I didn’t get a response. Maybe she had left the phone at the house. I revved the bike, ready to head back towards my house, when something struck me. Maybe she didn’t take the burner phone because she had her own cell phone? If she did, the chances that she was being tracked were great. Even the savviest of criminals get tracked without their knowledge, and Sarah was hardly that. And her cell phone would give away the location of my mansion.

“Shit,” I exclaimed. What the heck was I supposed to do now?

My answer came a few hours later. I was back at the house, and I’d already torn apart the bedroom looking for the burner phone or her cell phone. I found neither. Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a text.

Help!

I read it, alarmed and skeptical. The text was sent from the burner phone, but how did I know it was Sarah who still had it? Maybe she had been found, and my stepfather was holding it, just waiting to connect me to her disappearance.

A few seconds later, another text came in.

I’m lost. Please, Warwick. I need help.

Who is this?

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