Curt nodded. She’d find a place to hide and wait for him to get to her. “We need to spread out and search for her.”
“I’ve brought a few people with me,” Jake told them. “Touch base with them and keep in contact.”
When Curt walked outside, he saw Jake’s idea of a few greatly differed from his.
“Damn, is there anyone left in that town?” Hunter asked, staring around as people handed out reflective vests, radios, and flashlights.
“Just the young and old, I’d say,” Curt said.
“All right, everyone, listen up.”
Curt looked over and saw Max Ferguson step forward. “We go in pairs. Each woman must be paired with a man, no complaints.”
Curt spotted Melody, and she rushed over to him as Max gave a few more instructions about keeping safe and checking in with the coordinators who’d remain in the motel parking lot. No doubt they’d wake up the whole neighborhood, but he didn’t care.
Melody threw herself at him. He took a step back, unprepared for the assault but as he felt her tremble he pulled her close. “I heard her on the phone, she said she had to go because Daisy was barking, but neither of us hung up. I heard her ask someone who they were then I heard her cry out. Oh, God.”
He patted her back awkwardly. God, I hope she doesn’t start crying.
“You did good, Melody. Really good. It’s because of you we figured out she’s missing. This is all thanks to you.”
She pulled back to look up at him. “She was going back, Curt. She was going back to tell you she was sorry, that she should have talked to you. She loves you.”
Something inside him nearly broke to hear that. She’d been coming back.
“It’s all right, Melody,” he told her, seeing she was waiting for an answer. “I’m not mad at her. We both need to work on our communication skills.” He looked around him at everyone who’d come to help Jenna. “I can’t believe all of these people came to help find her.”
“Because she’s one of us,” Melody replied. “We take care of our own.”
“Yeah. I can see that. So, is there room for one more idiot male in your town?”
Melody’s eyes widened and then she grinned. “Hey, what’s one more?”
***
“Jenna! Jenna!”
She mumbled under her breath. She’d been dozing, dreaming about Curt and she wasn’t ready to wake up. In her dream, he’d wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.
Daisy whined, and she tensed, coming fully awake, her heart racing. There was something she needed to be wary of, some reason she had to stay quiet. Her attackers.
That’s right. She’d been shot at. She was hiding. Shoot, she had to stop waking up in strange places. It was really messing with her head.
“Jenna! Jenna!”
Daisy whined, her tail wagging. That voice! It sounds like Curt.
“Is that Curt, girl?”
Daisy licked her face and whined. For once she didn’t even care about
doggy breath.
“Jenna!”
“Curt!” she called back in a hoarse voice. She cleared her throat. That was pathetic. But then she didn’t have to worry about how loud she was because Daisy started barking. Suddenly a flashlight beam landed on her. Then he was there, pulling open the door of the old car, which fell off its hinges as he yanked at it.
Daisy jumped out, climbing over him. “Easy, girl, let me get to Jenna.”