“No.”
A dark thought crosses my mind. “Was she alone?”
There is a pause from Joe. “As far as he could see, yes.”
“Bring the car to the front.”
“Already waiting.”
I call Laurie on my way downstairs.
“Is Rachel with you?”
“No.” A worried tone creeps into her voice. “I thought she was with you.”
“No.” I sigh. “She left before I got home. Are you at home?”
“Yes, and she’s not here. Hold on, I’ll call her.”
I shake my head. “She turned her phone off.”
Laurie is quiet. “Did you two fight?”
“No. No.” I pause. “Did she tell you anything…about…” I don’t even want to think about it. “Someone else…maybe?”
“Oh no, Landon. No. Nothing like that.”
I breathe. “Just wait there. I’m on my way…and let me know as soon as she gets home.”
“Okay.”
The drive to her apartment is excruciating. Knowing she could be heading some other place makes it all the more frustrating. I don’t want to think she could be in danger, but even if she’s only walking home, it’s late, and anything could happen to her on the dark streets.
At Rachel’s apartment building, I tell Joe to drive back along an alternate route and be on the lookout for her. Laurie comes to join me downstairs.
“She still hasn’t called?”
“Nope.” Laurie frowns. “What happened?”
I push a frustrated hand through my hair. “I have no idea. She was at my place, waiting like we planned, then she left.”
Laurie looks around the street, shivering as a cold breeze hits her. “I’m sure she’ll turn up soon.” Her voice is tinged with worry.
“Why don’t you go inside? I’ll wait out here.”
Laurie does as I say, and I pace the sidewalk, waiting, unable to calm the worry building inside me.
It feels like hours later when I see Rachel turn the corner. She’s walking slowly, and when she sees me, she stops. Too relieved to wonder why, I’m by her side in seconds.
“What happened?” Her only response is a soft sniff, and I rub the cold from her shoulders and arms. “What happened?”
Her eyes fill with tears, and a tight rage builds inside me. If anything happened to her, God knows I will not hesitate to hurt anyone who harmed her in any way.
Drawing her closer, I wipe her face with a handkerchief. “I got home, and you’d left, but your things were there.” She sniffs again. “What’s wrong?”
“I…” Her words falter.
Jesus! If anyone so much as laid a finger on her… “Are you all right?”