“Chevelle, you have your hands full with Mia, Jake too.” Both the younger ones’ eyes gleam with fresh, unfallen tears. “I’ll look around the house.”
“Mommy.” Mia begins to pout as I walk out of the room.
When my parents turn on the alarm at home, it’s either away or stay. I recall how Leith locked us in before he left with Erika. I can’t remember hearing the alarm’s announcement. Now, my steps hesitate as I glance into the dining room. On the opposite side of an enormous, ornamental table, the sheer drapes rustle in the wind. The French doors are wide open.
“Damn, Jamie is old enough to waltz in and out of here.” I groan, heading over. The French doors in the kitchen, which had been closed, and the dining room both lead to the pool. I exit along the side of the house where there is a nice sized patch of grass and a stone bench. Of course, Jamie couldn’t have made it that easy for me by sitting there.
“Jamie?” I call out, a tad frightened to leave the house as the sun’s descending behind the trees, casting a shadow of darkness.
I walk past the white trellises, continuing to call his name. I slide my cellphone from my jean pocket. Enlisting the authorities’ help should be the furthest thing from my mind when the clan is in the process of committing an obscene number of crimes. I dial Brody’s number.
Phone at my ear, I meander about, calling out to a young man who may or may not be in the right frame of mind. Hell, I wouldn’t know how to process life after being kidnapped. Who knows what’s going on in the kid’s head, especially after that confrontation with Nan? The call goes to voicemail.
Crap. I dial it again. The still, turquoise water is at my side. I brave a glance at the deep end—because this feels like that type of day.
Not far from where the pool ends stands a small, quaint bungalow that resembles the main house. When I try the knob, it opens. I glance into the cozy living room of the guest house.
“Jam—” The words die in my throat as my eyes collide with a familiar gaze. While Jamie has blue-green eyes, like the rest of his brothers, the vivid green ones staring back at me have haunted me and ruined my life for years.