Rhett was having dinner at a friend’s house in town with the twins. But there should still be people in the house. And people made noise.
“Evie? Gran? Katie?” He walked a few steps deeper into the house, looking into the empty living room. Looking at Evie’s laptop sitting open on the dining room table, her textbook and notes sitting as if she’d just left. “Evie? Gran? Katie?”
The kitchen was empty. The oven cold. A peek through the window revealed no one at the henhouse.
Hayden charged up the stairs, heart pounding. “Anyone?”
No one answered. No one was upstairs.
He called Evie’s phone as he hurried back downstairs. It rang in the dining room, hidden beneath some papers. “No-no-no-no-no!”
He called Rhett.
His brother picked up right away and listened to Hayden’s panicked explanation, then said, “I haven’t heard from Evie or Gran.”
“Come home. We need to search.”
“Take a breath, bro. Is Eve’s car there? Have you searched the barn?”
“Her car is here.” Hayden tugged on his boots. “I’m headed to the barn now. Stay on the line a second.”
“You know how much Gran loves to play with Nugget.” Rhett was trying to reassure Hayden.
But something bad has happened. I can feel it.
Hayden ran into the barn and opened Nugget’s stall door. It was empty. “Evie? Gran? Katie?” His throat was thick with worry, rasping his voice. “They’re not here. But the back barn door is open.” He moved quickly in that direction.
“Maybe they went for a ride. Didn’t you tell me the horse you bought Katie was to be delivered today.”
Hayden couldn’t imagine Evie approving a ride. Besides, Happy was in a back paddock. “The pasture gate is open.” Hayden jogged toward the old log cabin in back. “I’m going to ride out. I’ll get Roddy to search as well.”
“Okay. We’re coming home,” Rhett said, his tone reassuring.
“Call the hospital first.” Even though Hayden’s gut clenched at the thought.
“Hayden, Eve would have called you.”
“Her phone is here. She can’t have called.” Hayden tried to tamp down his panic. “Please, Rhett. Call the hospital. Something bad has happened.” He just knew it.
A few minutes later, Hayden let Red set the pace in the pasture. First a fast walk, then a brisk trot. And then when Hayden couldn’t wait any longer, he let the chestnut run.
I could be going in the wrong direction.
There was no way of knowing. It wasn’t as if there were tracks to follow.
His phone rang.
“We stopped at the hospital,” Rhett said, worry wrapping his words in tight syllables. “They aren’t there.”
“Thanks for checking.” Hayden hung up after Rhett promised to be home soon. He kept riding, heading toward Clover Creek.
A figure came into view. Blond braid. Hunched shoulders. Tear-stained cheeks.
“Evie!” Hayden leaped off Red when he was just a few feet away. He collided with her, wrapping her in his arms for a hug. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she sobbed. “But I can’t find Irene and Katie. They rode off somewhere.”
Hayden took that news like a punch to the gut.