Christian
"What's happened?" I shout the words as I run for my Dad's track and jump in next to him while my brothers all jump on the truck bed. My Dad doesn't mess around and makes quick work of getting off the farm and onto the main road. He's always such a good guy when it comes to the rules and speed limits on the roads but not right now, right now he's a terrified Granddad who's breaking all the rules and I couldn't be more happier about it.
"There's not much going on at the town hall, not until the Mayor turns up anyway so your Mom suggested I come and help you guys out here. Before I left some of the other guys and I made a little nap room just as we did the last time we had a Tornado and just before I left we put Katie and Sophie down for a nap while Brody placed with some of his friends from kindergarten. Anyway, while I was talking to your brothers your Mom called me. She said that she went to check on the girls and they were both gone... only those two though."
"Amy!" Callum shouts out the name just seconds later but the sad thing is that I've already thought about her, her face entered my mind the minute my Dad told me that they were gone. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions but after her visit earlier I wouldn't put it passed her. Honestly, she would properly take them just so she could use them to bribe me for the child support that she hasn't had yet but still thinks she deserves despite the fact that the kids are with me.
"I swear to all the gods if she has taken my Nieces I'm going to murder the bitch. being a woman won't save her from me this time!" At any other time, Tom's words would have had me laughing but right now I can barely breathe. While part of me agrees with his words another part of me somewhat hopes that she does have them because if she does then it's just to get money out of me and fuck, she can have everything I have as long as I get my girls back and two, if she has them I don't believe she will hurt them. If some stranger has them then god only knows what could happen to them if we don't find them in time.
"We're almost there Son," My Dad's voice pulls me out of my spiralling thoughts. I give him a nod but I can't speak, I'm too busy swallowing the pile that's constantly rising in my throat. Everything outside of me feels like it's going in slow motion while my insides feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. Fuck I feel sick.
Just moments later we pull up outside the town hall and I'm out of the truck and through the doors before my Dad's even parked. Jack appears at my side just as I get inside the building, he must have jumped out of the track while Dad was still driving to. We enter the main hall to find the place in an uproar. There are people running around calling out my daughter's names while in one corner some of the women are trying to keep the children calm while in another corner it looks like there's a search party being put together.
"Chris!" My mom runs towards me visibly shaking while tears stream down her face, she crashes into my chest but looks straight up at me. "I'm so sorry Chris, I'm so sorry!" I won't have her blame herself for this. No way! I gently take hold of her shoulders and push her back a little bit. "This isn't your fault Mom so don't do that!" She goes to argue it but I'm not having it. "I mean it, Mom!"
"He's right love." My Dad walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her slowly pulling her away from me. "This isn't your fault. Whoever has taken them is to blame and we will find them." He's always had a way of calming Mom down and I'm grateful for it right now.
"So what's the plan?" Tom's no-nonsense tone is much needed at this moment. He looks around the room before going to stand on the large stage and getting everyone's attention. "Did anyone see who took the girls? Or maybe notice someone who stood out? Someone, who you wouldn't think would be here?" All of his questions are met with answers that we don't want.
It's soon clear to see that no one knows anything. I love the people in this town but I also know that there are several nosy buggers who are all up in everyone's business, they love details and a few of them are in this room right now which makes it harder for me to believe that no one has seen anything out of the ordinary.
"Chris, the sheriff is here." I follow Callum away from the stage and soon come to a stop in front of Sheriff Jimmy Nelson. Jimmy and I are good friends, he's a regular at my bar when he's off duty and he's a good guy. "Sorry, I wasn't here sooner, Chris. As soon as I got the report about the girls being missing I came here straight away but got delayed over on Taff Road. A bloody tree has fallen down right across the main intersection."
"It's fine Sheriff. Just please help me find my girls!" He nods before looking around the room. "Tom has just asked a few questions but so far no one seems to know anything. I give him the list of questions that Tom asked. "Ok, that takes some time of my questioning. I've already got two officers out searching the town. If there is no luck in a few hours I'll make a call to Hunter's and borrow some offers from there so that we can expand our search."
Tom and Zack walk over to me, both looking down at their phones while Callum and Jack look like they are trying to wrangle people together. I've got everyone I can out searching and Hunter is on his way here with Marlow." I give Zack a nod before he disappears over to Callum and Jack. Hunter's Dad Marlow is ex-FBI and one incredible man. He was forced to leave the FBI about 5 years ago due to a knee injury after being shot. He may not be able to run anymore but the man's mind is still shit hot and exactly what I need right now.
"I've done the same," Tom says before shaking Sheriff Nelson's hand and staring up a conversation. I try to keep up with them but my mind keeps wandering to deadly thoughts. I can't stand around here anymore, I need to be out looking for my girls... I just need to do something.
Molly
After a long chat with Penny and an even longer cry, I'm feeling a little better. I still think she's way off with her assumption of there being feelings involved when it comes to me and Christian but she's old and I don't want to appear rude, especially after how kind she has been to me today so I just shrug it off and focus on other stuff.
"I'm going to go to my house and give it a little dusting and put fresh bed sheets and towels out for John and Ruby's family. I want you to stay here. I want you to go upstairs and make yourself at home. Run yourself a nice bath and let yourself breathe. You've had a hard day." This woman is an angel.
"No, I can't do that Penny. I'll come and help you." She shakes her head as she puts a leash on her little furball of a dog. "I'm not too old that I can't manage a little light cleaning by myself. you know," She tries to act offended but she fails when a smirk appears on her face. "Now get yourself upstairs for a bath young lady and if you try to follow me you will be in big trouble!" She pats me on the back, winks then heads for the store's front door. She's gone before I can even say a word and in turn, has me laughing to myself. That lady really is one of a kind.
I shake my head still laughing to myself as I make my way through the shop to the back in hopes of finding the stairs there when my phone beeps in my pocket. It's properly Tom so I decide to look once I get inside Penny's apartment. I finally find the stairs but only take two of them when my phone beeps again.
I debate still ignoring it until I'm upstairs but an awful sensation comes over my body and a feeling of dread hits the pit of my stomach. I stop on the second stair and take out my phone to find two text messages from Tom and a missed call. When did he call? I didn't hear my phone go off. I open up his messages and as I read the first one the feeling of dread in my stomach only gets worse.
"Molly, please answer me, sweetheart!" I scroll down to his next message. "Molly, I need you. I need your help!" This isn't something that Tom would make up for to get me to call him so I'm instantly on alert. I hit call on my phone and impenitently wait for him to answer.
"Molly. Oh, Molly, I'm so glad you called!" He sounds panicky and scared enough that I'm already heading away from the stairs and towards the shop's front door. "I didn't hear your call hunny. What's wrong?" I try to sound calm but I don't think it works very well.
His next words floor me and have me running out of the shop at a speed that I never knew I was capable of. "Molly, Sophie, and Katie are missing. Someone has taken them from the town hall. I know you don't want to be around us right now but... I need you, Molls."
"I'm on my way!"