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“She isn’t here?” Bryce asked.

“No.”

“We were on the way to check out her booth,” Corina added.

“She was supposed to wait there while I grabbed lunch.” Why had she left without telling him?

“Oh, Corina!” A woman Eric only vaguely recognized engulfed Corina in a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?” Lines formed between her brows.

“No, no, of course not. I just—well, I must have misheard.”

“Misheard what?”

“I thought Wesley told Allye you were at the hospital. She left with him right after that.”

“Are you sure?” Eric asked.

“They walked out together, yes. But obviously Corina is here, so I’m not sure who he was talking about.”

“Did Allye say anything to you?” he pressed.

The woman shook her head. “I wasn’t quite to her booth, and I don’t think she noticed me.”

“Bryce—” But Bryce already had his phone out. A moment later, he shook his head. “He’s not answering.” He dialed again, then growled. “Lost signal.”

“Keep trying. I’m going to look for her.”

Eric rushed from the tent and scanned the people milling about. Too many people. He glanced at his phone. Nothing from Allye.

“Eric!”

He stopped and searched for the voice. Male, not Allye. But with the crowd he couldn’t quite place who... His gaze landed on Dion. “Where have you been?”

“Come on. Bernie took Allye.” The teen started back toward the exit.

Eric jogged after him. “Dion, wait.”

Dion glanced over his shoulder. “No time.”

The words sliced at him. But he needed details. Needed to know where they were. How they’d gotten her. How many suspects they were up against. And what was Wesley’s part in all this?

He broke even with the teen as they passed through the exit. “Who is Bernie?”

“Trouble.”

“You know him?”

Determination slipped over his features. “Yeah.”

“How?”

Dion didn’t answer him, just kept running. Eric grabbed his shoulder. “How?”

Dion shrugged him off. “That’s not what’s important right now, man. You wanna save her or not?”

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