Page 25

25

JACOB

It’s been thirty-six hours since we realized she was missing.

She’s been missing for much longer. With every hour that passes and every beat of my heart, I give up hope. It’s becoming more impossible to stay positive.

I’m desperately trying to feed from Skye’s mom’s never-ending positivity; however, it’s flowing away like the fine grains of sand in an hourglass.

Every inch of me wants to believe we will find her, and yet a second night without her has crept in, with no sign of her and no call from Walter.

Search parties have been out since yesterday lunchtime and all day today, calling her name, scouring the fields and hills all around, as well as the beaches and surrounding villages. Not a street has been missed.

Nobody has found anything. It’s as if she’s vanished into thin air.

I stopped at my house for five minutes to change into warmer clothing and since then I’ve been out searching, relentlessly, alongside everyone, and by myself.

Friends, old and new, high-school pals, work colleagues, family members and their friends all pulled together. If I thought we were a tight community before, then we’re even tighter now.

We agreed to end the search parties at six o’clock in the evening; it’s too dark to keep looking as night falls. Today we mainly focused on the nooks and crannies of Castleview Cove’s cobbled streets. My feet are aching. However, I would walk across a blazing hot desert with no shoes on, just to catch a glimpse of her again.

For the first time today, I’m sitting down, my joints aching, heart broken, and consumed with so much hatred for myself that I couldn’t save her from that creepy-ass fucker.

Having just read a still no sign text update from Kimmy, who’s been patiently waiting at their house since yesterday morning, with a heavy heart I place my phone on the table in front of me. I’m better off staying here at the community hall. I don’t want to go home. It’s pointless; there is no way I will be able to sleep, anyway. My mind is reeling, going through so many different scenarios of what I could have done.

No matter how many times I’ve been over it, I know I am the one to blame for this because without that tablet and pen she would never have learned how to hand letter or started her video channel.

I feel sick to my stomach again. It’s all because of me.

I ended up throwing up in an alleyway earlier when my anger turned to disgust. My thoughts visited a place I don’t want to return to. What does he want with her, what is he doing to her, is he touching her?

I can’t think about that again. It doesn’t change anything; I can’t exactly turn the clock back now, can I?

Everything feels impossible.

Pressing my fingertips into the back of my neck to relieve the permanent tension in my shoulders, I then give a small wave of appreciation to the last of the volunteers.

As they leave the hall, with fighting spirit, they all reassure Rhona and Seth that we’ll find her.

Violet plonks herself down beside me and starts babbling, “She’ll come home. She’s okay. I know she is. She’s fine. I can feel it, can you? I can. She has to come home, right? Who will I go to my dance class with? Who will laugh with me when I fall over? She’s been my one true friend since I arrived here. I love her like a sister and she’s so kind…” Drawing breath, she says so quietly, “We have to find her.”

My shoulders bounce up and down with the emotion I’ve been holding on to. Sobs escape my throat, fat tears soaking my black sweatshirt.

Leaning forward, my hands cupped around the top of my head to hide my sadness, I watch as my tears make a small puddle on the wooden floor. Like a river, they keep flowing and I can’t stop them.

Pulling me in tight to their chest, broad arms wrap around the top of my shoulders. “Let it all out, buddy.”

Lincoln.

Using him as support, my body falls into his, pain passing through my heart as tears flow one after the other. No words are needed as Lincoln holds me firmly, letting me weep.

Pulling the sleeves of my jumper down, I push the palms of my hands into my eyes to soak up the tears and move away from Lincoln. Head bowed, I flip the hood of my jumper up over my head to hide my embarrassment.

Violet kneels at my feet and passes me a handkerchief, her kind hands cupping both of my knees. “We’re here for you, Jay. We’ll find her.”

“Yeah.” I don’t know if I believe that anymore.

I use the tissue to blow my stuffy nose and exhale a deep breath. Crying hasn’t made me feel any better. I feel hot and my face feels swollen.

Skye’s mom pulls a chair by my side. A strained sigh leaves her throat as she falls into her seat.

Only the five of us left now, me, Linc, Violet, and Skye’s parents. I look around the empty hall.

It was bustling earlier, and the noise distracted me from our predicament.

The contrast of the silence of the hall is almost deafening to me now.

Lincoln and Violet pulled a twenty-strong team of staff together from their five-star hotel resort, having enough food delivered to feed an army. It’s just as well because hundreds of people showed up. It felt like a military operation.

My mom and dad left about an hour ago, along with my brother and sister.

The whole community came together for her.

She’s loved beyond measure.

Wherever she is, I hope she feels it.

An endless stream of news channels, reporters, and media from across the country have been out filming and interviewing local town folk and the search for Skye has taken on a life of its own with well wishes pouring in from around the world.

Lincoln holds his hand out for Violet, summoning her to give me some space.

“Still no word from Owen?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Nope. I gave up calling him. He’s never around when you need him, and he sure as hell doesn’t give a crap about the girl he spent the last fourteen years with or he’d be here.”

“I’ll try him again when I get home.” Lincoln lets out a long, drawn-out yawn.

Every one of us is shattered. We all need our beds, but none of us have been able to sleep.

Rhona holds her stomach. “I haven’t eaten all day. I don’t think I could hold anything down if I tried.”

“Same.” I reach out and give her hand a quick squeeze. She and Seth have been incredible, knowing what to say, and when to say it. They’ve organized every search party with military precision, their teacher planning skills playing a strong role. Add that to the fact that the entire community loves and respects the local headmaster and his teacher wife, and you’ve got yourself a clan of non-bloodline family.

I check my phone again for the billionth time, my battery now on red and at ten percent life. I need to find a charger.

“You’re a good man, Jacob.” Rhona’s surprising words turn my head in her direction. “Look at what you did for her. You have helped us so much.”

I eye the missing person posters piled high on the table across the room. I can’t look at the photo of her. It’s too painful. I still can’t believe we are doing this; it all seems so surreal.

“I wish I could do more.” My body is heavy with defeat, my hope dwindling. “I feel like I’ve let you down.”

“Jacob,” she says firmly.

I gaze up tentatively and she smiles at me. “None of us could have known.”

“You’re so strong.”

“I’m not,” she sputters. “I’m bluffing. I’m putting one foot in front of the other because I can’t give up hope. It’s the only thing keeping me going. Plus, the police are on board now. Stupid rules,” she mutters, then turns her seat to face me. “You must stop blaming yourself for this. You could blame me or social media, or anything. Skye missing is nobody’s fault, except for this Jules, who we know nothing about, and I’m trying desperately not to think about him.” She waves her hand in the air as if batting the wretched thoughts away. “As a community, we are all going to work together to get her back, and when she does come back, whatever she’s been put through, she will need us. She will need you.” She raises her eyebrows. “I figure you two are…” She doesn’t say the last few words.

“I love your daughter, Rhona,” I say without hesitation. Those words have been buried in my heart for so long that I want to tell the world, and that includes Owen.

Why hasn’t he called me back?

With a gentle smile and warm eyes, Rhona says, “You’ve always loved her. Do you think I don’t see it? I’ve known you since you were sixteen years old. You spent more time in my house than your own.” She points at Lincoln. “And you.” She looks back at me. “I silently prayed you two would get together. You are perfect for each other and you’ve turned into such a lovely man.”

Too much emotion hits me all at once. Drawing my hands into tight fists, I push them into my eyes. Clenching my jaw together, I groan and shake my head. I don’t want to cry again.

It’s been the worst two days of my life.

“Although you still drive too fast through the town in that silly sports car of yours, Jacob.” Rhona lightens the mood with her smart-ass words, her comment making us all laugh.

It’s only been two days, but I forgot what laughter sounds like.

Fuck, what a day.

“We all need to go home and try to get some sleep.” In full teacher mode, she gives us all a stern look.

Sleeping is the last thing I want to do.

Knowing how we all feel, she says, “You’re all staying right here, aren’t you?” Rhona removes her jacket, hanging it over the back of her chair.

Violet offers to make everyone a cup of tea while Seth organizes a bite to eat for everyone.

We’re not going anywhere.