Page 73 of My Destiny

“Logan, I’m sorry.” Ignoring him, I rush towards the hall table to get my car keys.

I dial Chris’s number as I travel down to the basement. “Chris, Brooke’s taken off. I’m worried Jake may have her.”

“Did you two have words?”

“No.”

“Then why would she leave?”

“Because my uncle has lost his fucking mind. I’m heading down to the basement now. I’m going to drive around and search the area.”

“Do you want me to do the same?”

“Please. Try her place first, and call me if you see anything.” I doubt she’d be there under the circumstances, but who knows. It’s not like she has anywhere else to go.

The tyres screech as I hastily pull out of my car space. “Come on, come on,” I scream in frustration, banging down on the steering wheel as the garage door slowly rises. My mind is scrambled at the moment. As much as I hope Jake doesn’t have her, I can’t rule out the possibility that he does.

Pulling out into the street, I turn right. I don’t even know where to start my search, but I won’t give up until she’s home safe and sound.

“Where are you?” I whisper into the darkness. I feel like I’m going out of my mind as I drive around in circles. Every time I see someone with long brown hair, my hopes rise, but they’re dashed the moment I realise it isn’t her.

Pulling the car over to the side of the road, I reach for my phone. “Anything?” I ask Chris the moment he answers.

He sighs. “Nothing yet, I’m afraid.”

“What was she thinking? She knew he was out to get her?”

“I can’t answer that,” he says. I bow my head because the truth is, I know what her feelings towards her father are, so I can only imagine how John’s words made her feel. I bang my hand down on the steering wheel once more. His news would have devastated her. Why would he say something like that? It makes me furious just thinking about it.

I pause briefly before replying. “We just need to keep looking.” My phone beeps, so I pull it away from my ear and see Mike’s name on the screen. “I have an incoming call. Keep me updated.”

“I will.”

I press accept. “Mike.”

“You need to come back here.” My heart drops the moment he says that. I’m almost too afraid to ask why. Leaning back, my head rests against the seat. Butterflies swarm in my stomach. Life couldn’t be so cruel.

“Why?”

“We’ve been going over the building’s security footage. We think we have something.”

“What?” Holding my breath, my grip on the phone tightens as I brace myself for his answer.

“A white van. It was sitting across the street all day. The moment Brooke ran out of the building, it appeared to follow her.”

“Fuck.” The words from Jake’s message swim in my mind.You won’t be able to walk away this time because you’ll be DEAD!And then it dawns on me that I never told her about the message. “Shit, shit, shit,” I say, banging my hand down on the steering wheel.I should’ve fucking told her.In hindsight, I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I know better. Maybe if I’d said something, she wouldn’t have fled like she did.

“We haven’t been able to get a clear enough picture of the plates, but we’re working on it.”

“We need to call the police?”

“Not yet,” he says. “I’m calling in a favour and hoping to get more footage from the CCTVs in the area.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I still think we should involve them.”

“Logan, it’s only been a few hours. She needs to be missing for twenty-four hours before they’ll do anything.”

“Not under these current circumstances,” I say, feeling annoyed. “The police are aware of her situation.”