Page 119 of Perfectly Matched: Harbor Falls Romance Collection
Becca North Ackerman stared out the window the farmhouse she lived in with her husband, Sam, and listened to the empty, endless ringtone in her ear that came from Nora’s phone. The snow was piling up outside and her best friend was not answering her cell. Neither scenario bode well nor did the sinking feeling in the pit of her gut. The worry was almost more than she could stand.
“Did she answer?”
Becca clicked off the phone, turned to her husband, and shook her head.
“Something’s wrong. I can feel it.”
Her phone rang and she glanced down and added.
“Crap. It’s Nora’s dad again. He’s frantic and I don’t know what to say to him.”
She let the phone ring and it stopped after five rings.
Sam stepped closer and touched her arm.
“Call him back and see if you can calm him down. We’re going to have to go looking, you know.”
Breathing deep and then exhaling, Becca met his gaze and smiled. This man of hers—he was a good man. How did she get so lucky.
“I know. Are you sure you don’t mind? It’s a terrible night out there.”
“All the more reason to get started.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he tugged her tight and smiled.
“Nora is a pain in the ass sometimes, but you know I’d do anything for her—and you. Besides, the storm is not going to let up and we need to find her sooner rather than later.”
Becca hated to admit how worried she was. With a half-smile, she gave her husband a peck on the cheek and pulled back.
“I’ll call Mr. Patterson back now.”
“I’ll rally the troops,” Sam said.
Turning away, Becca took a deep breath. Before punching the screen to dial Nora’s father, she glanced at the clock over the fireplace mantel. It was after nine o’clock, the snow was coming down hard, and the night was pitch black. Nora hadn’t been heard from since she left Suzie’s and Becca had a feeling deep in the pit of her stomach that was unsettling.
She had no clue what she as going to say to Mr. Patterson.
She dialed anyway.
“Hello!”
His voice was urgent, unsteady.
“Mr. Patterson. It’s Becca. I’m sorry I missed your call.”
“That’s okay. Any news?”
Becca frowned to herself, hating to disappoint him.
“I’m afraid not but Sam is getting ready to go look for her. He’ll probably take Jack with him and others.”
“I’ll meet you wherever you want.”
The last thing Becca wanted was Nora’s father out in this storm too.
“Oh no, Mr. Patterson. You stay put. That way I know where to get in touch with you. You just have a land line, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“I’m staying here. I’ll be your contact, okay? And I’ll keep you informed every step of the way. Sam and I have cell phones and two-way radios, so we’ll keep in constant contact.”
The response from the other end of the phone was a long and worried sigh. She knew that it had been a rough year for him, and for Nora, with her mother passing so suddenly several months ago.
After a moment, Becca added.
“Sam will find her, Mr. Patterson. I promise. There is only one route between Sweet Hart Inn and your farm, so they know where to look.”
“That damn foothills road is what worries me.”
“Perhaps Nora stopped somewhere safe and her phone battery died. We will figure it out. I promise!”
He didn’t immediately respond, then finally said.
“I hope so. I just hope it’s not too late.”
Becca didn’t like to view the glass half-empty, but she hoped the exact same thing.
****
Suzie pushed through her back door while carrying her son, Petey. She paused for a moment just inside, hearing something. There. A phone ringing.
“What in the world?”
She glanced to Brad who was shutting the kitchen door behind them against the wind and driving snow.
“That’s not our landline,” she said.
Brad’s eyebrows knit.
“A cell phone ringing?”
“Sounds like it. I wonder who’s though?”
“Here, give me Petey,”
Brad said.
“I’ll take him upstairs and get him into bed. You go see what that’s all about.”
The ringing stopped.
Handing over their child, Suzie smiled.
“Dad wore his little butt out.”
Brad laughed.
“Yeah, he told me he was going to make sure Petey fell asleep quick tonight so we could get all of that last-minute Christmas wrapped and assembled.”
Suzie didn’t want to think about that right yet but was glad that at least they were going to have more time. With the storm, they had decided to forego the Christmas Eve midnight service at the church and stay inside instead. That’s why they went to get Petey, who had stayed the day with her parents, as their last guest left for this evening.
The cell phone rang again.
“Someone left their phone behind,”
Suzie said.
“More than likely.”
She jogged off toward the front of the house and scanned the living room. The ringing was coming from the area of the sofa, but she didn’t immediately see it. Moving closer, she noticed it tucked between a cushion and the side arm.
“There you are.”
She fished it out of the sofa, looked at illuminated face, and frowned at who was calling. “Becca?”
She pushed the button. “Hello?”
“Oh, thank God. Nora?”
“No, this is Suzie. Becca, is that you?”
“Yes! Where is Nora?”
“She’s not here, Becca, but she must have left her phone behind. What’s going on?”
Suzie heard a huge sigh come through from the opposite end.
“Nora is missing, Suzie. And I guess this explains why she wasn’t answering her phone. She must have left it at your house.”
“Missing?”
“She didn’t show up at her Dad’s. She should have been there hours ago.”
Suzie turned and watched Brad descend the stair well to her right.
“What can we do?”
Brad must have sensed something because his face suddenly looked worried. He approached her and touched her elbow. Suzie put Becca on speakerphone.
“Sam and Jack are getting ready to go out. Nora is probably somewhere between here and her father’s house, but she has to go Lake Road to get there, and then around the mountain, of course. Can they meet at your place to group up and form a strategy?”
“Absolutely,”
Brad interrupted.
“I’ll go with them.”
“Might be good if there were two trucks,”
Becca offered.
Brad reached into his pocket.
“I’ll call Matt. I’ll also find out of there is any information from the local police department, road conditions and such, and make sure they know Nora is missing.”
“Great,”
Becca said.
“Sam will be there in twenty minutes hopefully. It may take a bit to get down off the mountain.”
Suzie bristled.
“Tell him to just be careful!”
“We’ll talk soon. Suzie, you stay put so we can be command central. Okay?”
“You got it.”
She hit the button to end the call.
“Oh my, Brad. We have to find her. Nora is not equipped to take on a snowstorm! I feel so bad. I should not have let her leave, but she insisted!”
“I know. What’s done is done. Can’t worry about that now.”
He leaned in to kiss her nose.
“We will find her. I’m going to go warm up the truck and de-ice.”
“Be careful, Brad.”
“I will.”
“I love you.”
He kissed her again.
“I love you too, baby.”
About fifteen minutes later Suzie watched from her living room window as Jack and Sam’s sturdy landscaping truck made its way to the end of her driveway. Her brother-in-law, Matt Branson, who was a Harbor Falls police officer, had arrived a few minutes earlier in his four-wheel-drive pickup. He and Brad sat in the truck at the edge of the road waiting. Suzie knew Matt would have his police radio with him to keep in touch with the local police departments. Hopefully by now there were others out looking too.
Her cell phone jiggled in her hand and she glanced down to see a text from Brad. Heading out. Decided to stay together rather than split up.
Good idea, Suzie typed. Please be careful.
Brad added. Will do. Matt says Dalton Springs P.D. is heading this way on Lake Road from the opposite direction. Covering ground from both directions.
“Good.”
Suzie let out a sigh. Be safe.
Always.
At that moment, she said a little prayer for Nora and everyone else out on the road this evening.
****
A handful of church members stood outside United Methodist Church of Harbor Falls, looking at the church fa?ade, partially illuminated by streetlights.
“The church is dark.”
“Has anyone called Reverend Peters?”
“Should we go on in and wait? I need to get the programs out.”
“I’m glad there is a break in the snow right now, but I don’t think anyone will be coming. Do you? Should we cancel?”
“Reverend Peters would have to do that.”
“But where is he?”
“I should get the organ warmed up.”
“I have the candles. It’s nearly ten o’clock. He’s usually here by now.”
“Call him!”
“I did! He didn’t answer.”
“How long ago?”
“Oh, about twenty minutes.”
“People will be arriving soon.”
“He’s not answering. Again. Did anyone try his house?”
“It’s dark too. Noticed that when I drove by.”
“Probably in bed like the rest of us should be.”
“Did he cancel? The storm is supposed to get worse you know. I hear Nora Patterson is missing over near the mountain.”
“Missing? Oh my…”
“The weather is worse over there, according to my cousin.”
“Wait. My phone is ringing.”
“I just got a text message.”
“Me too.”
“Oh, the church hotline has been activated. The deacons are canceling the service?”
“I have a bad feeling. The deacons?”
“I’m sure it’s because of the storm.”
“But where is the Reverend?”
“Good question!”
“Wait. Another text from Deacon Roy.”
Pause.
“Reverend Peters is missing too?”