Page 48 of Stay With Me (Griffin’s Den #2)
FORTY-SEVEN
Noah
The last few days have been a whirlwind. After Luna went inside the other night, I spent an hour on the phone with Hunt and Mike, talking about the information Luna gave after seeing the star and moon pattern. We all agree The Family is in the tri-county area.
Reaching over the center console, I put my hand on Luna’s thigh and squeeze. She’s been overly worried about Jess since we found out The Family is close by.
She slides her hand over mine, so I flip it over and lace our fingers together, bringing her hand to my mouth to kiss the back of it.
I want the day to be a lot of fun. The first part of the day, we’ll be school shopping for Jess. After that, I plan on taking them out to dinner and maybe a movie.
Just a night on the town with my girls.
“Can I have a backpack with glitter on it?” Jess asks as she fiddles with the purse Pam gave her the other day.
I grimace, picturing the glitter going everywhere in the truck and house, but I’ll never deny her of it since it makes her happy. “If they have one you really like, then yes, you can get one,” I tell her.
Luna snorts and shakes her head. I squeeze her hand, and she gives me a smile so bright I feel it square in my chest. I told her I would follow her wherever she wants to go, and I mean it. I’ll leave everything behind to make sure she is safe and happy.
We pull into the parking lot, and thankfully, it’s not busy since it’s the middle of the week.
Parking the car next to a cart return area, I turn the car off and turn to them.
“Are you guys ready for a day of shopping?”
They both nod, and we all get out. When I walk around to the other side of the car and open their doors,?Jess looks around the parking lot, her eyebrows drawn down as she bites her lip.
“You alright, squirt?” I ask as I grab her hand.
“Yeah, just looking around. This place is big,” she says as she looks up at me.
Sometimes I forget that she’s never been to a store this big. “It is, but it’ll be a lot of fun. We’ll get some hot chocolate from the coffee stand before we jump into shopping.”
She just nods at me.
“Alright, let’s go do some shopping,” I say and lead them to the store.
Inside, I grab a cart, and we get our drinks from the coffee stand before heading over to the school supply section in the back of the store.
“I… um, I forgot my new purse in the car. Can I go get it?” Jess asks softly, looking down at her drink.
“I can go grab it for you. You can stay and start shopping with Noah,” Luna suggests.
“I’ll go get it. You both stay here,” I say, and Jess looks between the two of us.
“I forgot my ChapStick in the cup holder. I don’t want it to melt. I’ll be right back. It’s not a big deal.” Luna sets her purse in the shopping cart and goes up on her tiptoes to kiss me under my chin.
When she pulls away, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and pull her to me. My lips brush hers softly. “Are you sure? I’d prefer if we all go with everything going on.”
“Noah, I’ll be back in a jiffy. It’s silly for us all to go out there. I can’t be afraid to do everything by myself. I’ll be back before you know it.” She turns to Jess. “Go start looking at backpacks. I can’t wait to see what you choose.” She smiles and turns to walk toward the front of the store.
I watch her until I can’t see her anymore. “Alright. You heard her, let’s go look at backpacks.”
Jess nods and looks down at the floor but follows me.
A few minutes later, Jess is still looking at the backpacks, and I look over my shoulder toward the front door to see if I can see Luna.
“Where is she?” I mumble. It shouldn’t take that long to get something from the car. When I hear Jess sniffle, I turn to her. “Hey, it’s okay. She’ll be right back. She probably ran into someone we know and is talking to them.”
She shakes her head.
Confused, I bend down in front of her. “No? What do you mean no?”
“This is all my fault,” she cries and throws her arms around my shoulders.
My heart picks up once I register what she said.
“What is your fault?” I ask her softly, my stomach churning as worst-case scenarios run through my head.
Holding her in my arms, I stand and grab Luna’s purse before striding to the front of the store.
Alarm bells blare in my head.
“Everything,” she whispers, tears falling down her cheeks.
I rush out the entrance, and my heart drops to my stomach when I see my truck passenger door open and Jess’s purse on the ground. Movement catches my eye, and when I turn toward it, a white van is barreling down the row next to where we were parked, taking a corner faster than it should.
Through the window, something glints in the sunlight.
Without thinking, I drop to the ground and cover Jess with my body. Her screams are drowned out by a popping noise.
As soon as it starts, it stops. I hear yelling from the people in the store as I get up.
I stay on my knees and pull Jess back into my arms. “Are you okay?”
She nods against me.
“It’s okay if you aren’t, but I’m going to need you to tell me everything. I just have to call for help first, okay?”
“Sir, are you and your daughter okay? I have the sheriff on the phone,” someone says from behind me.
I turn to them. “We’re okay. I’m a sheriff from Griffin’s Den. I’m also calling my boss to let him know. Thank you.”
I pick Jess back up and walk toward the truck, dialing Mike.
“Luna is gone,” I say before he can even say hello. “She ran out to the truck to get something, and she’s gone. They opened fire at Jess and me as they pulled away. We’re going to need to call in the cavalry.”
“I know I don’t have to tell you, but don’t touch anything. Wait by the front door and tell me where you’re at. I’m calling everyone, including Special Agent Hunt,” he says as my phone vibrates.
“Hold on. I’m getting a text.” I pull my phone from my ear and see that Hunt has already messaged me.
Hunt: The Family has been spotted a town over. We’re on our way already to check it out.
Me: They have Luna.Meet at the station when you get in
“Hunt just messaged me and said they got a tip that The Family was spotted a town over… We’re in the next town over at Biggies.
Jess keeps saying it’s her fault, but I only want her to have to tell the story once.
She’s upset, and I want to make sure the people she tells is a small group so she feels safe. ”
“I’m on my way. I have the county forensic team meeting me there. Technically, this one isn’t ours, but I’ll do the coordinating with everyone. Alerts are going out on our radios about what’s happening.”
I blow out a breath as I turn and head back toward the front door. As much as I would like to take point on this, I know I can’t. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. We take care of our own. I’m on my way now. I’ll be there in fifteen with lights and sirens,” he says as I hear him start his car.
“We’ll be here.”
I hang up, and Jess taps my shoulder. I turn to look at her, raking my eyes over her, as much as I can while she is in my arms, to make sure she really isn’t hurt.
“I’m really sorry. I thought I had to,” she says on a hiccup.
I hug her. “It’ll be okay. We’ll figure it out and get your sister back.”
“Am I going to get in trouble? Do you think Luna is going to hate me?”
I shake my head. “Luna won’t be mad. Just like I’m not. I’m just worried, and we both love you. You aren’t in trouble, but you have to tell me and the other officers everything when we ask, okay?”
She nods. “I love you guys too. I was just afraid.”
“I know, squirt. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”
And I hope with everything I am that I can keep that promise.