Page 85 of Beautiful Deceit
Beau
I look back downat the texts from Brian.
Good as a ghost.
Been MIA for months.
I need to call him. I stay in the back to take the call, even as my instincts tell me to follow her into the main store.
I growl into the phone, “Where the fuck is he, Bri?”
He goes immediately into explanations, “No one in town has any idea where the sheriff is. He just stopped coming to work. When anybody would go out to the house, he wouldn't answer, even if he was home. No one knew if he was or not.” His voice lowers, like he doesn’t want to be overheard, “I found her house easily enough. What I found in it…” he trails off, "It’s some disturbing, unhealthy shit.” He pauses, “Beau, this guy needs to be put away."
His voice sounds shocked by what he found. If it shocked Brian, then we're in trouble. I hang up the phone, thinking about how I am going to convince her that she needs to stop working until we find this bastard. I walk out of the back room, a conversation playing in my head.
I look over to where she is standing at the register. Her back is to me. I curse under my breath. Why didn't I just tell her that her stepdad is missing? The look on her face when she turned towards me has me sitting at the edge of the room, near the entrance. She may not want me near her, but I can at least keep an eye on every person coming into her store. I clench my jaw, all this time she's been in danger, the threat much more serious than we all thought.
I pretend to read a book,hoping everyone would get the hint andfuck off. I can feel the desperation rolling off the people slowly surrounding me.
I should have made her go home as soon as I ended the call with Brian. More importantly, I shouldn't have dismissed her when she asked me what was wrong. Then maybe I'd be standing next to her watching her help customers instead of being dismissed to the side, in the middle of this shit storm.
Sammy's expression is sad as she walks in between a group of young girls, trying to distract them. She's swallowed up, before I can tell her what a bad idea it is.
I hear her call to me, asking me to go to the back, but my slightest movement sends the group in to a frenzy.
"Stop," I bellow, trying to get them to let her out. When she doesn't emerge from the crowd, I push my way back through the masses, trying to reach her. They push back, making it impossible for me to move forward.
The shouting is deafening with each voice overlaying the others. I swear I hear her scream my name once, but I'm overrun by the bevy of women.
It's a good fifteen minutes before the last of them are ushered out the door. Thank goodness Jess was smart enough to call the police when I couldn't get them under control.
I finally look around, realizing I haven’t seen Sammy since the whole mess started. I think this might be the event that makes her realize she could do much better than a jaded asshole that brings her more trouble when she already has enough to deal with.
I stride to the back, thinking it unusual for her to not be front and center when there's something to deal with in the store. I've never seen her hide away when there's a problem relating to something she loves. She's a fierce protector, even if she doesn't realize it. She really must be tired of my shit.
Her office door is open, there's an overturned chair on the floor, but no sign of her. Immediately my heart starts to pound. Where is she?
I rush to the employees’ lounge. It’s empty as well. That has me running out to the front, yelling her name. She'll pop up any second, I tell myself. My hands shake as I rush through the nooks and crannies of the store, yelling her name.
I've caught the attention of her friend Jess and the blue-haired girl, both looking at me like I'm crazy.
"Have you seen her? Where is she?"
Jess shakes her head, "Not since before, you know, when she went out into the mob."
"Did you hear her holler for me?" She shakes her head no. "It doesn't matter. Get that cop back in here," I order, already dialing Brian.
I yell, "She’s gone," into the phone, before hanging up and calling the detective that's working on Tasha's case.
"This is Chris Huntington, I need your help."
Noneof the cops think it's a big deal she gone. I hear thejealous girlfriendremark thrown out just as much as theneeded air,orgive her time, she'll be back.
They don't know her. She’d never leave her store or me when we both needed her.
Cortez and Hall show up, and I take them to her office to explain everything. When I sit down, my hand moves her mouse. I see the front of the store from a few different angles. It's then that I remember the cameras.
I call the security service and I tell them what's happened. They assure me a hard file of today's footage will be stored and walk me through the process of rewinding the feeds.
