Page 49 of The Cabin-A Reverse Harem Romance
“We need to find her,” Sean finally said.
“If we don’t get on it soon, we won’t have tracks to follow,” Chase added.
“Then let’s go,” Nolan said. “Now.”
We ran for the truck, and all hopped in. I just hoped it was going to start, given the fact that it was freezing cold outside. Nolan turned the key, and the engine roared to life, and we all let out a long breath of relief at the same time. We looked around at each other, a nervous chuckle rippling around the interior of the truck. Apparently, we were all on the same page.
Nolan pulled out, and even with chains, I felt the truck slipping and sliding on the hard-packed ice beneath the powder. Finally, the wheels caught, and we started to roll forward down the long driveway that would take us out to the highway.
“Tracks show up better here,” Nolan said.
The forest canopy overhead shielded the tracks a lot better than out there in that open and exposed parking lot. The tracks from Brad’s car were easy to follow. I glanced through the windshield and saw the highway up ahead – with the tire tracks taking a left out of the long driveway.
“To the left,” I said.
“I see it,” Nolan replied, his tone a little curt.
We were all obviously all under a lot of stress in that moment. That creep had Elle, and for all we knew, he was planning on killing her and dumping the body somewhere. I was just hoping and praying we weren’t too late, and he wouldn’t have a chance to hurt her before we could get to her.
We’d promised to look after her, to protect her. We’d told Aaron and her parents that we’d never let anything bad happen to her. We’d told them we’d keep her safe. Yeah, we were fucking up on that promise, big time.
“What the hell is that?” Sean muttered from his spot in the passenger seat.
Chase and I, both sitting in the back, leaned forward and looked at the road ahead. About a mile or so in front of us, we saw what looked like a car on the side of the road – but something didn’t look quite right about it.
“That car is in a ditch,” Nolan said. “On its roof.”
A chill colder than the Arctic-like wind outside swept through me. I said silent prayer to whoever might be listening that it wasn’t what I thought it was. My concern though ws that given the weather, the highway was virtually empty. There was nobody else out there.
Which meant, the car in the ditch was more than likely Brad’s.
“Is it?” I asked, hoping against all hope that it wasn’t.
Nobody said a word for a long moment, all of us seeming to be holding our breath. Nolan pulled to a stop beside the car in the ditch, which was indeed on its roof. The body of the car was battered, like it had rolled over several times before coming to rest on its top side.
We all climbed out of the truck silently, standing at the top of the embankment, looking down at Brad’s BMW. It was totaled. The hazard lights flashed, and one of its headlights was on, the beam of light casting eerie shadows against the mounded snowbanks.
We all knew we needed to go down there. Elle could be trapped inside. She could be alive, for all we knew. Though, judging by the looks on all of our faces, none of us had very high hopes. The car was mangled, and I didn’t see how anybody could have survived it.
I let out a long breath. “I’ll go,” I said grimly. “I’ll check it out.”
It told me pretty much all I needed to know about the level of hope in our group that nobody stopped me, and nobody came down to check with me.
11
Nolan
I watched Trevor pick his way down the embankment, being careful to avoid slipping and falling on his ass. I gazed over at the wrecked car and I felt my heart sink into my stomach. I wasn’t a religious man, but I said a few words to whoever might be out there in the universe listening, pleading for Elise’s life. Praying, in my own way, that she was not going to be in that car.
Trevor pushed his way through the snow, getting to the car after what felt like a thousand years. He bent down on the passenger side, ducking out of sight. A moment later, he stood back up, and waved to us. The gusting wind made it impossible for us to hear what he was shouting, but he was agitated, that much was clear.
“I’ll go,” I said.
I made my way down the slope and over to Trevor as quickly but carefully as possible. The footing was treacherous, and the last thing I wanted was to slip and twist an ankle, or worse. With each step I took though, the knot in my stomach got tighter, and tighter. I didn’t want to see. Didn’t want to believe. I wanted Elise to be alive. I wanted her safe and sound, and back with us.
