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Hunt finally arrived with an update. “They were upstairs in a hallway just inside that window.”
Chase had set up in the barn loft, thinking it the best vantage point for the largest portion of the house. He could practically feel her in there.
“They stood in the hallway for the last few minutes. Then they turned back and went downstairs.” Hunt pointed to the boarded-up windows along theback. “That’s the kitchen. They’re standing in there.” He pointed to the French doors leading out to a patio. “That’s the main living room area. We haven’t seen any sign that he’s checking out the windows or that he’s even concerned about the cops showing up.”
Odd.
Did he really think he could take Shelby and Eliza and no one would come for them?
It didn’t make sense.
Nothing Kyle did made much sense.
Chase tried to think. “I have no clue why they went upstairs and came back down. I’d think he’d lock them in a room together.” That would give Chase a chance to rescue them, possibly without Kyle even knowing about it.
Hunt shrugged. “Maybe Eliza got hungry and they’re getting her something to eat?”
Maybe. Still. “Look at this place. It’s been abandoned a long time. The elements have worn it down, and nature has taken over.” The whole landscape was overgrown, giving him cover, thankfully. “Why bring them here? He has to know that we’d check out all his family’s properties.”
Hunt nodded. “I’ve already contacted the police where his folks live down south and asked them to go out and interview the parents, see if they know what their son is up to.”
Chase wondered what they knew and if they even cared. As far as he knew, they’d never contacted Shelby. Maybe because they felt like they didn’t have a right after what Kyle had done. Maybe because they too didn’t want to be reminded about what he’d done every time they saw her.
Either way, they’d missed out on knowing a really great woman.
One he hoped to spend the rest of his life with. And after all this, he didn’t plan to wait for the right time, whenever that might be, to ask her to be his wife. He loved her now. He’d love her forever. So why wait? Why put it off? Why miss another day without being able to call her his wife and know that they’d committed themselves to each other?
Why not start working on building their family and their lives together right now?
Kyle threatened to take it all away.
Chase was not going to let that happen.
“We need to get them out of there. Now.”
Hunt’s phone rang. “Looks like we don’t have to wait to find out about his parents.” Hunt stepped away to take the call.
Chase checked the rifle he’d checked a dozen times since Hunt handed it to him. It was ready to go and so was Chase. He never thought he’d have to look down the barrel of a gun again and shoot someone. He’d wanted to leave that part of his life behind him. But for Shelby and Eliza, he’d take down however many bad guys he had to, to keep them safe.
Hunt came back much too quickly. “This isn’t good.”
“What?” Chase really didn’t want to know.
“No one has seen the parents since Kyle was released from prison a couple months ago. The mail has piled up at their home, so local law enforcement went inside, concerned for their well-being.”
“And?”
“They weren’t there, but there were obvious signs ofa struggle and even some blood. Not much. Not enough to suggest a major injury or death, but . . .”
“Yeah. But.” That left a lot of room to speculate about what Kyle had done to his parents.
“They’ve opened an investigation into their disappearance.”
Chase stared at the boarded-up windows. “The answer is inside that house.”
Hunt followed his gaze. “You think he planned all this in prison, got out, killed his parents, then came after Shelby and Eliza?”
“I think he blamed his parents for... Who knows what they did to him. They didn’t love him enough? They abused him? They didn’t help him get out of the mess he made for himself when he took Rebecca? God knows. But I think he really thought Shelby would give him a chance and welcome him into her life. He doesn’t believe what he did to Rebecca was wrong. He loved her. He wanted her. He thinks their time together in that cabin was them living out his fantasy.”
