Chapter 61 No lead
CALEB
If there’s anything I’ve learned these past hours, it’s that panic doesn’t introduce itself politely. It walks straight in, sits on your chest, and refuses to move.
That was exactly how it felt when Mrs. Chavez came to me earlier, wringing her hands and saying, “Elsie hasn’t returned, sir. It’s almost night. Mr. Field said he dropped her at the supermarket… but her line is off. This isn’t like her.”
We had driven all the way to the supermarket, Jacob and I, the tension in the car so thick I could feel it pressing against my chest. The sun was already dipping behind the buildings, painting the streets with that dim, anxious light, and I kept stealing glances at Jacob, sitting beside me, jaw tight, fingers drumming on his thigh. We hadn’t said much, not since Mr. Field told Mrs. Chavez he had dropped Elsie off there hours ago. The thought that she could be gone without a trace gnawed at me, and even as I gripped the steering wheel, my mind refused to calm down.
When we arrived, the parking lot looked normal—busy with people coming and going, carts clattering, kids squealing—but there was no sign of her. I parked and we walked inside, trying to act casual, though I could see Jacob’s eyes scanning every aisle, every corner, as if she might just appear around the next shelf.
We asked the security at the front desk if we could review the CCTV footage, explaining that we were looking for a young woman who might have wandered in earlier. One of them frowned, hesitating. “We usually need a police report to access the cameras,” he said, his tone cautious, almost reluctant. I clenched my jaw.
“Listen,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “we just need to check the footage from the parking lot and the entrance for a couple of hours. We aren’t filing a report; we just want to see if she arrived.”
He exchanged a glance with his colleague, and after a moment, sighed. “Okay, we can do that, but it might take some time.”
We waited, leaning against the counter, Jacob pacing, muttering under his breath. I could feel the unease growing. I remembered the last time we were hunting for someone, how quickly things had spiraled, and I couldn’t shake the nagging fear that this time would be worse.
Finally, they led us to a small office where the monitors were stacked against the wall, blinking, showing footage from the last twelve hours.
Time stamps ran across the screen. Cars moved in and out of the frame. People walked by. Jacob leaned over his shoulder, eyes narrowed, his breath almost shaking.
“Rewind to 9:30 a.m.,” I said.
The guard did. The camera view showed vehicles passing, customers getting dropped off, and a couple arguing over a parking spot. But no Mr. Field’s car. No Elsie.
“Check the other angle,” Jacob snapped.
We watched from another angle. Then another. And another.
Nothing.
At 9:30 a.m., the road in front of the supermarket was empty. No black sedan. No maid in a blue dress. No man stepped out to open the door for her.
Elsie never arrived.
Jacob stepped back, dragging his hand down his face. “That bastard.”
My jaw clenched so tight it hurt. The truth was staring right at us.
“Let’s go,” I said, already walking out.
The drive back felt like a ticking bomb. Jacob sat forward, hands gripping the dashboard, muttering curses under his breath.
When we got to the house, the first person we saw was Mr. Field standing by the staircase. His face went pale the moment he saw our expressions.
Jacob rushed him, “You lying piece of—”
I grabbed Jacob’s shoulder before he could jump the man. “Let me,” I said quietly.
That was enough to make Jacob stop. He knew my voice. He knew when it carried a warning.
Mr. Field raised his hands. “Sirs… what happened? Did you find her?”
“You never dropped her at the supermarket,” I said.
He froze. Completely.
“I—I did, sir. I did. I swear—”
“Careful old man,” I warned, stepping closer. “Choose your next words wisely.”
His breath hitched. Sweat formed along his forehead.
“I… I drove her. I swear. I dropped her at the–”
“WE SAW THE FOOTAGE!” Jacob roared.
Mr. Field flinched so hard he stumbled.
“You think we’re stupid?” Jacob growled. “You think we wouldn’t check?”
“I… I…” His voice cracked. “I don’t know what happened. I did drop her off. Maybe the footage—”
“Say one more lie,” I whispered, “and I’ll break your jaw.”
Mr. Field’s eyes went wide, darting between us. He was shaking now.
Before he could speak again, footsteps echoed from the hallway. Aiden appeared. His eyes moved from me to Jacob to Field, reading the room like a man used to walking into danger.
“What happened?” he asked.
Jacob answered for both of us. “She never made it to the supermarket.”
For a second, Aiden didn’t move. His face didn’t change. But something behind his eyes flickered—fear, anger, something sharp and heavy.
“What do you mean?” he asked slowly.
I met his stare. “Field lied.”
Aiden shifted his attention to Field, who took a step back as if he’d just come face to face with death itself.
“Where is she?” Aiden asked, voice dangerously low.
“—I don’t know,” Field whispered.
Jacob scoffed. “You’re gonna keep lying? After this?”
“I don’t know anything,” Field said again, his voice breaking. “I swear. I swear on my life—”
Aiden stepped forward, closing the distance between them in seconds. His eyes were colder than mine or Jacob’s. “You'd better think very carefully,” he said, “because if something happens to her, I will not be the one stopping myself.”
Mr. Field’s knees nearly buckled.
I looked between my brothers. For the first time in a long time, all three of us stood there united—not by choice, not by blood, but by the same fear. The same anger. The same woman.
Elsie.
Jacob exhaled sharply. “Someone took her. And we’re wasting time talking to this coward.”
Aiden turned to me. “What’s the plan?”
For a heartbeat, everything inside me paused.
They were looking at me.
Waiting.
Depending on me.
“We start from the road,” I said. “We find the point where Field claims he dropped her. Someone saw something. Someone knows something. We don’t stop until we find her.”
“And if someone took her?” Aiden asked quietly.
“Then,” I said, my hands curling into fists, “we take them apart piece by piece.”
All three of us looked at Mr. Field one last time.
And he realized—
This time, even God couldn’t save him if he was lying.