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chapter 6
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2022-07-24 19:58:38Related chapters
Find Him chapter 7
The sun was bright and warm, the rain from the day before was just a memory. Driving down the main street in Valley Mills, Dean thought how quaint. The buildings all look like a western movie set. Only a few businesses had changed. However, there were still familiar places like Willies Joint Bar & Grill and The Beer Joint, still popular drinking holes. It would seem women still got their hair done at Curl up & Dye. The Mexican restaurant from back in the day brought a smile to his lips. He parked his car a few spaces past the restaurant and got out. He thought about those kisses long after he’d left Olivia’s house last night. Her mouth had been as inviting as he’d remembered. Something about her created a desire in him he’d always knew existed. He had to admit he wouldn’t mind getting her back into his bed again. At that moment, he was walking past the Sheriff’s office when Olivia exited the building walking almost into him. Thank goodness she couldn’t read his thoughts.She brought
Last Updated : 2022-08-01Find Him Chapter 8
Chapter 8The office was empty when Oliva and Dean arrived. She sat down at her desk and turned on her computer. Dean picked up a beautifully framed picture from her desk. He smiled instantly, recognizing her father and Eli together. “Your father was a wonderful man.” Dean placed the frame back down. “I can only imagine how low he must have thought I was.”Olivia looked at Dean in surprise. “Why would you say such a thing?”He dropped his head, unsure what to do with his hands. He reached them down deep into his pockets. “He must have known Eli was mine, and I was nowhere to be seen.”“Dean, when I told him I was pregnant, I also told him I was going to be a single mom. He never asked me questions, and I never told him who the father was. When we were a couple, I know he loved you, and I don’t for a minute think anything over the years changed how he felt about you.” His eyes narrowed as if in pain.He moved around behind her to view the monitor. “Let’s see what that blog has to say.”
Last Updated : 2022-08-03Find Him Chapter 9
Dean had spent all afternoon on the phone with his siblings. They all agreed whoever had talked to The Roaming Texas had shared enough information to suggest they had intimate ties to the family.Dean couldn’t imagine who the source of the information could be. Mia had called Dean. It outraged her that somebody was feeding the blog intimate details of their lives. “Dean, it’s not me I’m concerned about. Cate and I are adults, we can weather it. It’s Eli, I’m worried about.”“Me too, Olivia and I want to be the ones to tell him. I’m heading over there tomorrow afternoon. I’m glad you’re okay Mia.” He said.“If you need to talk, I’m here.” Mia knew her older brother was strong, but all this was a lot for even him to digest in a week.By the time the following afternoon rolled around, Dean was eager to spend time with Eli. He pulled up in Olivia’s driveway just before it was time for Eli to get off the bus and walk the couple of blocks home. As he walked to the porch, an unsettled energy
Last Updated : 2022-08-11Find Him Chapter 10
Olivia had to be honest with herself. It had been a tough week, and she didn’t mind that Dean was picking Eli up for their Thursday afternoon together. She could use the time to relax and unwind. They’d had to file another police report earlier that day about more vandalism on the current site, coupled with time on the phone soothing the council. Ensuring their job timeline will be honored. It was almost time for Dean to drop Eli home; she sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coco, but she didn’t expect him to come inside the house. Saturday and Tuesday past. Dean had picked up and dropped off Eli without coming inside. It irritated her. She didn’t feel relieved he was seeking some distance from her. She felt more than a little disappointed.Olivia saw the happiness and joy emanating from her son when he came home from his time with Dean. The two were growing very close. Perhaps it was time for her and Dean to sit down with Eli and tell him the truth. Maybe it was time for her to t
Last Updated : 2022-08-11Find Him Chapter 11
“We need to get out there and look for him, Dean. Maybe he’s lying somewhere hurt.” Olivia grabbed Dean’s arm, her eyes wide with alarm. “We’ve got to find him.” Her voice held signs of panic.Dean placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. “Olivia, I checked the street and front yards of every house along his walk home. He isn’t there.” It was apparent she was in complete denial Eli had been abducted. “Think hard now. Any other friends he might have gone to play with?”“Perhaps… Maybe Steven. Eli has gone to his house for playdates before.” Her face was now drained and colorless.“Okay, call anyplace you think he could have gone, and I’ll call sheriff Tanner.” Dean knew she wouldn’t find Eli at any friend’s house.Somebody had kidnapped his son. He knew this with a gut instinct, and the faster the sheriff and his men got involved, the better the possibility of finding him. Looking back, he should never have removed the backpack. Of course, he had enough law enforcement training to kno
Last Updated : 2022-08-26Find Him Chapter 12
By seven-thirty pm, Olivia was in the kitchen making sandwiches and more coffee for those that had come to help. The house was full of well-meaning people; she appeared calm and in control unless Dean looked into her eyes, revealing her intense screaming despair. Deputy Dan Williams sat on a chair in the kitchen and coordinated fellow officers’ calls and neighbors and friends who had shown up to search.Dean was grateful Olivia had a couple of friends to offer support and chat with her. He paced the floor, waiting for news. Finally, he climbed the stairs to Eli’s bedroom. He stood in the doorway and stared in. He tucked Eli into his bed with a ruffle of his hair, and Eli placed his hand on Dean’s cheek.Dean, I’m glad you want to spend time with me. He said. Because I like being with you. Dean had tucked him in and wished him happy dreams. He wanted to do it again. He wanted to hold his son and tell him how much he loved him. How happy he was that Eli was his son. His heart swelled in
Last Updated : 2022-08-28Find Him Chapter 13
Olivia’s heart was now sitting in her throat. She looked at the phone on the table. The caller I.D box displayed a PRIVATE NUMBER instead of a phone number.The phone rang a second time. She was suddenly more afraid than she had been throughout the entire evening.“Answer it,” Dan said, ready to record the conversation. The phone rang a third time. “Olivia, answer the phone,” Dean said calmly.Hands trembling, she picked up the receiver and whispered a faint hello. “I have your son.” The voice echoed throughout the kitchen. The voice was digitally distorted, making it impossible to know if the caller was male or female. “Who is this? What do you want?”“At midnight tomorrow, bring three million dollars in hundred-dollar bills to the Bosque River marina. There is a delivery box at the number three wharf. Inside, you will find instructions on where to leave the money. If I see any cops, the boy dies.” Dean grabbed the phone from Olivia. “You get nothing unless we get proof of life,”
Last Updated : 2022-09-25Find Him Chapter 14
Dean stood in the doorway of Olivia’s room for a few minutes. It was just after dawn. She was sleeping soundly. He was grateful she needed the rest to face the day ahead. She looked beautiful in the faint dawn light. Her face was relaxed and her hair lay in a satin cloud around her head. She’d been so strong the day before, he knew she would be close to a breaking point. He hoped the sleep she’d gotten would keep her strong.He turned and headed off to take a shower. He stood under the water and allowed the heat to massage his tense muscles. He recalled the previous night’s events. There was no doubt in his mind that his father had kidnapped Eli for monetary gain. Jack was on the run from the law and the first thing he would need would be plenty of cash. He had hated no one in his life as much as he hated him. How would Olivia feel about him if the kidnapper turned out to be his father? He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel. He dressed in the same clothes he’d worn yesterday.
Last Updated : 2022-09-28
Latest chapter
Find Him Chapter 27
The drive home was filled with a sense of relief. Nothing else mattered except they had found their son, Eli. The countryside rolled by. The gentle humming of the tires was a balm to their weary souls. Glancing into his rearview mirror, Dean couldn’t stop gazing at his family in the back seat. Eli cuddled into his mother’s side.As they pulled into the driveway, Mia and Kate were already waiting, their figures silhouetted in the warm glow of the porch light. The scent of freshly cooked pancakes wafted from the open front door, mingling with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.Dean glanced over at Mia and Kate, gratitude evident in his eyes.“Thank you both for being here,” Dean said, his voice filled with appreciation. “It means a lot.” He extended his hand, and Kate met it with a firm, reassuring grip.“Nice to meet you, Kate,” Dean said with a genuine smile. “Mia has told me so much about you. Thank you for taking care of Eli.”Kate’s voice was gentle as she responded, her eyes bri
Find Him Chapter 26
Chapter 26Dean’s pick-up truck cut through the night, its tires humming against the pavement as four occupants rode in tense silence. The air inside the vehicle crackled with a potent mix of fear, anticipation, and determination. Each passing mile brought them closer to the old, abandoned farmhouse where they hoped to find Eli. The rhythmic patter of rain against the roof added a somber soundtrack to their journey.Dean’s grip on the steering wheel tightened with the weight of responsibility pressing heavily upon his shoulders. He stole glances at Olivia, her face a reflection of his own emotions. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.In the back seat, Ben and Logan exchanged concerned looks, their own worry evident on their faces. The bond of friendship had transformed them into a makeshift family, concentrated on rescuing Eli safely.Deputies Dan and Glen followed behind in the patrol car, their minds consumed by suspicions surrounding Sheriff
Find Him Chapter 25
Olivia’s mind raced with a mix of hope and anxiety as she clutched Dean’s arm tightly. The call had promised Eli’s safety, a glimmer of light in their dark journey. Her heart ached to believe it, to embrace the possibility that her son was finally within reach. She looked into Dean’s eyes, searching for reassurance. “Do you think it might be real?” she asked, her voice trembling with anticipation.Dean squeezed her hand gently, his own heart filled with a flicker of hope. “We don’t lose anything if we go and check it out,” he replied, his voice filled with determination. He understood Olivia’s fear, but deep down, he sensed that they couldn’t ignore this opportunity. It was a chance they had to take.Ben chimed in, adding his voice to the discussion. “We just checked the shed on the property. We didn’t check the farmhouse,” he said, his voice laced with cautious optimism. “Eli was only moved this afternoon.”Olivia’s intuition tugged at her, urging her to follow this path. Despite her
Find Him Chapter 24
***It was dark when the men came through the front door. Ben and Logan headed into the kitchen, where they found the deputies. The look on Dean’s face told her everything she needed to know. He was beaten, his eyes filled with sorrow and pain she recognized well. He jammed his hands in his pockets. “I missed him, Liv; Eli was being held in that basement.” He looked at her with the shine of tears in his eyes. “I wasn’t enough for my father to love, I couldn’t get it right with you, and now I can’t find my boy.”She reached out and ran a hand over his face. Eli had his bright blue eyes, bold brow, and cheekbones. It was a face she loved. It was a face she had always loved; she’d seen the likeness of it every time she gazed at her son. At this moment, she’d never felt so close to Dean. She hadn’t realized until this moment that there was still a part of him, a little boy who longed for his father’s love. Who knew the pain and suffering of being overlooked and neglected by the father w
Find Him Chapter 23
The storm had arrived, thunder rolled, and lightning flashed. Outside the abandoned farmhouse, a car door slammed, and a motor whined. Ed squinted through the grimy living room window and watched as the white van headed down the long driveway and onto the highway.His expression grew smug as a sneer crossed his narrow lips, and he recalled how easy it had been to move the boy from Wayne’s house. Those stupid rangers drove right past us. Now the brat is safely tucked away in the basement, and with the sleeping pills I put in his soda, he should sleep for a couple more hours yet… And I don’t have to listen to him crying for his mommy.Lightning flashed again, turning the whole world purple. In its glare, Ed saw something standing a few yards from the house, looking at him. He blinked and looked again… the lightning was gone, and with it, the something. It was nothing… a trick of the light.Ed drew the curtains against the approaching darkness. A lantern sat on the sideboard across from
Find Him Chapter 22
Late that afternoon, on the outskirts of Waco, Texas, clouds gathered like a thousand black kites knotted together and trapped. The air inside cabin 13 suggested the smell of burning rubber and paint fumes. The Lone Star hotel had a long reputation for drug sessions and sleazy hookups. The room’s two occupants lay naked on the bed. The woman had taken her last breath half an hour ago. The needle hanging out of her arm had seen to that; there was nothing he could do. His thoughts were now of sorrow. He wanted to try, but it hurt too much. Raising his eyes to the ceiling, he whispers a prayer. A tear escapes as he slowly let go. His life slipped away. At last, he is rid of that stuck-up bitch of a boss Olivia Reed. * * *“I’m assuming there is still a patrol car parked at Wayne’s,’ Dean said when they were a block away. “I’ll park out of sight and sneak through backyards. I don’t want to get shot by some nervous deputy.” He pulled up to the curb six houses away from Waynes. Ben grab
Find Him Chapter 21
Eli tossed and turned in endless dreams. Flashing images of his mother and Dean calling him, he couldn’t find them, and worse, they couldn’t find him. His eyes opened in time to see the large black figure disappearing up the stairs. His heart was beating fast. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He had been crying in his sleep again. Next to his cot, resting on a small table, was a glass of orange soda; it was his favorite soda. A treat his mother allowed sometimes. He drank it down; the sweetness felt cheerful. A moment later, he yawned the most enormous yawn he could ever remember as a sudden heavy sleepiness overcame him. He put his head back down on the pillow.***Logan walked to the end of the porch and turned to face his two friends. “Here’s what we know so far,” he said with solid eye contact. “The DNA results from the blood found on the side of the van at the Mexican border belong to Ed Stringer.”“Jack’s lackey,” Dean exclaimed, his mouth falling open.“There’s more,” added Logan
Find Him Chapter 20
“How dare she question my motives.” Dean was seething with anger. He clenched and unclenched his hands around the steering wheel. She hadn’t lived through the emotional turmoil and damage his father had put him and his siblings through. His mother’s death was enough to send him over the edge. To bargain for his son’s life was the most challenging thing he’d ever done.He drove faster. He was headed down to the marina where the exchange was supposed to occur. He wanted to look around and cool off. He hoped Ben and Logan could come up with some new information that would find Eli before Monday night. He drove down the gravel driveway and into the Bosque River Marina carpark. Attempting to push away the heated argument with Olivia, he focused his attention out of the window. His eyes scanned the area. He could see the number three wharf, where most of the moorings were occupied. He saw a large metal box next to the pier security door. Nearby a man was standing in the cockpit of his boat
Find Him Chapter 19
Lying on his side, Eli willed his eyes to open. His clothes felt dirty against his skin. He needed a bath. He knew he was still chained to the wall, but the chain was long enough to allow him to move around the basement and reach the toilet next to an old sink where a cup sat so he could drink. Sitting up, he inspected his ankle and reached down to try to loosen the shackle again, but his ankle was now too swollen and sore to keep trying. He began to cry again. It scared him that nobody had found him. Was he still in Valley Mills? For all he knew, he could be in New York, he had learned a little about that place in school, and he knew that it was a long way from his home. He also knew his kidnapper wore a black coat and ski mask; Eli didn’t know if it was a man or a woman. He heard footsteps coming down the stairs. The black figure was carrying something new, an old wooden chair and something white folded under his arm. Eli tried to speak with his capture again. “Why are you keeping
