emotion she was feeling. “I don’t know, but I’ve got to find out, Evangeline. I’m confused, hopeful, and at the same time scared to death. Let’s go home and search all of the newspapers and the internet. Maybe we can find a clue or an article about the accident that man was referring to.”
Evangeline didn’t hesitate to say exactly what she was thinking. “This is it, Arabella. I can feel it. We’re going to find him, I just know it.”
* * * *
Jade Landale panicked. The only lifeline he had to hold on to was the escape he had in his sleep. Strangely, this time his dream had not turned out as before. When he had first dropped off, he had been dreaming of his best friend in high school, Todd Reynolds. They had been climbing out at Heuco Tanks, which was about thirty-two miles northeast of El Paso. They had made that climb together several times, but this time Todd fell. The accident had been Jade’s fault—he’d watched his friend fall headfirst down Mushroom boulder. He had watched in horror as Todd bounced off the side like a rag doll. All of a sudden, a magnetic-like force had begun to draw him. He tried to fight the impulse, but the attraction was just too strong. Jade had been pulled into a tunnel-like vortex, and when he became aware of his surroundings, he was back on E-Rock.
At first, he had been relieved; standing on one side, seemingly where he had left her, was his lady. God, she looked beautiful. His loins tightened at the sight of her. He approached her, but this time she did not respond. Could she see him? He went up to her, but her eyes looked right through him. Her lips were moving, but he didn’t hear any sound at all. Panicked, he tried to make her look at him. He touched her face with his hand. She jumped—at last acknowledging his presence. Her hand came up and she touched the exact same spot. His heart leapt with excitement. She could feel him!
Then, cruelly, unwanted hands brought him back to unwelcome reality. He awoke to find several orderlies were working to move him and all of the machines that were keeping him alive. They were moving him to God knows where. Jade had no idea what was about to happen to him, and he wasn’t looking forward to finding out. He didn’t have a good feeling about any of this.
They were early, he thought. Time didn’t mean much to him. He did know the sun had come up. The lightness in the room betrayed that fact. No one came in to talk to him or offered him any explanation. He had so many questions and no answers. Had they given up on him? Were they taking him some place where he would get more individualized care? These questions were important to him, but what he wanted to know more than anything was why he hadn’t been able to make contact with the beautiful woman on E-Rock. She’d been his salvation. If he lost her then he would have nothing—absolutely nothing.
* * * *
Elizabeth, Nanette and Angelique made their way up to Rachel Townsend’s front door. Already, Elizabeth—by far the most sensitive one in the family—started picking up on the violent act, which had led to the disappearance of the mother and the daughter. Rachel came to the door after only a second or two. “Oh, thank you for coming. I have been waiting for you.”
The trio entered the home and Elizabeth went on back to the kitchen, not waiting for an invitation. Nanette took Rachel’s hand and held it within her own. “Mrs. Townsend, please accept our condolences. We are so sorry to hear about Kathy and Lea.”
“ We really don’t know anything yet.” Rachel’s voice sounded pitiful. Her complexion looked ashen gray and Nanette could tell Rachel knew in her heart what she’d not been able to say out loud. Rachel realized Kathy and the little girl were gone, and they would not be returning. Angelique and Nanette stood on each side of the woman and walked with her into the kitchen where Elizabeth stood at the sink, looking out at the backyard.
“ Did the
Evangeline didn’t hesitate to say exactly what she was thinking. “This is it, Arabella. I can feel it. We’re going to find him, I just know it.”
* * * *
Jade Landale panicked. The only lifeline he had to hold on to was the escape he had in his sleep. Strangely, this time his dream had not turned out as before. When he had first dropped off, he had been dreaming of his best friend in high school, Todd Reynolds. They had been climbing out at Heuco Tanks, which was about thirty-two miles northeast of El Paso. They had made that climb together several times, but this time Todd fell. The accident had been Jade’s fault—he’d watched his friend fall headfirst down Mushroom boulder. He had watched in horror as Todd bounced off the side like a rag doll. All of a sudden, a magnetic-like force had begun to draw him. He tried to fight the impulse, but the attraction was just too strong. Jade had been pulled into a tunnel-like vortex, and when he became aware of his surroundings, he was back on E-Rock.
At first, he had been relieved; standing on one side, seemingly where he had left her, was his lady. God, she looked beautiful. His loins tightened at the sight of her. He approached her, but this time she did not respond. Could she see him? He went up to her, but her eyes looked right through him. Her lips were moving, but he didn’t hear any sound at all. Panicked, he tried to make her look at him. He touched her face with his hand. She jumped—at last acknowledging his presence. Her hand came up and she touched the exact same spot. His heart leapt with excitement. She could feel him!
Then, cruelly, unwanted hands brought him back to unwelcome reality. He awoke to find several orderlies were working to move him and all of the machines that were keeping him alive. They were moving him to God knows where. Jade had no idea what was about to happen to him, and he wasn’t looking forward to finding out. He didn’t have a good feeling about any of this.
They were early, he thought. Time didn’t mean much to him. He did know the sun had come up. The lightness in the room betrayed that fact. No one came in to talk to him or offered him any explanation. He had so many questions and no answers. Had they given up on him? Were they taking him some place where he would get more individualized care? These questions were important to him, but what he wanted to know more than anything was why he hadn’t been able to make contact with the beautiful woman on E-Rock. She’d been his salvation. If he lost her then he would have nothing—absolutely nothing.
* * * *
Elizabeth, Nanette and Angelique made their way up to Rachel Townsend’s front door. Already, Elizabeth—by far the most sensitive one in the family—started picking up on the violent act, which had led to the disappearance of the mother and the daughter. Rachel came to the door after only a second or two. “Oh, thank you for coming. I have been waiting for you.”
The trio entered the home and Elizabeth went on back to the kitchen, not waiting for an invitation. Nanette took Rachel’s hand and held it within her own. “Mrs. Townsend, please accept our condolences. We are so sorry to hear about Kathy and Lea.”
“ We really don’t know anything yet.” Rachel’s voice sounded pitiful. Her complexion looked ashen gray and Nanette could tell Rachel knew in her heart what she’d not been able to say out loud. Rachel realized Kathy and the little girl were gone, and they would not be returning. Angelique and Nanette stood on each side of the woman and walked with her into the kitchen where Elizabeth stood at the sink, looking out at the backyard.
“ Did the
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