Read Online The Keepers Book Two of the Holding Kate Series by LaDonna Cole - Free Book Online

boat house.
    “Is Mel over there?” he called.
    “No, I was just gonna head into the village to see if they were there.”
    “Let’s go.” We hopped in the small cart and sped into the village, impatient to find the girls.
    People milled around, spilling over the walkways and into the streets. Families poured out of every shop. We drove slowly by the big windows of Ermadean’s Diner, but caught no sight of our group. Circling the Staying Well, we watched families pressing their handprints and names into commemorative stones. The village burst with reunions, but we couldn’t find our girls or any sight of our clan.
    “Let’s go to the old cabin and see if anyone is there.” Donnie veered the cart down the hill.
    We pulled up in front of the cabin that we had originally been assigned to, but it sat inordinately quiet. Usually some sign of life rang from it, but upon entering the cabin, I noted the lights were out and not even a dish in the sink to indicate anyone had been there.
    “Maybe they’re all visiting with parents somewhere?” Donnie suggested without any conviction.
    “Something’s wrong.” I turned and ran down the steps and up the hill to the Administration Mansion. Kim emerged from the front door and paused on the steps with her face contorted in grief. She saw me and gasped.
    “Corey! You have to go, now,” she said.
    Donnie arrived in the golf cart, and Kim dragged us into Mama Ty’s office.
    “Mama Ty, they’re back!”
    “Heavens, Mr. Chastain, where have you been? We have scoured three counties and two states looking for you!”
    “What has happened?” My heart raced and my palms broke into a slick of perspiration.
    “Kate.”
    I staggered. “Kate, what?”
    “Kate needs you, dear.”
    I held my breath waiting for the words to fly from her mouth and pierce my heart.
    “Kate’s family has been killed in a car crash.”
    My ears were roaring. Kate’s alive. Kate’s not hurt. My heart spiked. Then the dread of what Mama Ty said and what it meant sliced through me. Kate hurt beyond reason. She probably wanted to die with them, and I was not there.
    “The rest of the Keepers are with her. They flew out with her immediately. The Chartreuse team left early this morning to go to the funeral. I comp’d the expenses. I didn’t think you would mind.”
    “When is it?”
    “Today, at 3 PM. I took the liberty of making your travel arrangements and packed both of you a bag. She picked up two black duffle bags and held them out to Donnie and me. I assumed you would want to be with her.”
    I couldn’t breathe. The pain that Kate must be suffering lodged in my chest, an unholy thing. I stepped forward and hugged Mama Ty. The village administrator had thought of everything. She needed a raise.
    “Thank you. For everything.”
    A helicopter flew in from the east, its chopping sounds ricocheted off of the surrounding hills.
    “That will be your ride, Mr. Chastain. The jet took the others before dawn, so the chopper will take you all the way there. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
    “Cell phone.”
    “It’s in your bag. I programmed Kate’s cell number for you.”
I nodded, numbly.
    “Go now, you’ll barely make it in time as it is.”
    Donnie and I ran for the chopper, climbed in, and nodded to the pilot. He took off immediately and we lifted away in a spiral. Mama Ty and Kim stood on the front porch shielding their eyes as we turned and headed south.
    We had to refuel three times and each time seemed to eat up precious moments that I could be with Kate. Donnie pressed his lips together, strangely silent most of the ride. While we changed into our dress clothes at the small airport strip during the last refuel, Donnie finally spoke.
    “Corey, I don’t understand how this is all happening. How can the village afford to send thirteen people on a jet plane and rent a private helicopter to get to your wife’s family funeral?”
    I let out a huff as we left the hangar and