Chapter 45

Renee’s POV

Mrs. Hazels face is ashen. “Renee, I’m so sorry,” she says in a single breath and gently closes the door behind her. My heart thumps in my chest. My head jumps to conclusions but can’t land on any.

Last time Eric took her, that’s unlikely this time because he’s at work and would have no reason to get her. Maybe Jasper?

Did Debbie have a medical episode and they instantly called her doctor first? But why wouldn’t they contact me immediately after?

Mrs. Hazel swallows nervously and I want to slap her so she spits it out.

“The nurse phoned and said Debbie’s doctor was here to pick her up. I know her health is finicky and he ls been watching her while you were away. I didn’t want to intervene with her health, I sent her on her way,”

I’m so furious I can’t even speak. I just push past her and whip out my phone. I call Jasper and by the second ring I let out a grunt of frustration. Just then he picks up at the tail end of my sound.

“Renee?” He asks concerned.

“Do you have Debbie?” I snap. There’s a pause and I grip the phone tighter. “Jasper?” I bark.

“N-no,” Jasper finally manages. “I don’t. Is she okay?” He sounds genuinely confused. I close my eyes and bring my fine to my forehead. Think. Who would pick her up? “Renee?” I hear Jasper ask.

I end the call. I’m not trying to be rude, just in a rush. I’ll explain that to Jasper later. Also later, I need to contact Mrs. Hazels boss and have her fired.

I call Eric,l. I’m not entirely sure why, but last time he was with her so it’s not completely off to assume he’s behind this again.

He picks up on the first ring. “Hello?” Hearing him sound as casual as he does already tells me that Debbie isn’t with him. I fight back tears.

“Do you have Debbie?” I ask my voice barely a whisper.

I leave the school building, the temperature already beginning to drop. The tears come on more strong as I think about Debbie scared and cold.

“Debbie’s missing?” Eric asks and by the muffled sound on the other end of the phone I can tell he stopped doing whatever he was.

“I guess,” I say not wanting to admit that’s probably the best way to describe the situation. Maternal instinct kicks in and I shove aside my want to cry and hone in on my innate need to protect. I explain to Eric how I’m here to pick her up and Mrs. Hazel told me her doctor was here, which I explain is impossible because she doesn’t have an appointment and Jasper doesn’t have her anyway.

I realize in my telling of the events that Eric might wonder why I’m picking Debbie up instead of dropping her off and at work.

“She’s so fired,” Eric says instead and somehow it makes me laugh. “She was wrong in the first place when I took her, but twice? She let the same child disappear twice?” Eric says his voice a combination of light-heartedness and comfort.

“Yeah,” I agree sniffling. For a brief moment, everything feels normal.

“I’ll call Andrew for help,” Eric says bringing me back to the current situation.

“Thanks Eric,” I say quietly.

“My pleasure,” Eric says. The phone call ends and somehow I begin to feel that everything is going to be okay.

In my car I hastily make a list of the possible places she could be. Before I have a destination in mind, I put the car in drive.

I press my foot full force to the pedal and skirt out of the school. The speed limit is 15 miles per hour but I don’t have time for that right now. I cut off the buggy that would be in front of me. The person lays on their non-threatening horn. I toss my hand up as a weak apology. They look pissed. I speed up.

The worst that happens is a cop pulls me over and I explain the situation and they help me locate my daughter. Maybe that isn’t a bad idea.

I hold off on calling the cops, for now. I click on my turn signal, heading the direction of home.

I doubt whatever car took her brought her home, but maybe they came by and Debbie took something that can indicate where she went.

Before the car is fully at a stop, I throw it into park and race to the front door.

I struggle with the lock, cursing under my breath. Finally the key gets inserted and I throw the door open.

“Debbie!” I cry out. Silence.

I run throughout the house, my eyes only landing on one section of a room before darting to the nest looking for any obvious sign that’s she been here since besides this morning but there is none.

My throat closes up. I don’t even know what I’m looking for.

“Debbie,” I call out again and fall to my knees. Unable to catch my breath.

My phone rings. I yank it out and answer before I check who it is.

“Debbie?” I ask as though her kidnapper would let her use a phone.

“The ice cream parlor,” someone says and it takes me a second to place the voice. It’s Andrew, Eric’s beta.

“What?” I gasp breathlessly.

“You know which one I’m talking about,” the phone clicks. I pull it back and see the call has ended. I scramble to my feet and run out the door.

In my car again, I yank at the seatbelt as I floor the car to the ice cream parlor that her, me, and Eric were at.

As far as I know, no one else knows this is a special place to me but I have no other leads. How Andrew knows Debbie is here is beyond me, but I don’t care to solve that right now. I can only pray that he’s right.

It’s midday and the traffic in minimal. But that doesn’t stop me from speeding up at yellow lights and rolling through stop signs. I’m a minute away before I realize my car is beeping at me. I never got the seatbelt clicked in.

Part of me feels stupid for driving so recklessly because Debbie being found depends on me being alive. I’ll just add it to the list of damnable acts I’ve committed in my life.

The parking lot is empty. The parlor isn’t even open.

Aside from my frantic mess, the whole area is at peace.

Geese float on the gently moving water, the suns shines through tree branches, not a single car drives by.

I start to doubt Debbie is here.

“Mommy?” I hear her voice and it cuts to my heart.

“Debbie?” I whisper and spin around. There she is. My knees buckle but despite relief crashing over me I run over to her worried she’ll get snatched away.

I pull her into a hug and kiss her head.

“What happened?” I ask. “Why are you here? Who brought you here?” Once the shock of seeing Debbie subsides, I become aware of my physical sensations. I feel the suns warmth on my bath, the chill of my fingers gripping Debbie’s warm fur. Debbie’s fur?

I pull back and my eyes grow wide as I take her in. Shes part wolf!

“Renee?” I hear someone call as a car door shuts. I quickly shield Debbie with my body and turn to see Eric and Andrew walking towards us. As much as I want to ask Andrew how he knew Debbie would be here, I can’t.

I have to he tie out of here.

“Get to the car, now,” I urgently push Debbie towards the direction of my car keeping her small body pressed against my back.

Eric and Andrew stop walking and look at us consider.

“I have her!” I yell over to them.

They look at one another confused.

We manage to get to my car just as Eric begins to step closer. I pull the passenger door open and push Debbie inside and run to the driver side.

Once in the car I lock the doors and peel out of the parking lot nearly running over Andrew.

I glance in the back view mirror and watch Eric’s face of scrutiny become less and less clear the further away we get.

“Turning into a vampire was the only way I could get away from Mia,” Debbie says absentmindedly. I slam on the brakes, skirting the car to a stop.