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  Until I’m Found

  M. Lynne Cunning

  Until I’m Found

  Copyright © 2015 by M. Lynne Cunning. All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: March 2015

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1-68058-068-6

  ISBN-10: 1-68058-068-X

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  PREFACE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  EPILOGUE

  PREFACE

  I rolled over, exhaling contently in the silence of muted morning light and tangled cotton sheets. I slid my fingertips across his side and around to his stomach, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall of his breath as he slept.

  A flash of awe spread through me. It was difficult to fathom how far we’d come, what we’d been through to get to such a perfect moment. I smiled sleepily at the sight of his tousled hair and bare shoulders, the rest of him covered by the sheets and bedspread.

  Everything had collided to destroy us from the inside out. From the beginning, it had been an uphill battle. The betrayals of the past. The heartaches of the present. The future we’d once thought was so certain but could never be. We should have never made it this far. We had won, lost, and hurt, but we’d still overcome.

  We’d done it—survived. And we’d received the only blessing that would ever matter.

  Take care of him, he’d said.

  I will, I thought as I squeezed my eyes shut and nestled myself further into the warmth of the sleeping body beside me.

  I promise.

  CHAPTER ONE

  “That guy is going to kill someone someday.”

  I watched as the intoxicated old man staggered awkwardly out into the cool night air after taking the last mighty gulp of his beer. He’d only had two beers here at the bar, but they evidently hadn’t been the only ones he’d drunk.

  “Who, Jack?” Ryan replied with a slight nod. “Yeah, I know. He hasn’t drawn a sober breath in years, though.”

  I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him. It sounded like he was justifying Jack’s actions and I didn’t much like it. Small towns were interesting like that, as I was quickly finding out. Even though the folks within the community might know that someone was doing something they shouldn’t be, they were still lenient enough to let it slide because that was just the way things had always been. However, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t discuss such antics over coffee at the diner the next morning or blame someone’s mother’s brother’s cousin twice removed for being the cause of such a thing.

  Thanks to that small town nosiness and gossip, if anyone unfamiliar asked about me, or if anything was amiss, I’d promptly hear about it. That said, it didn’t mean I had to like it and so I chose to ignore Ryan’s dismissive answer about Jack. Instead, I set about closing up the bar for the night. It wasn’t until Ryan nudged me gently in the arm with his elbow that I looked up. It was everything I could do not to roll my eyes again.

  Officer Jeremy Allecks had been coming in here almost daily for the past three weeks I’d been working at Rustic’s Bar and Grill. He was well aware Ryan didn’t care for his presence, nor did the other bartender, Maria. Ryan had actually told me that the cop hadn’t been in here in ages since he’d made some rude comment toward Maria and she had quickly poured a full pitcher of beer in his lap in retaliation. But, as Ryan so graciously put it, Jeremy must have heard of the “fresh meat” in town and had ever since been vying for my attention using his cocky attitude and shameless flirting to his detriment rather than his benefit. It seemed that tonight would be no different as both Ryan and I watched Jeremy strut in and make a straight line for the bar where I was working.

  “Amy! Looking beautiful as always,” he said with a smile, sliding onto the bar stool in front of me. He was still in uniform. “Budweiser, please.” He glanced over to Ryan and pretended to tip his hat toward him even though he wasn’t wearing one.

  “Jeremy,” Ryan said dully, before he quickly turned away from him, clearing a few empty beer bottles from the other end of the bar.

  I popped the cap off a beer and slid it toward the officer, not smiling as I plucked the ten dollar bill from the bar. He quickly advised me that I could keep the change, and I gave him a dramatic smile in response.

  I was being cool toward him, but a flicker of amusement had risen to the surface. I immediately grabbed the bar towel and began to wipe down the bar. In my peripheral vision, I saw Jeremy lean ahead after taking a pull from his beer. He was still smiling amusedly when he spoke as though he were telling me a secret.

  “Can I ask you a question, princess?”

  I met his stare. I glanced over and saw that Ryan was busy settling a tab with one of the parties from the far corner of the bar. Hesitantly, I turned back to Jeremy and nodded.

  “You don’t like me much, do you?” He smiled crookedly when the words escaped his lips. I blushed, the heat creeping up my face in waves.

  “I don’t even know you,” I admitted.

  “But you don’t want to, either.”

  “I don’t believe I ever said that, Officer.”

  “It’s Jeremy.” He flashed another smile at me again.

  I rolled my eyes. “Fine.” I crossed my arms. “Look, I’m not really interested in your little games…Jeremy.”

  His eyes widened. “Who’s playing games? Can’t a guy flirt a little?”

  “Can’t a guy take a hint when a girl isn’t responding to his flirting?” I retorted, silently willing the redness in my face to cease.

  Jeremy laughed loudly and pointed a finger in my direction. “You’ve got a backbone, don’t you, princess? Good for you. I knew I liked you from the start.”

  I rolled my eyes again. “I wish I could say the same, Officer.”

  He arched an eyebrow, not bothering to contain his amusement. He sat up and looked over toward Ryan as he pretended to call out to him. “Ryan, I’m thinking maybe you need to get a sign made or something that says our pretty little Amy don’t play very well with others, huh?”

  “Well, I’m an only child. You can blame my parents for my lack of socialization,” I stated bluntly. Thankfully, either Ryan hadn’t heard his remark or he was choosing to ignore him.

  He laughed again. “Dang, you’ve got some bite. I respect that, I do.” He sigh
ed dramatically, pressing his hands on the table as he stood up. I watched as he backed away from the bar and gave me a wink, still chuckling to himself.

  “Guess this means you still won’t go out with me then, huh?” He smirked.

  “What? Jeremy, no!” I looked at him incredulously.

  He shrugged, biting his lip to suppress his laughter. “There, now at least you got my name right. I’ll see you tomorrow, princess.”

  I turned around just as he gave Ryan a big wave and then walked casually out the door. It was as if he hadn’t heard a word I said and thought that maybe tomorrow night I’d welcome his advances with open arms. He was either delusional or severely self-absorbed. Or both.

  “He’s an ass,” I muttered as I went back behind the bar.

  “That may be the case,” Ryan said with a smirk, “but you’ve got some balls.”

  I laughed. “You’re not going to fire me then for being mean to the customers?” I said teasingly.

  Ryan shook his head, still chuckling softly. “Hell no. I’m going to hire you as a bouncer instead,” he joked.

  I pretended to flex my barely-there biceps and then made my way across the room to turn the sign in the window so it read closed. The last few customers in the bar left and I locked the door behind them. Ryan decided this signified a good time to give his two cents, I suppose.

  “He seems to have his sights set on you, Amy.” The bar seemed eerily quiet without the blaring of the jukebox or the laughter of the customers who’d been out for a good time.

  “Just ignore him, Ryan. I am.”

  He was silent for a brief moment. “Just be careful, okay? He’s got a reputation with the ladies.”

  I looked up from the beer glasses I was putting back on the shelf overhead and met his gaze. “Don’t be cryptic, Ryan. Just tell me what you’re thinking.”

  He sighed. “He’s shameless with his flirting, Amy, and even more shameless with the number of girls he takes home. I’m just saying, he can turn on the charm pretty thick sometimes, and I don’t want to see you hurt.” A small grin spread across his face, and I arched an eyebrow at him. “By the way,” he added. “You’re a fine one to be calling me cryptic. You’ve lived here for a month and won’t tell anyone where you came from or what you did before you magically appeared in Park’s Peak.”

  I glared at him and then shoved the dish bin back onto the counter, turning away from him. “I told you. I needed a change. You already ran the cash register tapes for the night?”

  Ryan nodded.

  “Then I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon,” I said as I pulled my purse out from under the bar and gave him a noncommittal wave. “Goodnight, Ryan.”

  “Night, Amy,” he said, sounding slightly deflated, but I was already pushing the back door open and taking a deep breath of night air.

  ***

  My dreams were filled with haunting images and frightening innuendos that my mind could not quite bring to the surface. It wasn’t the first time I had woken up in a cold sweat, tears stinging the corners of my eyes, yet I couldn’t quite determine why. I knew enough to know it was a dream, but I couldn’t quite recall the particulars of the images my mind had conjured.

  Still, the logic of it being only a dream wasn’t enough to stop me from sliding my hand under my pillow to reach for the item I had placed there. My fingertips touched it and immediately my heartbeat began to settle. I may not have known exactly what I’d dreamed of, but I was convinced—with or without the recollection of it—that the dreams were because of one man.

  Ethan.

  I sat up in bed and slid my clammy hands over my face. I listened intently in the darkness of the house. There was nothing to be heard upstairs or downstairs, save for the odd creak of a window pane caused by the breeze pushing against it, and the usual noises of the old house shifting as though from one foot to the other.

  Many nights had passed this way. My mind held on to the memories I’d rather forget, and it was in these moments of quiet and solitude that the thoughts were stirred up by my subconscious and pushed to the forefront for further contemplation. During the day, I had the luxury of distraction all around me to keep me occupied and prevent my mind from wandering. Night time, however, caught me when my guard was down and flooded my resting mind with the innermost thoughts I tried hard to keep tucked away.

  I reached my arm over the side of the bed and groped for my purse in the darkness, patting the front pocket which contained the hundred and fourteen dollars I’d made tonight while at work. A tiny rush of pride swelled inside me and I felt a bit better because of it. I rolled back over and stared upward into the blackness of the bedroom.

  I had done it. I was here, alone in my house, had a little money in my pocket, and was surprisingly…okay. I’d really done it.

  I had escaped the life I’d spent eight years believing I could never outrun. I was still fearful, and perhaps I always would be, but there was still a slight upturn at the corners of my mouth when I finally drifted back into a restless sleep. No one could take that from me.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Ethan cursed her name out loud, just as he’d done a million times over during the past few weeks. It was all right, though. Sooner or later, Amy would turn up. After all, she wasn’t untraceable. She might think she was, but no matter how hard a person tries, they always leave some kind of trail. If she was alive, she could be found. And since Ethan had no doubt in his mind that she was still breathing somewhere on this earth, he had every intention of finding her and bringing her back where she belonged.

  With him.

  He had told her what would happen. He had put it in simple terms and very clearly advised her of the repercussions of trying to leave him.

  If you run, I will hunt you down, he’d said.

  What more of an explanation was needed? Yet, she had done it anyway. She had intentionally gone against his commands and taken off. The last time he’d seen her was after a good night out with some of his friends, and he had come home drunker than he’d been in quite a while. Lord knows what he’d made her do for him that night. He had been drunk enough that he couldn’t remember, but he knew whatever she’d done for him, it had been good.

  When she listened and did as she was told, Amy was good to have around. She was pretty, looked good to show off to his friends. He knew he had a few buddies who wouldn’t mind a chance with her, and that made Ethan swell with pride. It was good to have something that everyone else wanted.

  And then she had left him. Amy had made him look like a fool in front of his friends and his family. She had purposely defied him and stolen money that was his. While he couldn’t exactly prove that, he knew it must be true. How the hell else would she get away from here without someone having a clue as to where she went?

  She didn’t have a car and anyone he talked to said she had never requested a ride or money from them. Of course, there was a good chance the people in this town were lying. People in this godforsaken town had always looked down their noses at him, always seen him as no good. Well, he had news for them. If nothing else, he was a man of his word. He was going to find Amy and show her what happened when a woman—his woman—didn’t obey him.

  All she’d had to do was her goddamn job every day and come home and do as she was told. Instead, the disobedient little witch had stashed away cash money from her ridiculous hair salon job and used it to take a bus out of town. Again, these were only his presumptions, but he was angry, not stupid.

  Amy had made him feel stupid, and that was unforgivable. On the morning she had left, he had awoken sluggishly, the effects of his well-earned hangover in full swing, and he barked her name from the bedroom after seeing she wasn’t in bed beside him. It didn’t even occur to him at that point that her side of the bed was still neatly made, just as she had left it the previous morning. The covers on his side hadn’t moved much either, but that was due to passing out cold in an alcohol-induced coma rather than from lack of sleep.

  It took a min
ute or two for him to realize that she hadn’t answered his call. He yelled her name loudly again. Odd, he remembered thinking. She normally knew better than to keep him waiting. He figured he must have been extra demanding of her last night in his drunken state. That was fine, he was allowed. After all, she was his to do with as he pleased. He knew he would have to do something sweet for her later to make up for it, but that was not going to happen if she didn’t hurry up and get her ass in the bedroom when he called her name.

  He had struggled out of bed, feeling his head spin. His equilibrium was way off, so it had taken longer than usual to trudge down the narrow hallway to the living room, swaying with each uncertain step. Where the hell was Amy? She needed to get him something for this impending headache. Advil, she’d probably suggest, but he was thinking that another beer may be just what he needed to prevent the hangover from getting any worse.

  Peering around the corner into the immaculate living room—Amy knew better than to leave it any other way—he had seen she wasn’t there. She wasn’t in the kitchen, either. Or anywhere else in the house for that matter. Ethan’s blood pressure began to rise steadily as he grew angrier with each moment.

  Still, even as his blood began to boil at not being able to find her, not once had it occurred to him that Amy had left him. She knew better than to do that. She knew the inevitable consequences of such actions and, to be blatantly honest, he had truly believed she wouldn’t know the first move to make in order to walk away from him.

  Yet, here he was. He was sitting here wondering how in the hell she had managed to sneak around behind his back and do this to him. He couldn’t figure out how she had been able to skim enough money from her pay checks to fund such a move; he’d always been so diligent in his constant monitoring of her pay stubs in comparison to the cash she deposited into their joint bank account.