Lost Summer: A Gripping Romantic Suspense

by M T Stone

  “What if he never leaves his hiding spot?” Dylan asked with an unmistakable look of concern. “Driving around on the main roads will be a lost cause.”

  “Tips are starting to come in from the APB and Amber Alerts.” Carson scrolled through several of them that Detective Thomas had passed along to everyone. As they approached the main highway again, Carson pulled over onto a grass-covered approach. He positioned the SUV to provide a clear view of any traffic approaching from the north. “All the primary intersections are now covered,” he told Dylan, still scrolling through messages. “Sheriffs from Roosevelt County are now covering the exit points to the north, so we can focus on this intersection.”

  “I was really hoping someone would find her before it got dark,” Dylan huffed angrily as the sun began to set behind the hills. He rubbed his temples in an effort to relieve some of the tension.

  “Don’t sweat it. We’ll find her,” Carson replied confidently. “She is the highest priority of every agency in both states. By tomorrow, there will literally be hundreds of people, as well as dogs, searching by ground, and the search helicopters will be back in the air.” Carson scrolled through a few more messages, then looked directly at Dylan. “You need to know that you’re going to get her back. Push all that negative shit out of your mind.”

  Honestly, having her back in his arms was all that Dylan had thought about ever since leaving her house the previous night. He could still smell her scent on his unwashed skin and could feel how it had felt to be inside her. They had drunk wine and made out for nearly two hours before he finally got her to give in to her carnal desires. Never in a million years would he have thought that fewer than twenty-four hours later, he would be on a stakeout trying to find her. The gnawing feeling in his gut was working its way up into his chest, and even though his body ached with exhaustion, the last thing on his mind was sleep. He hoisted a Monster energy drink to his lips and polished off the rest of the can, hoping that it would keep him alert for at least a couple more hours.

  His attention was suddenly drawn to an approaching vehicle with those same dim headlights, similar to the ones that had been captured by the traffic cameras. Both men straightened up and cocked their heads, waiting to get a good look as it passed under the overhead lights just north of the intersection. “Damn, just an old pickup truck,” Carson grumbled, beating Dylan to the punch.

  “There are probably just as many old vehicles out here as newer ones,” Dylan speculated with a sigh.

  “Yeah, this is where a lot of them go to die.” Carson’s phone buzzed as two more messages came through from Detective Thomas. “Several people recalled seeing the man in town yesterday, but no one has a name to go with the face.” He scrolled down to the next message. “They lifted several sets of prints from the Bennett residence too, but nothing matches the database . . . except for yours,” he added, throwing Dylan a shitty grin.

  “It’s already been well established that I was there,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’ve also had my sperm examined under a microscope.” He closed his eyes and shook his head from side to side.

  “I’ve never seen anyone more thoroughly busted for deflowering an under-aged girl,” Carson teased, backhanding Dylan’s left arm.

  “She’ll be eighteen next Friday, for Christ’s sake.” Dylan slugged him back.

  “In hindsight, it probably would’ve been wise to wait that final week. You could’ve saved yourself some headaches and legal bills.”

  “I’m glad we did it, actually.” Dylan’s voice cracked for the first time, and he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “I might not get another chance,” he muttered.

  “I told you what to focus on,” Carson replied sternly. “In this world, the hardest part is deciding what you want in life. Once you figure that out, don’t let anything or anyone get in your way. You go out and make it yours . . . no matter what it takes.” He glared at his nephew, not wanting him to fall apart.

  “I know, but it’s hard when you don’t have any control over the situation.” Dylan turned toward the passenger window and continued to bite at his lip. He took a deep breath, not wanting to show any weakness in front of his badass uncle. The feeling inside him could only be described as a desperate kind of yearning. He had never felt anything that compared to the way he felt about her. He had never missed anyone the way he was missing her, and even in the darkest days following his father’s death, he had never felt more alone. Where the hell are you, Summer?

  Olivia finished folding Summer’s clothes and tidying up her room. She couldn’t help feeling guilty for continuously harping about the fact that Summer’s room was always a mess, with dirty dishes sitting around, an overflowing garbage can, and piles of clean and dirty clothes scattered randomly across the floor. All the little things that had been frustrating her now seemed ridiculously frivolous. She thought back to the last time she had talked to her, trying to recall whether she had told her that she loved her. She was sure she had. She always made a point of telling her every morning when she left for school and every night before bed. She hoped that Summer understood just how much she loved her. It was beyond the scope of words, which is why her heart began to break every time she stopped doing these menial tasks. There was no way she would be able to sleep until they found her little girl. Either that, or she would collapse from utter exhaustion.

  She walked over to her bookshelf and picked up Lucy, her daughter’s favorite doll from her younger years. It didn’t seem that long ago that she had to explain why it was time for her to stop dragging it around all the time. She sighed, thinking about how embarrassed she had been when she brought the doll to a sleepover when she was thirteen. The doll had been something that she had always clung to whenever she felt insecure. She never did feel comfortable staying overnight in a strange place. Now, she was being held hostage by some creepy, long-haired guy who looked like a vagrant. Please, God, protect my little girl.

  Her heart skipped a beat when her phone rang. Please let it be good news. She raced down the steps to the dining room table, where she had left it. When she picked it up, she saw a picture of Carson on the screen. He had been to the house earlier in the day, and now he was calling her cellphone. Ryan always got outrageously jealous if she even mentioned his name. “I hope you’re calling with good news about Summer,” she answered curtly.

  There was a lengthy pause at the other end. “I just wanted you to know that Dylan and I are helping with the stakeout. The van was caught on a surveillance camera at the Montana border, and it didn’t show up at Trucker’s Point, so there is a limited number of access roads. They’re all covered at this point, so we’ll find her, Olivia.”

  She forced herself to swallow the lump that had been forming in her throat. “Yeah, Ryan called from the station a while ago and gave me the same update,” she replied, drawing his name into the conversation.

  “Okay. I just didn’t want you to be sitting home by yourself, worrying,” he said, obviously pointing out the fact that Ryan wasn’t there for her even in this time of desperate need.

  “I appreciate that.” She let her words hang in the air, punctuated by awkward silence. She did appreciate the fact that he had bailed Dylan out of jail and that they were contributing to the cause, but she knew that if she gave him the slightest bit of encouragement, he would come barreling right back into her life. Carson had made it clear that he still had feelings for her when they crossed paths on Valentine’s Day. Since then, she had run into him on several occasions, and each time, she had been courteous but kept their conversations as brief as possible.

  “You’re obviously tired,” Carson finally said, giving in to the silence between them. “Try to get some sleep. Summer will be just fine. I’m going to find her.”

  “I sure hope so.” She ended the call and set her phone back down on the table. Things were already stressful enough. She certainly didn’t need Carson added to the mix, even if he was trying to help. He and Ryan had always gotten into it ev
ery chance they got, so it was best to keep them as far apart as possible or they would instantly be at each other’s throat. Besides, no one had ever caused the kind of pain that Carson had put her through. She had no desire to revisit those feelings or relive those days ever again.

  Carson glanced over at Dylan, rolling his eyes as he hung up with her. “She’s never going to forgive me for joining the military instead of going to college with her.” He sighed and blew out a frustrated breath, looking up at the night sky through the bug splattered windshield.

  “Why did you join the military?” Dylan asked, having never had that urge himself.

  “With things heating up in the Middle East, it seemed like the right thing to do. I always thought it would be kickass to be a Marine,” he admitted. “The few, the proud . . . you know the deal. I had this crazy idea that Olivia would wait for me. I never fucking dreamt that she would fall for a slick line of bullshit from a guy like Ryan. That fuckin’ little prick.”

  He continued to stare at the sky as his mind traveled back to when he and Olivia were young. He had often thought about their senior prom, the night they both lost their virginity. He understood exactly how Dylan felt about Summer. He knew well that ache in his heart caused by the inability to be with her. He also knew the lengths to which he would go in order to get rid of that feeling. Nothing can stop a man who has been blinded by love. If only he would’ve realized how special Olivia was before it was too late. He never would’ve left her side, leaving their future in the wicked hands of fate.

  In recent years, the terse conversations and always being held at arm’s length had nearly driven him nuts. After spending twelve years in the Marines and eight years tracking down scum for the DEA, he knew how to go out and get what he wanted. Sometimes, it takes a bold move to turn the tables in your favor. In this case, he knew it would take something pretty spectacular to get back in her good graces. Something like finding her missing daughter. Things needed to change, so he was determined to be the one to find her and bring her safely back to Olivia. The fact that Dylan was along for the ride didn’t hurt either. It would be a win for everyone if they succeeded in solving her disappearance. Everyone except Ryan. The weasel.

  Chapter 7

  Leo set down one of the water pails and flipped on the lights after returning from his final trip to the well. Summer was immediately relieved to know that at least she wouldn’t be stuck in the dark with him for the next eight hours. “You do have electricity, huh?”

  “There are a couple of solar panels out back,” he replied, picking up the pail and continuing toward the tub. “Nothing fancy, but it works.”

  Summer watched silently as Leo finished adding water to the large metal tub. She couldn’t help but wonder about his plans. Was he going to bathe right in front of her? Or force her to bathe with him? She felt sick at the thought of either of those alternatives. Steam rose from the tub as he added cool water to the piping hot. He reached down and stirred it around with his hand. “Perfect.” He stood up and looked over at Summer. “Let’s clean you up first.”

  “No. I’m okay.” She recoiled in the chair, already feeling completely vulnerable.

  “Come here,” he demanded, anger instantly flaring in his eyes. “Your feet and legs are filthy and splattered with blood.” He came across the room and grabbed her by the wrist, leaving her no choice but to rise to her feet and follow him. Her body immediately began to tremble as he led her to the tub and nodded for her to step into it. She briefly closed her eyes and choked back tears before cautiously stepping into the warm water. For once, she was relieved to be wearing capris. Otherwise, he most likely would’ve made her take off her pants. The heavy chain scraped against the rim of the old tub as she struggled to get her left foot down into the water without tripping herself. Leo bent down to pick up a badly stained washcloth and then dropped to one knee. He wet the cloth and carefully began to scrub the dried blood from her legs. He moved in gentle, persistent circles until each splatter of blood disappeared from her skin. She was actually impressed by his gentleness and the care he took in getting her clean.

  After thoroughly scrubbing her legs and feet, he asked her to step out onto the concrete floor before drying them with a towel. She let out an anxious breath, relieved that he wasn’t going to force her to remove her clothing. Maybe her strategy of befriending him was working.

  “You’re really pretty,” Leo muttered before standing up and stepping across the chain, placing one foot on each side of it. Summer’s heart instantly began to pound as she realized she wasn’t off the hook just yet. The mischievous glint in his eyes hinted that some sort of evil plan was lurking behind them. He casually began to undo the buttons of his shirt while staring directly into her eyes. After tossing the shirt aside, he grabbed the top button of his jeans. The muscles in his arms and abdomen flexed as he squeezed it through the hole. “I want you to see me.”

  “This really isn’t something you should do on our first date,” she told him with a trembling voice. “We aren’t even supposed to kiss yet, so I can’t see you naked.”

  Leo looked down at himself, obviously proud of his muscular body. He paused momentarily, seeming to consider her words. He looked down at her feet and slowly scanned the length of her body until his eyes made it back to hers. He paused, cleared his throat, and stepped aside, allowing her to return to the safety of the chair. She could feel him watching her as he settled into the tub, but she kept her back to him. “Turn around and face me,” he said with irritation in his voice.

  Summer slowly turned, relieved to find that nothing was exposed below the waist. Judging by the look on his face, he seemed amused by the fact that he could intimidate her so easily. It probably gave him a sense of power and control seeing that he could throw her into a panic with the slightest hint of aggression. She had always thought of herself as a strong person, but being skimpily clothed and held hostage in the middle of nowhere had left her at a huge disadvantage. Her eyes scanned the room in an attempt to keep from staring at him. The last thing she wanted was to give him the idea that she was interested in him or his rock hard body.

  Instead, she turned her thoughts to the night before and to the fact that Dylan was every bit as ripped as this guy. He hadn’t always been, but over the past year or so, she had noticed a big change in his physique. She thought it was cute whenever he wore a revealing t-shirt or a pair of low-cut jeans that showed off his V. Now, Leo was doing the same thing, strutting his stuff in hopes of impressing the woman he had captured. A muscular build hadn’t been the reason she had finally decided to get serious with Dylan, so it certainly wasn’t going to work for Leo.

  She noticed him reaching into the water and breathed a small sigh of relief upon seeing him retrieve a bar of soap. She only hoped that it was a strong deodorant soap of some kind. A good scrubbing, along with a toothbrush and some toothpaste, might make things a little more tolerable. His eyes remained fixed on her the entire time he soaped up and rinsed off his body. She couldn’t help thinking that if he would’ve had a normal upbringing and been socialized, he might have turned out to be a completely normal guy. He wasn’t bad looking after getting rid of the long hair and beard. Those dark, haunting eyes were the only exception. She wondered if he was born with those or if they were the result of his father’s abuse.

  Time slowed to a crawl as she sat face to face with her captor. He was in no hurry to finish his weekly ritual, and after seeing the utter lack of entertainment options, she understood why. A warm bath appeared to be the only available luxury, even though the old steel tub didn’t exactly look comfortable. She watched his boyish expressions as he soaped up his head and leaned forward to rinse what little hair remained. She couldn’t help but feel bad for how emotionally stunted he appeared to be. His father had basically stolen his childhood, and even with him gone, he appeared to have no clue how to move forward and become a part of society. Kidnapping her to have a baby? How crazy is that? “How old are you?” she asked o
ut of sheer curiosity. Her initial impression had been that he was at least in his mid-thirties, but after shaving and cleaning up, he looked much younger.

  He looked up at her with a puzzled look on his face. “I’m either twenty-six or twenty-seven. Dad didn’t know the exact date of my birthday, but it was in the middle of summer.” He glanced down with a dejected look on his face.

  “Have you ever had a birthday party?”

  “A birthday party?” He scrunched his face as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

  “My eighteenth birthday is next Friday. Maybe we should have a birthday party for both of us,” she suggested with a smile.

  “What do you do at a birthday party?” His level of puzzlement actually sent a small jab through her heart as she continued to realize the extent of his deprivation. A grown man who didn’t understand the concept of a birthday party. Tears crept back into her eyes, most likely a result of being severely overtired and overstressed.

  “Your friends and family come over. You open all the presents they brought you, and then everyone has cake and ice cream,” she explained.

  “I don’t have any family . . . or friends,” he replied with a heavy sigh. “That’s probably why I never had a party.”

  “Your dad should’ve still had a party for you. I’m sure your mom celebrated your birthday when you were little. You just don’t remember.” He moved his hands slowly through the water and seemed to be thinking back to when he was little. An idea suddenly flashed through her mind. “If you pick up a cake mix, frosting, and some ice cream, I’ll make sure you have a great birthday party.”

  “That sounds nice.” His eyes glanced up at her, but his head remained slumped downward. Summer’s confidence continued to grow with each interaction. Leo was nothing more than a man-child who had kidnapped her out of sheer desperation. She was truly beginning to believe that he had no intention of hurting her but only wanted companionship and a son of his own to raise. However, the way he had gone about it was so horribly wrong.