Driftwood Bay (Hope Harbor #5) - Irene Hannon Page 0,89

negative thoughts undermine his resolve.

They’d find the girls, and they were going to be just fine. Scared, maybe. Chilly and dirty, in all likelihood. But otherwise unharmed.

And once they got this incident behind them, he and Molly were going to find a way to become the family they both needed.

Whatever it took.

24

Why on earth had a police car traveling at high speed just swung into Logan’s driveway?

Mail in hand, Jeannette stared at the faint cloud of dust left in the wake of the cruiser.

That had been Lexie at the wheel, though the woman had been so intent on her driving she hadn’t even glanced toward the lavender farm.

Yet the siren on the car hadn’t been blaring.

What was going on?

Jeannette closed the door of the mailbox and shoved back her hair, still damp from the shower.

Should she go over? Offer her help?

Or would that come across as nosy, given her I-want-to-be-left-alone-so-keep-your-distance message to Logan in her kitchen last Saturday?

And if she did want to keep him at arm’s length, she ought to march back into her house and close the door.

As she tried to decide what to do, the other Hope Harbor police car topped the rise down the road and accelerated toward her. It too swerved into Logan’s driveway, Officer Jim Gleason behind the wheel, and disappeared with a crunch of gravel.

This wasn’t good.

No ambulance or fire truck had been dispatched—yet—but two police cars didn’t bode well.

And she couldn’t pretend she didn’t care.

She took a deep breath . . . let it out . . . and faced the truth.

Like it or not, Logan and Molly had managed to infiltrate her heart—and she couldn’t turn her back on them during an emergency.

As for what that meant after the crisis was over?

She had no idea.

But she’d borrow a page from Gone with the Wind and worry about that tomorrow.

Jeannette shoved the mail back into the box and hustled up Logan’s driveway.

The front door was open as she approached—and there was only one word to describe the scene inside.

Chaos.

Toby was barking and playing catch-me-if-you-can with Logan. Mariam was crying. Lexie was on the phone, one hand pressed to her free ear. Jim, leash in hand, was acting as running back for Logan as they tried to corral the beagle.

She scanned the room for Molly.

The girl was nowhere in sight.

A stomach-twisting sense of foreboding enveloped her.

“Jeannette!” Logan lost his focus on Toby for a millisecond, and the pup made his move.

But Jim was faster. He nabbed him and snapped on the leash. “You have a cage for this guy?”

“Yeah. First door on the right down the hall.” Logan’s gaze remained fixed on her as he crossed the room.

Only as he drew close, and the outside light fell on his face, did Jeannette pick up his pallor and the grooves of worry etched on his brow.

“What’s wrong?” She braced.

He pushed through the door to the porch. “Molly and Elisa ran away.”

“Oh no.” She pressed her palm to her mouth.

“Oh yes.” His tone and demeanor were grim. “From what we can gather, based on Susan’s conversation with Mariam, the girls took off while she was outside working in the garden during their nap.”

“You’re certain it’s a runaway situation?” Bad as that was, the alternative was worse.

“Ninety-nine percent. They packed a bag, made sandwiches, and took some personal items.”

“How long have they been gone?”

“No more than a couple of hours.”

“They can’t have gotten far.”

“Unless someone picked them up.”

He didn’t have to spell out what that could mean.

“Does Thomma know?”

“Mariam can’t reach him. He must be out of cell range. She left a message for him to call ASAP.”

“How can I help?”

“The fact you’re here helps more than you know.” He took her hand. Squeezed her fingers.

She squeezed back.

The barking inside grew muffled, and Jim reappeared. “The noise is contained—more or less.”

“Come in.” Logan opened the door and moved aside for her to precede him.

“Jeannette.” The chief shook her hand. “I was about to pay you a visit. Have you been home all afternoon?”

“Yes.”

“I knocked about twenty minutes ago, on my way to check the beach.” Logan arched an eyebrow.

“That must have been while I was in the shower.” She lifted a few damp strands of hair.

“Did you notice any unusual activity or see any strangers in the area this afternoon?” Lexie asked.

“No. It’s been very quiet.”

“I understand you watched Molly a few times. Did she say anything to you that would give us a clue as to why she ran away, or where she may have