Norma Jean - By Amanda Heath Page 0,80

trying to block out all the images running through my head. I don’t know where she is. I don’t know what Creed is doing to her. “She would have heard it coming that way. She would have had a chance to get away.”

Declan looks a little angry at me before he visibly relaxes. “Teagan didn’t mean to leave the door unlocked. I’ll let it slip what you’re trying to do. I know you’re freaked out and panicking. But don’t go down there laying the fault at Teagan’s feet.”

I know he is right but I still want to rant and scream. I want to punch something and kick down a door. Anything to get rid of this panic and not knowing what’s going on. “Creed will call me. He will want to gloat about getting her. I just have to wait for that call.”

I look into Declan’s brown eyes and I see what he isn’t saying. “If she has been with him most of the day, then it’s probably already too late.”

It can’t be too late. How the hell would I go on without her?

*****

“What do you mean you can’t find her?” Elizabeth screams in my ear over the phone. I pull it away from my face while she continues to scream. Not all of it nice. “You were supposed to protect her! How the hell did he get to her?”

“I don’t know! Okay! I don’t know!” I yell back at her. I’m freaking out enough as it is without her making it worse. “We have to wait 24 hours to report her missing. The cops won’t do much until then.”

“Don’t you yell at me boy! I will call your mother!” her piercing voice even makes Caden and Declan cringe and they are on the other side of the room.

Before I can reply Teagan grabs the phone out of my hand. “Look Ms. Elizabeth, we are all worried about her, but you yelling at Chance is not going to find her any sooner.”

Teagan places the phone back in my hand and walks over to Declan and snuggles into his arms. My arms feel a pang for the little body they are missing. “She’s right Chance. I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault. I knew that Creed was a freak since he was a little kid. His daddy was as bad as they come.”

I stare off into space not replying. I don’t honestly think it has anything to do with who his daddy is. I’m a perfect example. My dad tried to make me exactly like him and I was when I was a child, but I grew up and became a decent man. Creed didn’t. He took what he learned from his father and made it the way he lived. Never seeing it wasn’t a good thing.

“I’m going to call Norma’s father. After that I’m heading up there and talking to the police. I will be damned if they aren’t going to do anything before 24 hours.” We say goodbye and she hangs up.

“Well I guess we know where Norma gets her feistiness from.” Caden jokes. I glare at him and start pacing the living room floor again.

“Caden just be quiet. You have no idea when to be quiet.” Teagan scolds him.

There’s a knock on the door then and we all look towards the door. I realize that we all live here, but most of the time I still let Declan answer the door. So does everyone else. As he gets up, I start fidgeting with my hands hoping it’s the police or something saying they have Norma and she is fine.

“Grace?” Declan says confused.

“Umm can I speak to Caden?” she asks walking into the room after Declan pulls the door open enough for her to enter.

Caden looks angry, which is the normal expression for him whenever the tall leggy blond enters the same room as him. “Not now Grace, Chance’s girlfriend is missing.” He waves her off and Grace looks upset.

“This is really important. I swear.” she pleads to the back of his head.

Caden sighs and gets up off the couch. He passes her without a glance and heads up the stairs. Grace slowly follows never once looking back at us.

“I don’t even want to know.” Teagan says pretending that didn’t just happen.

I roll it off my shoulders and start pacing again. The waiting game is something I never want to do again. It is literally killing me that I don’t know where she is or if she is okay. She