~* Scott *~
I’m gonna miss not seeing Ness for two days. Jesus, I’ve become addicted to that girl already. I try to tell myself that spending a couple of days away will be good because it’ll just be that much sweeter when I see her again. Also, I can take this time to concentrate on finding more clues about Tonya. This was to be an R&R for me since I had been scouring all over to find her from day one of her disappearance, but how can I possibly relax when she’s missing?
Being with Ness helps to take my mind off things most of the time, but Tonya pops into my head constantly.
Anyway, I will keep searching for my sis no matter how long it takes—I will not give up until I find her. God, let her be safe.
The police in both Larkwood and Redgrove said there were no reports of an accident fitting Tonya’s car or her description, or any abandoned cars along the stretch between the two towns, so unless she deviated from the route she intended, there has to be something along the path between these two points.
She told me she was going to our parents’ place, so that must be where she headed. Tonya has never lied to me—well, maybe when we were kids, but not past our teens—so why would she lie about this? Things just don’t make sense. She’s gotta be somewhere on this ninety mile stretch—she’s just got to be.
I’ve gotta keep searching down this entire area. I know I’m trespassing on private property, and Ness said her dad would throw me off of it if he knew. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t want me to come by her place—she probably doesn’t want to take a chance that her dad will find out about me. But if I recall, she did mention that he doesn’t get home until six, so I don’t see how he’d find out as long as I leave well before then.
I wonder how much of this land he owns. This is a huge spread and I’m sure it’s not all his. Where I’m camping out might not even be part of his property. I should have Ness come to my campsite one day. It’s a nice, cozy spread right near a stream. Too bad she can’t come out at night because sitting under the stars with her in my arms would be damn romantic. Hmm, maybe she can sneak out without him knowing. I’ll have to bring that up with her.
Okay, here I go again, thinking about Ness. I gotta get some things done today like restocking some of my supplies, so I better stop thinking about her and head into town. I’ll visit my parents while I’m at it and the police to see if they have anything new. They always say they’ll call me if anything turns up but I just like to make sure, especially since I haven’t received a single phone call after those first two weeks. I’m probably a pain in their ass, but hell, how would they feel if it were their sister or daughter missing? Huh? How would they feel?
* * *
On Saturday, I ended up getting done with all my errands kinda late, so I spent the night at my parents’ place. Every time I visit my parents, I can see my dad trying to hold it together, but my mom is a mess. Tonya’s disappearance is taking a toll on her to the point she’s depressed all the time and not wanting to talk to anybody outside of my dad and me. Even with us, she’s not the same as she used to be. Mom and Tonya are close, so if she were to lose her only daughter, I’m not sure she’d ever recover from it. I fear for this. I fear that we may never see Tonya again. Fuck. I don’t even want to think about it.
Anyway, the first two weeks after sis went missing I stayed with my parents, trying to help my mom through this nightmare, getting info from the police, and wherever else I could. I live in Larkwood near Tonya since that’s where we both go to college. Originally, we had shared a place, but then she met Vince and moved in with him.
Both of us aren’t tight for money, since my grandfather left us each a $100,000 inheritance being the only grandchildren he had. To some people that may not seem much, but to Tonya and me, it’s no chump change. We have most of it in CDs, and the remainder we draw from to pay for our own tuition, rent, and other necessities so that our parents don’t have to.
Our parents inherited a sum greater than ours, and Tonya and I tried to convince them to take a long vacation around the world, to see places they haven’t seen, to do things for themselves for a change. They’re great parents and have always done their best to give my sis and me the best life they could. It pains me and my gut wrenches to see my mom like this. I need to find Tonya if it’s the last thing I do.
Beep.
I just got a text message. It’s Ness. It must be important because she said she wouldn’t call or text me unless it was an emergency. She doesn’t want her dad to notice the calls on his bill.
She says she might not make it on Monday because her dad’s found out he’s got cancer and he wants to take her into town to take care of some things. It’ll depend on how he’s feeling.
Holy Fuck. That’s a freaking bummer about her dad. I want to hold her right now, to help her through this, and be there for her. I wish she’d let me meet her dad so I can help out however I can.
I text her to see if I can do anything. She texts back a ‘no’ and says she’ll let me know when we can meet up again. I don’t text her back since she wants to keep a low profile so her dad doesn’t suspect.
My thoughts go back to Tonya since there’s nothing I can do for Ness right now, and will just have to wait for her to contact me.
My sis is somewhere in these woods between Larkwood and Redgrove, I just know it—I feel it. From the time Vince said she stormed out of the apartment and the time she called me, I estimate that she was about 40 miles out, headed for our parents’ place.
She could’ve had a flat or engine trouble any place along the way after that. If someone kidnapped her and moved her car elsewhere, she could be in any of these wooded areas, but at least I can eliminate 40 miles of territory to cover.
I should hike up that hill Ness took me to and see if I can spot any cabins around. I don’t recall seeing any, but then again, I wasn’t exactly looking for them at the time and nothing just popped out on its own.
What time is it? I look at my watch. Hmm, by the time I get back to my campsite, I won’t make it back from the hill before dark. I’d better take my sleeping bag and some food, and camp the night up there. It’ll be easier to spot a lighted cabin in the dark anyway. Okay, this sounds like a plan.
After lunch, I say goodbye to my parents and head back, anxious to climb that hill and see what I can spot from there. I’d better remember to take my binoculars.
As I head back to my campsite, Ness enters my thoughts and I wonder what she’s doing right now. I’m so tempted to call her to see how she’s feeling, but of course, I’m not going to—it’s me who has to wait for her call.
I sure hope it’s soon though. I miss her already. Man, this girl sure has me hook, line, and sinker.