Uncertainty gnawed at him, but he gave a shaky nod. “You’re right. I have to find them. I’ll bring them back… I’ll bring them home!”
Determination sparked in his eyes—no matter what it took, alive or dead, he would bring Elissa and Locke back.
Inside the car, Eric handed Hadley a tissue and gently said, “No more tears, okay?”
He then turned to the driver. “Drive.”
“Yes, Mr. Scott,” the driver responded.
The car pulled away from Lion Bay, its silhouette slowly disappearing into the distance.
“Hadley…” Eric sighed deeply. He reached for her hand and drew her into his arms.
Hadley stiffened, caught off guard. She had no idea what he was doing.
“Don’t move,” Eric said, sensing her resistance.
He cradled the back of her head, brought her closer, and rested her against him. “Listen. Elissa’s fine.”
Hadley looked up, her eyes wide in disbelief. “What?”
“You heard me,” Eric said, his voice steady but heavy with emotion. He looked at her bloodshot eyes and explained, “She didn’t go to Ontmond. She’s with Locke. They’re both safe.”
“Really?” Hadley blinked, her voice trembling with hope. “You’re not lying to me, are you?”
Eric sighed exasperatedly. “I’m not lying. What I’m saying is true. I was the one who arranged the intel about the flight to Ontmond. But the plane crash…” He paused and shook his head. “That was beyond my control.”
Of course, he didn’t have the kind of power it would take to cause something like that.
“Then…” Hadley gripped his hands tighter. “Where are Elissa and Locke now?”
L?tеst chαpt?rs n glнov?ls.со
“They’re still in Srixby.”
“What?” Hadley’s eyes widened. “Wouldn’t that make them easier to find?”
Eric shook his head again. “No. You know the saying ‘hidden in plain sight’? Sometimes, the place that looks the most dangerous ends up being the safest. Besides…”
With the way that plane crash happened, maybe fate was finally on Elissa’s side. Seeing the confusion written all over Hadley’s face, Eric continued, “Elissa and Locke are on a secluded private island owned by the Scott family.”
Ferris had bought the island years ago, back when Milly fell ill. He had wanted her to have a quiet place to recover. Since then, Milly had been living there in isolation.
“Are they safe there?” Hadley worriedly asked.
“Yes,” Eric assured her.
Milly had spent years on that island, away from the world. It was private and secure. Eric had spent years trying to track her down, but the trail always ended in silence. That was until he went back to the Scott family and found out about the island.
“Don’t worry.” Eric held Hadley close and continued, “My mother has lived there for years. Everything they need is already there. It’s a place built for healing.” He had weighed every possibility. Sending Elissa and Locke anywhere else would have been a risk the moment word got out. Now, with everything so interconnected, anyone determined enough could find who they were looking for.
.
.
.