Still See You Everywhere by Lisa Gardner

Author:Lisa Gardner [GARDNER, LISA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2024-03-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

WE’VE JUST SPRAYED OUR WAY through another enormous puddle when the missing UTV comes into view. Aolani slams on the brakes. Our vehicle has barely come to a full stop, and we’re both out, flashlights bobbing through the rain. No sign of Charlie. I radio in the news, get a staticky confirmation from Vaughn, while Aolani grabs the walking sticks and medical kit. She doesn’t have to tell me to hurry up. The discovery of an abandoned vehicle on a dark and stormy night is enough to kick my sense of urgency into high gear.

It takes me a few seconds before I discover the trail of trampled grass Ronin and I followed earlier in the day. I catch the bright reflection of a glistening ruby-red shell, hear more scuttling from over there. I don’t want to enter the underbrush at this time of night and in these conditions, but I don’t have a choice. Clearly, Charlie came to check out the grave site on his own. Why? And what happened to cause him to be gone this long? Surely he was thinking he’d be in and out before anyone discovered that he was missing.

The downpour batters against my Gore-Tex hood, reducing my world to a single thunderous sound, while my flashlight carves out a narrow beam of light. I take a deep breath, then, as the designated guide, plunge forward. I immediately start slipping and sliding. If I thought the trail was challenging the first time around, the conditions have only made it trickier. I can feel Aolani pressing impatiently behind me. We need to find Charlie and we need to find him now.

I use the walking stick to sweep the underbrush before me as more eyes appear in the dark. Then, a resounding thwack as I connect with something solid and send it reeling.

Please don’t let coconut crabs be the vengeful type.

I careen down a small dip, tripping over roots, sloshing into mud. I right myself just in time to catch movement at the base of one of the Pisonia trees. A ruckus as two bodies collide. I frantically flick my flashlight to the right in time to catch a giant coconut crab dragging a smaller, still flailing orange ghost crab away.

Don’t think about it. Forward momentum. Eyes straight ahead.

I slip over another root, go down on one knee, Aolani nearly falling over me. For a second, my foot is caught. I kick frantically, rip free from the tangle of plants, then surge to standing. I spy more evidence of trampled underbrush and power forward.

Rain, mud, muck. Giant crabs, vicious predators, hydraulic claws.

Just move.

I can tell the moment we’re close. The rain now tastes of salt as we stagger up the small knoll overlooking the ocean. No sign of the angel terns or sound of raucous seabirds as I head to the right, scooching under the umbrella of two trees.

And then…

I wave my arm frantically to grab Aolani’s attention.

“I’ve found him, I’ve found him, I’ve found him.”

I twist around.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.