27. Dean - The Rescue

Dean - The Rescue

Chapter twenty-seven

Right away, we encounter rushing waves the closer we get to the location Anna gave me, and I have to remind myself time and time again that I'm setting a good example for my son by going to help her.

"Is that her car?" Dylan asks.

I squint to see through the heavy rain. "She had a rental, but yes, I think so."

Then, as soon as I get out of the truck, a large gush of water rushes in between us.

"Shoot!" I try my hardest to get back inside.

"Dad! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. But I thought I was going to get swept away there for a second."

"Don't go out there again."

"I have to. How else are we going to get to your mom?"

"I don't know. Do you think Bob has a rope or chain or something in here?"

I turn my head to quickly examine the covered bed.

"I don't see anything." It was mostly just farming equipment.

I'm still thinking when I see Anna get out of her car.

"Anna! Stop! It's too dangerous," I yell out of the window.

She doesn't seem to listen to me, and she's quickly knocked down.

I have no choice but to risk my own well-being to help her.

"Dad!"

"It'll be okay. Just stay inside the truck, okay?"

He nods.

"Okay, good."

So, I get out and brace against the body of the truck to stay upright as my eyes dart in search of her body.

"Dean! Dean!" I hear between gargled muffles.

"Anna! Where are you?"

I look and see her clinging to a tree trunk.

"Help me!"

"I will, I will! Just keep holding on!"

"I'm slipping!"

Okay, okay. Think, Dean. Think.

I open the door and ask for Dylan's hoodie. I tie them together and swim toward the back of the truck where I find a checkered button-up and a few other items of clothing that I add to the chain.

I swing it out, and it barely reaches her.

"Grab on!"

She does, and I pull her to me.

The water is continuing to rise, but I manage to shove her, and hoist myself, into the truck.

After that, all three of us just sit there—Anna and I are both gasping for breath.

"Thank you," she finally says.

Dylan gives her the biggest hug. "Of course. We couldn't just leave you out here, Mom."

When I get my bearings back, I drive back to Mae and Bob's house.

But I don't get the heroic welcome I expected.

"How could you?" Mae demands, hands on hips, as soon as I step foot out of the truck.

"What?"

"I confronted you after Anna found that contract, and you promised—you promised me you weren't going to go through with the deal."

"What are you talking about?" My head is spinning.

"Oh, I don't know. A man was just here measuring our property, and he said that your company sent him."

My hands are raised in the air as if someone is holding a gun to me. "Seriously, Mae. I have no idea what you're talking about. Everyone I work with knows I pulled the plug on the project."

"You're unbelievable."

Anna takes a cue and hurries herself and our son into the house.

"Mae, please." I try to hold her hand, but she jerks away.

Even through the rain, I can tell that she's crying.

"Don't cry." Again, I reach out to touch her.

"Don't."

"Sorry."

She wipes her tears herself before crossing her arms.

"I'm just so sick of the lies, Dean. Do you know how hard it is for me to open up to people? And I let you in. I let you in! Even after all of my doubts and suspicions."

"I'm not lying, Mae! I swear. I have no idea why that guy was here. Honest."

She just stands there and looks at me.

"Please, trust me."

"I can't! From the start, you've just been using us."

I feel so frustrated, and there's a ball of emotion developing at the bottom of my throat that makes it feel like I haven't had a drop of water in days.

"I haven't. You have to believe me."

"How can I?"

"Because I'm asking you to. And because I'm telling the truth."

"My heart wants to. But my brain says differently. There have just been so many signs."

"Like what? The unsigned contract and some mystery guy?"

"Are you seriously saying you wouldn't find that suspicious?"

"I mean, I guess on its face—both things are suspect—but I already explained the story behind the contract. As for the guy? I have no idea. I wish I had some answers for you."

"Well, maybe you should stay out in the rain or in your powerless house until you do."

"Mae!" I can't believe how cruel she's being to me. But part of me feels like I deserve it for my deception to her and her family in the beginning.

She goes inside and slams the door before either of us can say anything else.

I don't want to just sit in the rain, so I do as she suggests and go inside my own home.

As to be expected, it is cold and dark. So, I gather all the blankets I can find, and I just sit on the floor.

I'm kind of rocking back and forth as I try to process exactly what just happened. I thought that she was going to rush out and then hug and kiss me because she was so happy that I made it back safe. But no. Instead, she screamed her head off at me.

Was there some way that wires got crossed and someone didn't hear about the canceled plan? It couldn't be. I fired off a company-wide email, and I got all of the "sent receipts," so I know that they went through despite the issues with the internet.

"Dad?"

The sound of his voice startles me a little.

"Sorry, I just wanted to give you some hot chocolate."

"Thank you, Dyl."

He hands me a thermos, and I happily accept it.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?" I say after taking a drink.

"Is what Mae said true? Did you continue with the condo deal?"

"No."

"Well, then—"

"I have no idea why that guy was here. Truly. Especially during a storm like this. It doesn't make sense."

"Do you want me to try to talk to her?"

"No, that's okay. This is something I'm going to have to figure out on my own."

"I came out here to bring this to you, too." He hands me his phone.

"What—"

"Look at Find My Friends."

I do as he says, and I see that he and Coral share their locations with each other.

"Look. Remember when she said she was trying to get home? She wasn't. She went to a strange building about halfway between here and the city."

"What in the world?" He's right. "What could that possibly be?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I think we have to find out."

"In this weather? It's too dangerous."

It's also too dangerous for me to risk losing Mae.

"But you stay here, and don't say a word to anyone about where I am. Got it?"

"Okay. Just please be careful."

I watch to make sure he gets back inside the house safely, and then I sneak into the driver's side of my car.

With the address of the building in my phone, I head out, soon realizing that Bob was right. It's much harder to navigate the tides in my compact vehicle, and I hydroplane on several occasions. But I eventually make it.

From the outside, it looks to just be an abandoned building. Nevertheless, I go inside.

"Hello?" I call into the darkness. "Hello? Is there anybody in here?"

I find a light switch and turn it on. Still, I see nobody.

"Hello, little brother," I suddenly hear from behind me. His breath is hot on my neck.