Page 122 of Burning for You

Levi

We’ve turned the house inside out, but the place is empty and there’s no sign of Carolyn having ever set foot there.

“Fuck! I think we’ve been played by Giro,” Jesse snaps.

“She’s here, Jesse. I heard her.”

My brother looks at me, querying once again if her voice might’ve just been in my head.

We decide to inspect the surrounding land. Her voice might’ve come from somewhere around this green field.

Jesse and I spread out, moving from tree to tree, but when we meet back at the house, we’re still empty-handed.

“She’s not here,” Jesse says. “We should go, try to find another location. Or it might be too late.”

“No. I heard her, and I’m not leaving without her. Carolyn!” My voice cracks, but no response.

I wander around the side of the house, and something occurs to me. “Remember we used to play in the bunker behind the stable? Sometimes our voices sounded like they were coming from the trees.”

Jesse frowns. “You think she’s in a basement?”

I nod.

“But we’ve searched the house. There is no basement.”

“I think we missed it.”

We return to the front door.

“You’d better be right about this,” Jesse says. While he has his gun steady in his hand, I go ahead and charge back in.

With our eyes peeled, we tread with light steps, looking for a possible void under the floor. We move furniture, lift every rug, until I step onto a spot inside the storage room.

It is airy beneath me.

“Jesse!”

The carpet strips off easily, and there’s a trapdoor.

Jesse extends his arm, ready to shoot as I descend into what looks to be a tunnel. We step under an arch, and ahead of us there’s a room with shelves. It must be some sort of a library.

A gunshot greets us.

“I see that fucking murderer!” Jesse says, ready to shoot back.

I see Josh Bright too, moving across the room, but no sign of Carolyn or Rupert.

With our backs glued to the tunnel wall, we take cover behind a pillar supporting the arch. I feel a slight breeze.

Is there another way out from here? Is that where Josh has taken Carolyn?

“Carolyn!” I call. But no reply.

“Go! I’ll cover you,” Jesse says. “Just keep going until you find her.”

I run to where the breeze is coming from. I feel Josh’s presence, but he’s nowhere to be seen. Knowing I’m an easy target, I run the length of the room as fast as I can, and then stop behind a huge supporting pillar. A shudder creeps down my spine when I see a torn pair of pants. I pray that son of a bitch hasn’t hurt Carolyn.

“Jesse, he’s gone!” I say, but my eyes are still looking. I think I find where the breeze is coming from.