Eye of the Storm (The Charmed) by Dianne Nutting

fast.”
    Brendan looked at Harley, happy she was back to wanting to see him. “Where are we going?”
    “Anywhere but here.” Harley looked behind the truck as if someone had followed her. Her behavior was alarming Brendan so he put the car into drive and sped off. They used to drive to the north side and get lost in the back woods, he would head there.
    “You want to tell me what’s going on?”
    Harley hesitated. “Dad was asleep in the front room. When I brought in a bottle, I noticed a picture in his hand.” Harley held the picture out for Brendan to take.
    Brendan took the picture in his right hand while driving with this left. “Wait. What are you doing with a picture of my parents? Is that your Dad with them? Wait, wait…” Brendan pulled over, into the Butterfly Café parking lot and turned the truck off. He really looked at the picture. “When was this taken?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe after my mom died. His hair was longer after she passed. See, his hair is to his shoulders there.”
    “He doesn’t look happy, almost like he just got some bad news.” Brendan observed.
    “I know. Did you know they knew each other?” Harley was moving over to look at the picture as well.
    “No. That’s the strange part. My parents have been telling me for years to stay away from him, that he’s a drunk. He doesn’t look like a drunk in this picture. There’s something wrong.” He looked over at Harley. “Let’s go talk to your dad.”
    Harley paled which wasn’t hard since she was a fair skinned red-head. Brendan reached out and moved the hair from her face to look at her pretty green eyes. “It’ll be okay.”
    “Maybe we could do it tomorrow?”
    Brendan sighed. “What’s the difference? We already can’t figure out where Chase and Lyla are. Mr. M is gone. We need answers, Harley. He might hold the key to some of this.”
    Harley looked down into her hands. Brendan hadn’t taken his hand from her face. She looked up into his brown eyes. Brendan leaned in and kissed her so gentle and sweet it almost broke her to pieces.
    Harley whispered, “Okay.”
    Brendan kissed her cheek where a tear rolled down, and said, “It’ll be okay.”
    “You promise?”
    “Yes. I can promise you that. Whatever we find out, whatever happens when we walk into that house, I’ll be there for you. Forever, Harley.” His voice was strong with conviction .
    Harley let a few more tears roll down her face. Brendan wiped them away and smiled. “Ready?”
    She nodded her head yes.
    Brendan started the truck back up and drove down to Lake Hollingsworth from there and cut over to Beacon. From there he took a side road and drove straight up to Harley’s house. He pulled up in front and cut the engine.
    He clasped Harley’s hand. “Ready?”
    “Yes.”

    Chase was miles from the lodge. He was to get some wood and come right back but the farther he went, the better he felt. His mind was clearer, more stable. The forest was hundreds of miles all around, he sat on a log to rest for a moment. Something caught his eye. It was a red item on the other side of the stream. Chase stood to get a better look. It appeared to be a jacket. Chase walked toward it, waded into the water and felt a force release him. Chase fell forward in the stream. He gasped for air, crawling in the water to the other side and holding onto the red jacket like a lifeline. Chase pulled the jacket from him and looked at it. He put a hand in the pocket and found a receipt. It was for a tent, supplies and food. Chase looked around, nobody was within sight.
    “Hello!” He yelled at no one.
    Chase heard the echo of his voice but nothing else. There was something very familiar about this. Chase stood up, his head feeling a little woozy like he had been punched. He looked around and a pain ripped through him so fierce he doubled over and fell to the ground. The memories flooded back in a violent torrent of emotions. Jaden had been here. The coat was Kayla’s.