"I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter where you are. I will find you." Unknown

Saint

The silence in my apartment was a mockery. Everyone knew. They knew Veronica was missing. They knew Liam Hawthorne had taken her. The knowledge settled in my gut like a lead weight, cold and heavy. I’d spent the last two days reliving every moment with her, every touch, every word. And the guilt… the guilt was a living thing, gnawing at me. Had I pushed her too hard? Been too demanding when she needed patience, the compassion she so freely gave to others? The memory of her flinching at my touch, the fear in her eyes… it haunted me. I’d seen it before, that terror. And I knew, deep down, it wasn’t about me. It was about something else, something she’d been carrying for years. Something I should have helped her with, not made worse.

Hayley’s calls were relentless, her voice raw with grief and fear. “They haven’t found her, Saint. They haven’t found her!”

“I know, Hayley,” I’d say, my voice hoarse. “But we’re not giving up. We’re not.”

The police were useless, bogged down in procedure. Liam had covered his tracks well. Too well. I knew I had to take matters into my own hands. I had to find her, not just for Hayley, not just because it was the right thing to do, but because… because I needed her. I needed to understand. I needed to make things right.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

I pulled up Liam’s file again. His obsession with Veronica was a festering wound. It was twisted, fueled by jealousy and possessiveness. He’d been watching her, following her, ever since she’d ended things with Julian. I hadn't even registered him as a threat. I didn't even *know* him. Damn it, I should have been more aware. I should have…

My phone rang. It was a number I didn’t recognize. Frowning, I almost dismissed it, but something made me answer.

“Saint?” The voice was official, impersonal. “This is Officer Davies at the County Detention Center. We have an inmate who’s requested to speak with you. A Julian Hawthorne.”

My blood ran cold. “Julian? About what?”

“He says it concerns a Veronica… and a Liam Hawthorne.”

My heart pounded. “Put him through.”

A click, then Julian’s rough, gravelly voice. “Saint?”

“Julian? What do you know?” I demanded, my heart pounding.

“Liam… he talked about a place. A cabin, up north. Near Lake Serenity. He said it was ‘secluded,’ that no one would find her there.”

Lake Serenity. The name echoed in my mind. It wasn't in Liam's file. That's why the police missed it. Damn them.

“Lake Serenity,” I repeated, more to myself than him.

“Just… find her, Saint,” he said, his voice fading. “Bring her back.”

I hung up, my hands shaking. Lake Serenity. It was a start. It was something. I grabbed my keys, my jacket. I had to go. I had to find her.

As I drove north, the image of Veronica’s face filled my mind. Her smile, her laughter, the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn’t watching. I’d been so focused on my own insecurities, my own fears, that I’d forgotten what mattered most. I’d forgotten about her. Now, I was going to fix it. I was going to bring her home. No matter what it took. The hunt was truly on. And this time, it wouldn't end until I had her back in my arms