Until You Loved Me (Silver Springs #3)(77)

“Smart-ass,” Hudson muttered and searched the house again. Still no sign of Ellie. He tried texting her. No response. He called—and got her voice mail again. What was going on?

The Porsche is in the garage, so she must’ve come back at some point, he wrote Maggie.

You don’t believe that I don’t know where she is?

He scowled at her response. He’d hired Maggie because she treated him like her son—with no deference to his celebrity—and didn’t put up with any shit. He appreciated her sarcastic sense of humor, but he was getting worried.

I am paying you, remember?

Not to hold women captive.

Funny. Is she with you?

No. I’m telling you I haven’t seen her since she left. She never took the Porsche.

She must’ve taken the Porsche. It was the only vehicle I left her.

From what I saw, she walked off the property.

Walked? As in exercise?

I didn’t stop to interrogate her, Hudson. I try to mind my own business.

Shit. He was dealing with the one person who respected his privacy.

I appreciate that. Protecting my privacy is always good. But now I need you to tell me everything you saw. How was she dressed?

Jeans. Sweater. Coat. Leather boots. She’s a cute girl.

The outfit Maggie described suggested Ellie hadn’t gone out for exercise. She would’ve been wearing tennis shoes, at least. So where had she gone? She didn’t know any of his neighbors; he couldn’t imagine she’d be out visiting strangers. She’d mentioned a desire to go to town, but surely she wouldn’t walk there. That trek was almost four miles each way.

Next time don’t lose track of her! he wrote, just to give her a little of the hell she’d given him.

I’ll buy a collar.

He couldn’t even appreciate her comeback. He was too concerned.

He called Bruiser. “You didn’t happen to see Ellie walking on the side of the road when you went through Silver Springs, did you?”

“I didn’t. Don’t tell me the Porsche broke down.”

“No, it’s still here, but she’s not.”

“Did you try calling her?”

“Of course. She’s not picking up.”

“Do you want me to turn around and help you look for her?”

“No. You stayed later than you intended already. I’m sure I’ll find her—somewhere.”

“Let me know the minute you solve the mystery.”

“I will,” he said and grabbed his keys.

*

The walk had felt a lot shorter on the trip into town, before she’d been on her feet all day. Ellie hadn’t bought many things, but trying to carry even a few bags for three and a half miles was more of a challenge than she’d bargained for, especially since the boots she’d thought were so comfortable when she left the house had given her a terrible blister. She wished she could call Hudson to see if he was available to come and get her, but her phone had died two hours earlier.

Although the road wasn’t terribly busy, there was a fairly constant stream of traffic. About halfway home, she grew desperate enough to consider flagging down a passing motorist to see if she could catch a ride.

After another quarter mile, she was no longer merely considering it. Prepared to do almost anything to avoid taking another step, she stuck out her thumb.

Several cars passed without stopping, but soon after that someone slowed. Although she couldn’t see a lot of detail in the dark, she could tell from the headlights that it was a truck.

Hitchhiking wasn’t a safe practice, so Ellie felt more than a little trepidation as she approached the lowered window—until she recognized the vehicle and its driver.

Hudson! Thank God.

She was so relieved to see him that she was taken aback when he snapped, “Get in!”

He didn’t have to tell her twice. She scrambled into the passenger seat so she wouldn’t hold him up any longer than necessary. Then she hung on to her seat belt as he raced off. She didn’t question him about his excessive speed, however. She knew he was angry.

They drove all the way to the house in silence. Only after he’d pulled into the garage and turned off the engine did he face her. “What the hell were you doing back there?” he demanded.

She released her seat belt. “Back where? I went shopping. That’s all. Found a really cute blouse and a more comfortable pair of pants. Now that my waist is expanding, I don’t have much—”

He caught her hand to stop her from gathering up her bags. “I mean after that.”

“When I was trying to get home?”

“When you were hitchhiking.”

If his stony silence on the ride hadn’t already let her know he didn’t approve, the acid in his voice would’ve made it crystal clear. “I was a little too optimistic about the distance.”

“Do you realize what an easy target you were?” he asked. “Some stranger could’ve stopped instead of me—and raped and murdered you and left your body to rot behind a barn.”

She pulled out of his grasp. “That’s a bit graphic.”

“You need to think about it.”

“The chances of being raped and murdered aren’t...great. But I wouldn’t want to be the exception, so I understand what you’re saying. It’s not something I would normally do.”