Shadows at Sunset: Sunset Trilogy ~ Book 1 (2 page)

“Where’s your dad tonight?” Ethan asked.

“Work. Mom said he would be late.”

“Really? Wonder what that’s all about.”

“I don’t know. How was work for you today?” I asked, changing the subject from one boring topic to another.

“The usual. Another fun summer day spent manning the deep fryer for hungry tourists. I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t wait for school to begin.”

“I’m not crazy about working the summer away either, but at least we’ve got some cash,” I reminded him. “And I can definitely wait for school to start.” Just the thought of lugging heavy books home and spending hours cooped up in my room working on homework dampened my mood.

“You never want school to start. Personally, I think college is looking better and better every day. Have you thought any more about where you want to go?”

I averted my eyes to the side, not wanting to meet his gaze. College was a sore subject with me. I couldn’t imagine leaving Dakota, but I didn’t expect Ethan or anyone else to understand that. “No. I’m trying to put off that decision as long as I can.”

“You can’t run from it forever.”

“I know. It’s not the college part that upsets me. It’s Dakota. I know I can’t take him with me.”

“You got that right. I don’t think he’ll be allowed in any dorm. But your parents will keep him and you can visit. They’re not going to get rid of him once you leave. He’s better behaved than any dog I’ve ever known.”

“I still wish I could take him with me. It just won’t be the same.”

Dakota knew we were talking about him, and he also knew I was upset. He rose from where he was lying, walked over to me, and rested his big wolf head in my lap. His amber eyes gazed up at me, unblinking.

I scratched at the base of his ears. “See? He agrees with me,” I told Ethan.

“Of course he does. He always takes your side,” Ethan stated. “Okay, we’ll change the subject, for now. But you will have to deal with this soon.”

“After Christmas,” I promised.

“Halloween. You need to get your applications out by Christmas.”

“Thanksgiving then, and that’s my final offer.”

“I guess I’ll have to live with that. I just think it would be cool if we went to the same school and I don’t want you to lose your chances by applying late.”

“That’s very sweet of you.” I had already considered applying to several of the same schools as Ethan if I had to apply to any. As long as there was a photography program, I could at least pretend to be interested. “And I agree. It would be nice to know at least one person at college. But we said we were going to change the subject.”

“You’re right.” Ethan sighed, and Dakota, sensing that I felt better, lay down at my feet. “Where’s Brooke tonight?”

“She was going to try to come over, but--” I glanced at my watch. It was almost seven o’clock. “If she’s not here yet, I don’t think she’s going to make it.”

“You know, one of us really needs to have a car at our disposal this year. We’re going to be seniors. How lame will we be if we have no way to get out on a Saturday night?” Ethan asked.

As I tried to cheer him up, my cell phone buzzed. It was a text message from Brooke. Her sister needed the car for her night shift at a bar in another town and didn’t have time to give Brooke a ride. Ethan and I would be on our own tonight which happened a lot since Brooke lived across town. I flashed the message at him before we continued talking about what it would be like to be seniors this year.

The pizza arrived a little later, and we shared it with my mother. We still hadn’t heard from my father, and the worry in her expression had deepened. She ate one slice before retreating to her bedroom with a glass of white wine and her book.

Ethan and I polished off the pizza and then scooped Rocky Road ice cream into bowls and smothered it with chocolate sauce. We carried our dessert into the family room where the big flat screen TV beckoned. Dakota followed us, seeming reluctant to leave my side. He usually preferred to be outside on a cool summer night, but he hadn’t gone to the back door all evening. Perhaps he didn’t want to leave until my father returned home. Whatever it was, it was a nice change to have him around.

As the movie began, I snuggled under a blanket in the recliner while Ethan sprawled out on the couch. With the lights off, we ate our ice cream by the glow of the TV. All that could be heard was the music of the opening credits and our spoons clanking against our bowls. When I finished, I set my bowl on the side table and rested my head back against the chair. As hard as I tried to stay awake, I lasted about ten minutes before my eyelids grew heavy and I drifted off to sleep.

***

“Laken, wake up,” Ethan whispered, gently shaking my shoulders.

I opened my eyes and smiled at him.

“You fell asleep. I think you missed the entire movie.”

“That’s nothing new,” I said in a sleepy voice. “Was it any good?”

“Yeah, it was. I’ll leave it for you and you can watch it tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” I yawned. “What time is it? Did my dad come home yet?”

“Ten-thirty and, no, he isn’t back yet.”

Just as he answered, headlights reflected against the sheer window curtains and we heard a car pull into the driveway. I sat up quickly, suddenly wide awake. I could tell by the low rumble of the car that it was my father. That, and the fact that Dakota didn’t move a muscle. If it had been anyone else, Dakota would have been on his feet, growling, in an instant. “He’s here. Finally. It’s pretty late. Now I’m kind of curious to know what’s been keeping him.”

“Come on, Laken. Nothing ever happens in this town. A tourist probably hit another moose and totaled their car,” Ethan mused.

He stood from his kneeling position by my chair as my father appeared around the corner. We both turned our attention to him. His jacket was slung behind his shoulder, his wrinkled light blue shirttails hanging over the waist of his jeans. Worry etched through his usually soft facial features and warm brown eyes. His salt-and-pepper gray hair appeared disheveled, even down through his neatly trimmed beard.

He nodded slightly. “I didn’t expect anyone would be up when I got home.” His voice sounded exhausted, drained of energy.

“Well, she wasn’t until a few minutes ago,” Ethan explained.

“Yeah. I fell asleep during the movie, again,” I said sheepishly.

A faint smile crept across my father’s tired face before he looked at Ethan. “It’s getting late. You’d better get home, son.”

Usually my father didn’t care how long Ethan stayed. He had even allowed Ethan to sleep on our couch a few times. But tonight, Ethan took the hint right away. “Yes, sir. I was just about to head out.” He looked over at me. “Talk to you tomorrow?”

“Of course,” I replied--like he even had to ask.

As Ethan headed into the entry hall, my father turned to him. “Ethan. Do you have a jacket? It’s pretty cold out there.”

“No, I didn’t think to bring one. I’ll be fine. It’s not far.”

“I can give you a ride.”

“No thanks, Mr. Sumner. You just got home, and I’m sure you don’t want to go out again. Besides, I’ve been making this trek for years now.”

“Okay.” My father followed him to the front door. “Have a good night, son,” he said as he shut the door behind Ethan.

When my father returned to the family room, I watched him curiously. “What happened today?”

He ran his fingers through his hair and sat down on the couch with a strained sigh. “Ryder Thompson disappeared from his backyard this afternoon. He was playing on his swing set when his mother had to run inside. By the time she returned, he was gone. Vanished without a trace. We spent all afternoon and evening combing the area and came up empty.”

I sat straight up, my back stiffening. I knew Ryder from babysitting him a few times over the last year. At three years old, he was a quiet little boy who didn’t talk much yet. He would be helpless out in the wilderness alone, and tonight the freezing temperatures could be dangerous. “How did he disappear?”

“I’m sure he just wandered off after a butterfly or something. There were about ten of us searching, and he must have gotten pretty far. Unfortunately, he got a good head start on us. His mother tried to find him herself. By the time she called us and we got there, he’d already been gone for a few hours.”

I cringed to think of Ryder lost in these mountains, especially in the dark. There had to be something we could do. Tomorrow morning would seem like forever to such a small child. He was probably scared to death right now.

“And to make it even worse, he’s only wearing shorts and a T-shirt.” My father shook his head. “He’s going to freeze out there, probably already is. We called the nearest canine search and rescue team, but they can’t get here until the morning.”

“Morning? Dad, that could be too late.”

He rested his elbows on his knees. “I know. That’s the best they could do. I’m just sick over this whole thing. I’ve been with the Lincoln Police Department for over twenty years and nothing like this has ever happened. We’ve had car accidents, bar scuffles, and the occasional break-in, but this is a child. We searched really far tonight, but we finally had to give up.”

“Have you told Mom?”

He nodded. “I talked to her a few hours ago, and I’m sure she didn’t want to interrupt your movie or, in your case, wake you up, to tell you. I think she was hoping we wouldn’t have to tell you at all. It brings up bad memories for us.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I never ran off when I was three.”

“No, try six. That’s when you started wandering off, but somehow you always made it home safely before dark.”

I avoided his gaze as the memories came back to me. He was right. As soon as I had learned I could talk to animals, I ventured into the forest alone all the time, even when my parents scolded me time after time.

What they hadn’t known was that I was never really alone. And if I lost my way, the animals led me home. “I remember.”

“I still don’t like you out there alone, but at least now I know you’re with Dakota.”

I glanced over at the black wolf sprawled out across the carpet. “He never leaves my side.”

“Speaking of Dakota, I’m surprised he’s not out tonight,” my father commented.

“He seemed to want to stay in. I think he sensed something was wrong.”

“He’s a good boy. I remember being a little reluctant to keep him. But I’ll tell you what, I’ve never regretted it. He’s been really good for you. I don’t know how you do it, but you really get through to him.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without him.” I briefly recalled my conversation with Ethan tonight about going away to college and realized how empty a college dorm would feel without Dakota lying at the foot of my bed.

“Well, listen, I’m going to turn in. I don’t know if I’ll sleep, but I’d better at least try since the search teams are going to be at the station at six in the morning.” He stood up. “How ’bout you? Are you going to head up to bed soon?”

“In a few minutes.”

“Okay. Good night, Laken.”

“Good night, Dad.”

As soon as he disappeared around the corner, I sat still, staring at Dakota. My mind was spinning out of control with thoughts of the lost little boy.
You have to do something. You can’t leave him out there alone tonight. Dakota will help. Together, you could find him. He could freeze or animals could get to him. You have to at least try,
I told myself.

Taking a deep breath, I began to piece together the situation. The Thompsons lived about a mile down the road from us. Their house was even on the same side of the street. That meant if Ryder had wandered off from his backyard, he was probably somewhere in the wilderness behind our houses. I knew these mountains better than anyone, and I could organize a search party of animals who had nocturnal abilities that a trained search-and-rescue dog couldn’t match. Suddenly, I knew what I had to do.