Between Us and These Bones

31

CARSON'S POV

I paced back and forth, rubbing my cheeks, frustrated beyond belief. As soon as the officers found out Tarryn had been taken, we were moved to a different location - a house owned by the FBI. It had taken an hour to reach, and even my grandfather was forced to come with us.

It's been three hours since Wayne snatched my little sister and Rose, killing the two agents with them. Trey and Matthew were giving me noticeable glares like this was my fault. I mean, it was my fault -

"How could you let her go with them?" Matthew stands, his dark grey eyes flashing with a storm within. "You knew how dangerous it was, and still let her go!"

I understood the weight of Matthew's words, and guilt gnawed at my insides like a relentless predator. Each step Tarryn had taken towards that car now seemed like an unerasable mistake. My gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet his accusatory stare. It wasn't that I hadn't been aware of the risks; I had, but I couldn't let my sister face this ordeal alone.

Trey stepped in, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. "Look, we're all stressed right now. Blaming each other won't help. We need to focus on finding them."

Ivan, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, his face etched with worry, finally spoke up. His voice carried the weight of wisdom earned through years of experience. "Matthew, it is no one's fault but Wayne's. He's a psychopath. Blaming anyone now will only take up energy and we need to focus on bringing Tarryn and Rose home."

Trey leaned forward, exhaustion in his eyes. "And how are we supposed to do that? We're stuck in this fucking house with guards."

Matthew's shoulders sagged, and he sank back into the chair. His face expressed what we were all likely feeling, helpless. I could tell he was struggling to balance his emotions, torn between the need to express his anger and the understanding that it wasn't productive.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "You're right, Matthew. I should've been more cautious. But we can't change the past. What we can do is come up with a plan to track them down and rescue Tarryn and Rose."

Trey nodded in agreement. "We know Wayne's methods from his previous crimes. He leaves subtle clues, breadcrumbs that only someone who knows him well can decipher. If we can think like him, we might be able to anticipate his next move."

Ivan's eyes crinkled at the corners as he offered a faint smile. "I've known Wayne longer than any of you. I might have insights into his patterns."

The hours stretched on as we pooled our knowledge and resources, piecing together Wayne's history and behaviour. The house owned by the FBI became a makeshift war room strewn with maps, documents, and hastily written notes. With each passing moment, the urgency grew, but so did our determination to outwit the cunning criminal who had taken our family members.

As the night deepened and the first rays of dawn painted the sky, we knew that the journey ahead wouldn't be easy. But we were prepared to face whatever challenges lay in store, fueled by the hope of reuniting with Tarryn and Rose and the unbreakable bond that held us together.

Skyler and Sam jogged into the room, their expressions sombre.

I straightened, glancing between the two. "What is it?"

Sam swallowed. "I know how they found out where we were. Haisley called his father-"

"I knew that little shit was up to no good. We should never have fucking brought him here," Matthew snapped, standing and began pacing the room.