The Lake House

22|| Nick

Lesley awoke in panic mode. Sweat beads broke through her pores, dripping down her face. Fearful thoughts coursed through her mind like a relentless alarm that refused to shut off. Intensifying with each passing moment.

A tight knot formed deep within her stomach, anxiety clamoring through her chest as frightening thoughts of what could've possibly happened to Nick consumed her.

Earlier in the week, she had lost her focus, completely engrossed in the anticipation of meeting Katherine and Darlene to gain more insight into Leah's life. Then, Jackie's call blindsided her with a torrent of venomous words, throwing her off track and causing her to forget about Nick's expected return. Despite leaving numerous messages on his voicemail and anxiously awaiting his call back, he never did return her calls. Her only option now was to file a police report and she was determined to do just that.

Ideally, she'd want to file one with Officer Todd. That way, she'd be able to inquire about his nephew, Greg Todd, and this would give her some insight into the relationship he had with Leah. But as of now, she'd have to stay focused on finding Nick. As that was her priority now.

Lesley left her house that afternoon, stepping out into the cool autumn air. She strolled to her car, conveniently parked in front of the garage. She slid into the driver's seat and began her journey to the Arcaden Police Station.

Humming to her tunes as they played out of the speakers, all she could think about was Nick. Hoping with all of her heart that he was safe and sound. As memories of Nick surfaced in her head an overwhelming sense of fear gripped her. Leah was now an afterthought as Lesley had no other choice but to dedicate her time to locating the love of her life.

Lesley smoothly guided her car around the windy curves of the Arcaden hills. The tree branches hung steady while the leaves danced in the wind having made their full autumn transformation, harboring hints of brown, orange, and yellow. As she was admiring the scenery, in an unforeseeable instant a large tree tumbled down into the street. Lesley gripped her steering wheel tightly, pressing her foot down on her brakes, she swiftly maneuvered her car into the breakdown lane to avoid colliding with the tree. It was now blocking her path in the road.

Stepping out of her car, she was greeted by the faint scent of wood wafting by her nostrils. The wind blew vigorously, causing leaves and debris to scatter into the air.

Lesley's eyes suddenly widened as a petite figure spun gracefully before her, resembling a spaceship gently touching down on the Earth's surface. Her black hair twirled in the wind like a merry-go-round. Finally, her delicate feet touched the ground.

"Leah?" Lesley gasped, her voice tinged with astonishment. Leah had never ventured that close to her before. Lesley's eyes sharply darted toward the stark and disturbing details: the deep purple bruises that marbled Leah's arms and encircled her neck. The unsettling scratches etched upon her chest, and the eerie, almost translucent hue that had taken hold of her skin. A profound sorrow welled up within Lesley, wrapping her heart in a suffocating band of grief.

"Lesley!" Leah said enthusiastically. "I'm happy to see you." Her expression was stoic, her eyes dropping.

"Leah, I've been trying to uncover the truth of who the city councilman is." Lesley reassured her.

"I have some troubling news, Lesley," Leah murmured, her dark eyes darting downward as she kept her head lowered, fixated on the concrete of the highway. "Your husband has been abducted by them. He's aware of something they want to keep hidden, and they're willing to go to extreme lengths, even to the point of trying to end his life," Leah explained in almost a whisper, her voice soft but filled with a sense of urgency.

Fear coursed through Lesley's veins. "Leah, who are they?" she demanded, her voice trembling with anxiety.

Leah, still with her head lowered, replied solemnly, "Lesley, you must find out on your own." She shook her head in resignation. "If I reveal their identity, I won't be able to communicate with you again. Please, heed my messages and do your best. I believe in you." With those words, Leah slowly dissipated into the thin autumn air.

Frustration surged through Lesley, an overwhelming tide causing her to clench her jaw even tighter. She gave in to her vexation, kicking the tire of her car with her black boot and unleashing a piercing scream that echoed through the empty forest.

Lesley took a few minutes to meditate as she tried to calm herself down, taking deliberate breaths in and out. She finally felt settled down as her tense muscles unraveled into a state of relaxation. She knew how important it was to remain calm, think the situation through with diligence, and act with pure logic so that she could successfully execute her plans.

She was able to safely return to the road, where two men driving diesel trucks came to her rescue. They lifted the fallen tree out of the road, clearing the way for Lesley to continue her journey toward the Arcaden Police Station.

Arriving at the station, she safely made her way inside. The station was dimly lit, and the moist, moldy smell seeped out of the walls, causing memories to flood back into Lesley's mind, reminding her of the last time she was there, meeting with Officer Grant. As she ventured further into the building, a receptionist at the desk welcomed her in. An older woman with a round face and a hint of chubbiness in her cheeks. She had her gray hair neatly tied up but allowed a few silver curls to cascade gracefully down the sides of her face.

"Hi, I'm here to file a missing persons report," Lesley began, her voice tinged with nervousness as she lightly tapped her fingernails on the desk. "It's been three days since I last spoke with my husband. He was supposed to return home on Wednesday from his work trip to Florida."

The woman hastily picked up the phone, compassion glimmering through her green eyes, as she pressed the phone to her ear. "I have a woman up here who needs to file a missing persons report." The woman spoke into the phone. Soon after the woman hung up, Lesley heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

She looked up, watching a uniformed officer stroll her way. As he approached her goosebumps rode up her arms when she realized it was none other than Officer Todd himself, just the person she wanted to see.