Chapter 29
- He couldn’t see how close he was to the shore, so when the bottom of the canoe dragged into dirt he was able to stand again and see inside it. Gasping for air, he struggled to his feet and leaned over the canoe, it was empty. The paddle was there, her shoes and her camera, but she wasn’t. Devin held the edge and spun back towards the water, had she fallen out? His heart was beating in his throat, making breathing hurt. Shoving the morbid thought aside, he tried to focus on possibilities. If she’d fallen out, wouldn’t the paddle have gone with her? He looked to see it floating in the water that covered the bottom of the canoe. Walking to the front, he grabbed the handle and pulled it almost to the building. Grabbing her shoes and camera, he darted back into the building. Where is she?
- Devin stood beside the open door and looked down at her camera, carefully sealed inside a container. If she’d had the time to stop and seal it up from the rain she would have had the sense to find somewhere to hole up until this passed. He had to hold onto that thought, because the alternative made his chest ache. Setting her shoes and the camera down, he turned back to stand in the open door. The wind had lessened, but after fighting it to swim, it could just be wishful thinking.
- He wanted to scream and beat something into pieces. He felt utterly useless. Rayne was out there, somewhere, and he was being forced to hide in a shed and wait on the weather. Devin looked out at the lake, his eyes constantly moving, hoping to see her or anything that could tell him where she was. Another hour and dusk would arrive as his chances of finding her lessened, and he was having a hard time thinking that he may not be able to find her until morning. She has to be okay. Let her be okay.