Chapter 16 - THE FRANTIC SEARCH
Within ten minutes, the Blackwood estate looked like a military command center preparing for war.
Over fifty private security contractors, local police, and search dogs swarmed the muddy grounds in the pouring rain.
Ethan was completely drenched, his designer shirt clinging to his skin as he frantically scoured the nearby woods with a massive flashlight.
Hannah was hyperventilating on the porch, wrapped in a blanket, while Richard made aggressive phone calls to the mayor.
"He is terrified of the dark, he wouldn't have gone far," Ethan told the police chief, his voice cracking with pure terror.
Hours dragged on, the freezing rain turning into a dangerous sleet that severely hampered the rescue dogs.
Ethan's mind raced with horrifying scenarios, wondering if Arthur Hale's men had somehow bypassed the perimeter.
Suddenly, a sharp bark echoed from the old, abandoned greenhouse at the very edge of the property.
Ethan sprinted faster than he ever had in his life, kicking the jammed glass door completely off its hinges.
Inside, huddled under a dirty tarp and shivering violently, was Noah.
Ethan dropped to his knees in the dirt, pulling the freezing child against his chest and sobbing openly.
"I got you, buddy, Dad is right here, you're safe," Ethan wept, wrapping his own warm coat around the boy.
May you like
Noah clung to him weakly, his small teeth chattering loudly.
"I didn't want you to yell at Mom anymore," Noah whispered, breaking Ethan's heart into a million irreparable pieces.
