Shadows Peak |✔

Chapter 37: Casey

"No one's ever had the help of one of them, before," Casey replied, catching the older man's attention.

"You mean one of those murderers are still alive?!" he roared, standing to his feet with anger etched all over his face. "He won't be when I'm through with him!"

"Charlie, you can't kill them. They weren't with the mercenaries."

The man looked confused, trying to follow what his young neighbor was getting at.

"And...she's not a him," Reid chimed in, realizing who Casey was referring to.

"Gordon, I need to borrow your buggy. You and Marcus keep an eye on Charlie until I get back. Reid, you come with me."

"Where are you going?" Marcus asked, stepping forward.

"I'm going to get the only person that might know where they've taken Carli," Casey said, jogging out the front door.

In seconds, Casey was in the wagon, his hands firmly gripping the reins.

"It's getting pretty dark out, Case," Reid commented as he climbed into the buggy. "You think we can find her?"

I'm sure I could find her anywhere.

"We have to," he stated. "Right now, she's the only chance we have at finding the others."

"Well, let's hope she wants to help us after what you did."

Casey tore his gaze from the road long enough to look over at his friend in disbelief.

"And what exactly did I do that's so bad, Reid?! She's the one that was wrong, not me!"

"You both were wrong," he sighed, leaning over so the wind blew his hair as they rode.

"How?!"

Casey was getting frustrated. Reid was his best friend and it didn't seem like he saw just how hurt he was.

"You let her go, Case!" Reid explained. "I've known you all my life, and I always respected how you cared more about people than you did the elders and their traditions. You never cared if they saw favor among you, or if they approved of what you did. But, for some reason, you let them drive Sydney out of LeHorn...and over what?! Her not telling everyone where she was born?!"

"It wasn't about her not telling everyone, Reid," Casey admitted. "It was about her not telling me."

It grew quiet between them, and Casey kept his eyes on the road, not wanting to see the look on his friends face. Instead, he busied his mind by looking for Sydney, hoping he wouldn't pass her by.

Where is she?

"Case, man, I'm sorry," Reid spoke up after a few minutes of awkward silence. "But...what if she wanted to tell you?"

Casey made no motions to show he was listening, but he was.

"I mean, maybe she was afraid that the very thing that happened, would happen."

"Wait, Reid, hang on," Casey said, hushing him.

"Hang on? Why? I'm not blaming you completely, Case, but I think you should at least consider how she felt-"

"Man, will you shut up and look," Casey insisted, pointing forward as a smile formed on his face. "Do you see that?"

"Uh, yes," Reid answered, squinting his eyes. "It's just a floating, blinking red light."