Though he hated to admit it, Oliver was panicking. It had been nine days since he had last seen Hayley. He had searched far and wide for her on The Queen Francis, but the rumors had proved true—Hayley Slade was missing. Along with her, a group of men had disappeared as well. It was a scandalous affair that nearly proved the ruin of Queen Floridian Boat Tours. Though they tried to keep it hush-hush, the media quickly became involved, bloating the thing to a full-scale kidnapping and possibly murder.
Oliver was sick with grief. His spring break was meant to be relaxing and fun, but those seven days had passed in worry and fear instead. Now, on the first Friday after school had resumed, he was still agitated. Where could Hayley be? What was her connection to those men? His thoughts ran away with all sorts of unpleasant scenarios. It took an overwhelming amount of self-control to force himself to stick to the facts.
As he walked towards the student parking lot on FIU’s campus, twirling his phone between his fingers, it reminded him of the last time he’d spoken to Hayley. You’re a stuttering fool, his thoughts told him. You’re nothing more than a failure. Look at yourself—you knew something was wrong and you had a chance to save Hayley, but you didn’t! She might be dead because of you!
He squeezed his eyes shut and crawled into his car. “No,” he murmured. “I tried to save her. I thought she had made it back to the boat. I thought she was okay.”
You didn’t think hard enough!
The accusing voices suddenly ceased when Oliver scrolled through his contacts and paused on Hayley’s number. Her digits flashed through his mind like white-hot Christmas lights. In a triumphant lightbulb moment, he realized what he had to do. Though he didn’t have the brawn and wits that made guys his age appealing, he did have his brain.
Oliver sped out of the parking lot. He could find Hayley. He knew it. The solution was right at his fingertips—literally.
YOU ARE READING
Living Legends
AdventureFor the first time in her life, Hayley Slade is going on an adventure. Naturally, she expects seasickness and a mild storm as the worst of her problems, so when she runs into a castaway on a deserted island, gets kidnapped with said castaway, and i...
