The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 60

Jonas bit his lip, his determination shining in his young eyes. He insisted on checking that place.

Lorraine hesitated. But she eventually gave in when she saw how determined Jonas was.

"Alright, but we're staying outside." She finally relented. "We'll just take a quick look from a distance, okay?"

She didn't want to scare him, but the idea of approaching that shack, especially with stories of a strange old man hanging around, made her uneasy.

"Okay," Jonas said, his small face set with resolve. Despite his age, there was something remarkably grown-up about his demeanor. His steady steps toward the shack reminded Lorraine of me.

When they reached the door, Jonas tried to peek through the window. Standing on tiptoes, he squinted, but the grimy glass revealed nothing.

"Ms. Sommerton, can you check? Maybe Xavier is inside," Jonas said, turning to her with wide, pleading eyes.

Lorraine peered inside, but the windows were too dark. She couldn't see anything. "I'll call your dad," she said, fishing her phone out of her pocket. Before she could dial, Jonas tugged on her wrist. "Ms. Sommerton… there's someone in there," he whispered.

Jonas stepped in front of Lorraine before the man could lunge out, his small arms brimming with surprising strength. "Don't you dare hurt Ms. Sommerton!" His defiant stance made him look like a little hero.

Lorraine picked him up, her gaze fixed on the dirt-covered old man in front of them. "Who are you? Is there a child inside?"

"What child?" The man didn't seem mentally sound, but he could converse. According to people nearby, he wandered around the area during the day and only returned at night.

How could a place as well-maintained as this tourist spot allow someone like him to stay here?

Lorraine frowned and took a cautious step back, watching his guarded demeanor. Suspicion crept into her mind. What if Xavier really was inside?

Before she could decide what to do, my voice rang out from the other side. "Lorraine? Is that you? Have you found Xavier?"

I got no response, which made me even more worried.

"Lorraine, where are you? I'm coming to you right now."