Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

Clayton groggily woke to the sound of his phone ringing. "What's going on?"

"Betty's gone!"

Clayton's eyes snapped open, instantly alert. He sat up in shock. "Gone? But wasn't she at the cabin in the woods? How could she just vanish?!"

"Late last night, a wildfire broke out. It wasn't until dawn that they managed to put it out, and that's when they realized Betty was missing."

Clayton's breathing grew heavy. "Missing, or...?"

"She's missing. They got her out of there when the fire started. She wasn't hurt."

Clayton let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good she's not hurt. First, let's call the authorities, then organize a search party!"

After hanging up, Clayton carefully slid out of bed, trying not to wake Pamela who was still asleep.

He took his phone to the bathroom to continue making calls.

He called his mother's personal assistant, the local church, and the security guard he had stationed at the cabin.

was

Carl,

uneasy, Clayton was about to change and head out when

Clayton's father. Clayton quickly

I need to talk to you

mom's suddenly gone missing, I'm trying to find her. Can we talk over the phone, or can it

to talk to you because of your mother's situation. She was here just before she

Clayton paused, "Recently? Today?"

when

ended,

the woods not long after Irene disappeared, turning her

been years since she

would she suddenly

into fresh clothes and rushed

later, Clayton arrived at the

was there, but

a close friend of Clayton's father, Randal Hawkins. Though they had no business dealings with the Hawkins Group, their

help him. After Randal passed, Clayton continued to look out for them. Though the Watson and Miller families hadn't been able to assist Clayton like the Patels

Florian were advanced in age, with limited influence

greeted the elderly gentlemen, "Albert,

nodded, motioning for