Chapter 4: Addictive Flavors, Hidden Dangers

He shook his head. “No, I argued with him about it.” His jaw clenched, frustration etched on his face.

“Her phone doesn’t work?”

“It’s off,” the groom looked worried. He kept checking his own phone, as if she might call at any moment.

“Did you call the police?”

“Yes, but she’s only been missing three hours. The police said to let the family look first. There are lots of snack shops in town—maybe she went there.” He sounded unconvinced.

I narrowed my eyes. “You know your wife best. What do you think?”

“I… have a bad feeling. We’ve never been apart on this trip, and she’s terrible with directions. She wouldn’t just wander off.” He looked like he was about to cry.

Something was definitely wrong. My gut twisted.

The groom became more and more anxious, calling every few minutes. As it got dark, I drove him around the area, hoping to run into the food-loving bride. The roads were empty, headlights cutting through the fog.

Honestly, this place was pretty deserted. After the scenic area closed, you hardly saw anyone. The woods pressed in on all sides, silent and cold.

The only place with any sign of life was the diner. Its neon sign flickered in the distance, the only bright spot for miles.

At midnight, the diner finally turned off its lights, and the bride was still missing. The more I thought about it, the more off it felt, so I took the groom to the local police station.

The police filed a report, questioned us, and told us to wait at the hotel. Their voices were calm, but I saw the worry in their eyes.

In the hotel room, the groom hugged his wife’s clothes, eyes brimming with tears. It was heartbreaking. The room smelled like her perfume—a ghostly reminder.

Waiting wasn’t a solution, so I posted a missing person notice on the country’s largest lost and found website. I included every detail I could remember.

The website had a lost pet section. On a whim, I typed in “L” and over a thousand results popped up. My mind raced—maybe there was a connection.

I narrowed it down to this city and selected golden retriever. Sure enough, there was one—the photo looked just like the scruffy dog. My heart pounded.

I immediately contacted the dog’s owner. My hands shook as I typed.

After hearing my description, the other person broke down sobbing. The pain in their voice was raw and real.

The dog’s owner revealed the truth. Last year, their family of three took a road trip with their dog. Their 15-year-old daughter and the golden retriever disappeared together and were never found.

The golden retriever was raised by the daughter since she was a child. If they found the dog, they could find the daughter. The owner said he’d take the earliest flight here. Hope flickered in his words.

After hanging up, a chill ran down my spine. The pieces were falling into place, and I didn’t like the picture they formed.

The dog owner’s family had visited the diner. The daughter especially loved it and insisted on coming again before disappearing. The coincidence was too much.

The golden retriever was smart and loyal, always staying in the diner’s backyard. Could it be… My mind raced with awful possibilities.

My heart started racing. I felt both the bride’s and the golden retriever’s disappearances were connected to the diner. I couldn’t ignore it anymore.