“That Vincent won’t hurt Brooklyn until he has me. And that seven days in Vincent time isn’t that long, considering he’s been planning this for months.”
“Do you still agree?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s get you back to school.”
Found a body.
8pm
The rest of the day is spent traveling, moving stuff into our dorms, saying hello to our friends.
Although, really, that’s what everyone else is doing. I’m hiding out in Aiden’s room.
I don’t want to talk to anyone. Not even Damian.
I’m a wreck.
“Why don’t I go get us some hot chocolate?” he says.
I lie on his bed and stare up at the twinkle lights while he’s gone.
They take me back to that night on the beach. When I made a wish on the moon. When Brooklyn told me I was desirable.
I decide I can’t wait any longer.
I call Garrett.
“You told me you’d keep me updated. I haven’t heard from you,” I say when he answers.
“Sorry, we’ve been all over. Trying to get search warrants. Searching the production company’s properties.”
“And?”
“We’ve been through about a third of the holdings. Have come up empty.”
“And the warrants to search Vincent’s properties?”
“I’m afraid they were denied.”
“How?”
“To get a warrant, you need probable cause. Often, we can get that probable cause based on the word of another person. But the judge has to decide if the person’s word is credible. You are a seventeen-year-old living out of state. We also had bad luck and got the same judge who refused both the plea to charge Vincent with attempted kidnapping and our request for a restraining order, back in August. He said that Vincent is an outstanding citizen and community leader who doesn’t even have an unpaid parking ticket. Then, off the record, he told us that he didn’t want to see us again or he’d charge us with harassment.”
“Garrett, you have friends in high places. Can’t you get a different judge? Don’t you think it’s a little odd we keep getting the same judge? Could Vincent have paid him off?”
“It’s possible. But, regardless, what’s done is done. We can’t file for a new warrant unless we come up with something new. Evidence. A witness who saw Vincent and Brooklyn together. Besides searching properties, we’re also trying to find the abduction site and combing the area for witnesses.”
“So, should I try to Skype him? Get him to admit he kidnapped B? Record it this time?”
“Let’s finish the search of the company’s property first. If we don’t turn up any new evidence or find Brooklyn, I’ll consider it.”
“How long will that take?”
“We’ll discuss it Friday evening. How’s that?”
“Okay.”
“And, Keatyn, no news is good news,” he says as I leap off the bed when Aiden kicks the door open with his foot—scaring the shit out of me—because his hands are full.
“What does that mean?” I ask, trying to calm myself down.
“It means no one has found a body.”
I grab my stomach and start to cry. Then a wave of nausea hits me, and I run in the bathroom and throw up my dinner.
Aiden picks me up and carries me to his bed, cradling me in his arms as he sits down.
“What happened?” he asks, running his hand soothingly down my arm.
“Nothing,” I say, not wanting to repeat what he said. It’s easier to stick to the facts. “There’s no word. They’ve searched about a third of the studio’s properties, been scouring the area around Buddy’s, and tried to get a search warrant. They’ve come up empty.”
“Why did you throw up?”
I cover my face with my hand, lean against his chest, and start crying again.
He doesn’t say anything.
Just holds me tightly.
I can’t stop crying. It’s like, now that I’ve finally let it all out, it won’t stop.
“Shhh, baby,” he says, smoothing down the back of my hair. “Tell me what happened.”
I take a breath, shuddering, trying to stop crying.
“Garrett said no news is good news.”
“What did he mean by that?”
“That’s what I asked him. He said that it meant they . . . they . . . they . . . hadn’t found a body yet.”
Aiden takes a sharp breath. “That’s an awful thing to say.”
“I know. It was supposed to make me feel better, but the thought of a body showing up. I don’t know why that never really crossed my mind. I just pictured him kidnapped, not dead. You know?”
Aiden pushes my chin up and kisses my forehead. “It’s because you’ve been listening to your heart.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s like, through this all, you’ve known, somehow. Were you and Vincent close? Like, before he tried to kidnap you?”
“Part of me wants to say yes. Part of me wants to say no.”
“Tell me about the part that wants to say yes.”
“We sort of instantly connected. He looked into my eyes like he knew me. He was nice. He caught me one night when someone pushed me. He noticed things about me that other people didn’t.”