But I can’t tell them that.
It isn’t true.
Jake steps away, into the hall. I hear him speaking into his radio. “Juvenile resident from the estate accessed the Life360 termination point earlier this morning. We’re clarifying timeline now.”
Something about the way he saysjuvenile residentsets my teeth on edge. So, too, does the realization that they never expected to find Kate orHarrison in the spot their phones last registered. All I’ve done in their eyes is disturb a potential crime scene.
I glare at the officer, like somehow, this is his fault.
“Did you see or find anything unusual?” he asks.
I want to say yes. A glowing rift. A doorway between dimensions. If you go through it, you will find Kate and Harrison. You will find Emma, Sienna, and Lola. You will find Brady and Caleb. And if they can believe it, they will find Ivy Winslow, too.
Instead, I shake my head.
“Nobody else went with you?”
“It was just me.”
Jake returns to the room.
“Look, Selah,” he says, “we understand why you felt the need to go there, and we appreciate you being upfront with us. But from here on out, we need you to stay away from that area. In fact, it’s probably best if you stay here for the time being. Harper’s on her way right now.”
My phone vibrates in my pocket.
I pull it out and glance at the screen.
“Can Jude come, too?”
Jake arches a pale brow. “Vandenberg?”
“He just texted.” I lift my phone. “I think all of us would like to be together right now.”
The officers share another look.
Jake doesn’t trust Jude. He doesn’t trust Rafe either. Harper told me as much. According to him, everything started to go awry when the Vandenberg cousins came to town. Jake, I can tell, wants to say no. Jude should stay on his side of the proverbial tracks. But his partner loops his thumbs through his belt. “That’ll be fine, so long as everyone is accounted for.”
Naomi suggests we go downstairs, where we’ll be out of the way.
Mrs. Calloways hugs us, one by one. “I’ll bring you some snacks.”
“Mom, it’s okay—” Twig begins.
“Of course it is,” Mrs. Calloway interjects, her voice high and uneven. “This is all going to be okay.”
But it won’t.
Not unless we do something.
The three of us shuffle to the stairs when Jake’s partner stops us with another question. “Are any of you friends with Lainey Sikes or Griffin Tate?”
“We’re acquaintances,” Naomi says.
He pulls on his earlobe. “You wouldn’t happen to know where they might be, if not at home?”
We feign ignorance, like we have no idea.
In truth, I think they’re with Harrison and Kate.
