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“Like you lied?” I peered over his shoulder, wishing I could join in the search for Mason.

“Like you think I’m responsible. Like you think I could ever actually be responsible for killing somebody.” Travis shrank before my eyes.

“I don’t want to believe it, but—” I took a tentative step forward.

“But you do. I don’t blame you, I guess. I do get a little heated sometimes.”

“I read your file,” I said. “I saw how you landed that boy in the hospital, how you have a restraining order against you.”

Travis looked up, surprise written all over his face. “They did a good job on my record, didn’t they? They paid that asshole to pick a fight with me. He called my sister a whore. Then he acted more hurt than he was. I know I never hit him that hard. He barely fought back at all.”

I shifted, chewing on my lower lip. “What about the restraining order?” I asked.

He flinched. “She reacted just like you. We were dating and the next thing I knew I was served papers.”

I wanted so badly to believe him, but Mason…

“Look,” he said when I didn’t move. “The Bennets want to control everyone. They wanted leverage in case my sister ever decided to talk. They have it now on all of my family. They can fire my parents and ruin their reputations. They’ve already done it to mine, unless I accept their help ‘getting back on my feet.’ But I will never take a handout from a Bennet.”

It was like an unseen fire inside him had flared to life, threatening to consume him. And I got it. He hated the Bennets for what they’d done to his family. But it wasn’t Mason’s fault. From what Nicole said, Lupe wasn’t exactly an innocent party in the situation.

My brain wanted nothing more than to run far away and never have to deal with Bennet Systems or the Gould family ever again. My heart wanted to force Travis and Mason—assuming he was still alive—to see reason.

“Do you believe me?” he asked, bringing me back to the present. He was a little boy again.

“I need some time,” I said.

Travis’s face tightened as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. I understand.”

But I didn’t think he did, because he turned away and took off walking.

“Wait! Where are you going?” I called. He couldn’t just leave. We all needed to stick together. I needed to keep him in my sights.

“I need some time too.”

I started after him, but the doors to the aquarium opened and Jackson came out, supporting a very pale-looking Nicole around her waist. The vacant expression on her face turned my insides cold.

“Did you find him?” It came out in a whisper as the world bore down on me, everything and everyone but Mason forgotten.

“No,” Jackson said, tightening his grip around Nicole. “Just a busted tank of fish.” But he looked down to the left and wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Tell me,” I pressed, grabbing his shoulder.

Nicole was the one to answer. “There was blood. It seemed like a good amount, but a lot more of it could have been washed away by the tank water.”

“Or that could have been all of it,” Jackson added, but he still wouldn’t look at me.

“Where’s Mad Max?” Nicole asked, peering around for the first time.

“He needs some space.”

“Space? You let a murderer out of your sight because he said he needed space?” Nicole’s voice rose so high I feared it may crack the remaining glass in the aquarium.

I shifted, wringing my hands with guilt and met Nicole’s hard glare. “What did you want me to do? Jump on his back like a robot?”

“I thought you were stronger than this.” Nicole’s disappointment hit hard.

I cleared my throat and looked away. “Let’s focus on what’s most important. Did you search everywhere for Mason?” I asked, returning attention to the aquarium.