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“Okay, so…?” I don’t like where this is going. I don’t like what she’s saying, and I’m terrified that I’mreallynot going to like what comes out of her mouth next.
“She was asking me stuff. If I knew where you went with them or where they live.”
“But you don’t,” I interrupt quickly. “You don’t know anything about them. So there was nothing to tell.”
“Notreally,”Sera agrees. “Just that I know you met them when you got that tattoo of yours, so I figure it’s the same guy that did that and a few others.”
Oh, God.
“So I told them the name of the tattoo shop you’d gone to. I remembered you sayingInkubuswhen we were talking about it, and I’ve seen it before when I went to the plaza. It slipped out. I said you’d probably met them there.” She tries to brighten, but her eyes are still tumultuous with worry. “But, it’s probably not a big deal. I just feel like I shouldn’t have–”
“You shouldn’t have,” I whisper, jumping out from behind the counter and grabbing my hoodie off of the hook on the wall.Holy shit. Is this actually happening? Maybe it’s someone different orsomethingdifferent.
But it doesn’t feel different. Not at all. It feels like the same shit I’d gone through just a week ago, with the kidnapping and the Uber driver.
But they’d told me he wasdead, his boss having fled to the other side of the country.
So what in the world is going on?
“Ari, I’m sorry,” Sera says, following me to the door. “Is there anything I can do–?”
“No, it’s fine,” I say, my voice shaking slightly as my heart tries to pound into my chest. It’s fine because it has to be.It has to be fine. “I’m just… I gotta go, okay?” I offer her a wan smile. “Don’t worry about it. I know you were just trying to help. And everything is probably fine.” God, I fucking hope so.
Before she can say anything else, I’m out the door and jogging towards the plaza, thankful that it’s notthatfar from the bookshop. Calling an Uber would be faster if there’s one close enough, but at this point, I’m content to get there on my own.
I call Cyril first, and when he doesn’t pick up, I hang up instead, text the group chat, and call Ashe.
But he doesn’t answer, either.
Slowly I make my way down the list of Lost Boys, trying each of them, and all of them going to voicemail.
Shit.
Shit.
What am I going to do?
Well, other than what I’m doing now, obviously. My quick steps are taking me closer and closer to the tattoo shop, and within ten minutes or so I’ll be able to see it.
Are they okay? Has something happened to them?
I hope not. And rationally, itfeelslike there’s not enough time between Sera saying something she shouldn’t andnowfor all of them to be grabbed or…
Well, I don’t want to consider theorvery much. But I refuse to entertain the thought, even for a moment, that they’redead.
Because I can’t, and won’t, be able to handle that.
I jog the last block, lungs burning as I slide to a stop in front ofInkubus. It’s a good thing I’ve memorized the route by now, and even though the sign and lights are off, I can’t help but try the door, anyway.
But it’s locked.
A sign on the door finally catches my attention, and I step back, blinking to clear my eyes and pant while I read the words.
Closed today, due to business. Will reschedule.
Have a good weekend.
The sign is printed but signed with Ashe’s fancy script and Arlo’s scribble. It can’t have been slapped here by someone else, probably, when it looks so much like their handwriting.
