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Where the hell was she?
Feeling slightly panicked, I tried to call her cellphone. It went straight to voicemail which meant it had either been switched off, or she’d let the battery run flat.
“Cait, call me when you get this,” I commanded her answerphone, then hung up. If she wasn’t here, then maybe she was at her house hiding. She’d be scared. If it were me, answering the door to the cops would be the last thing I would do.
Wherever she was, she was alone.
With no one to take care of her.
I was probably the last person she’d want to see, but someone needed to make sure she was safe.
I hurried out to my bike, hopping on and roaring from the driveway.
As I drove, all I could think was how stupid I’d been to just let her leave. She’d been in shock. I’d had to carry her out of the school. Her skin had been ice cold, eyes vacant.
What if she hadn’t made it home?
I shuddered.
I couldn’t lose anyone else.
I’d barely even stopped the bike before I flew off of it, racing up the porch steps to Cait’s front door.
“Cait?” I called, rattling the handle. I expected it to be locked, but it wasn’t. “Cait?” I called again, pushing it open and stepping into their narrow hallway.
There was a pile of shoes by the front door and a wooden tree holding jackets. I could faintly smell her scent on them.
“Cait, are you here?” I shouted, moving carefully through the house. It was dark. Quiet. “It’s just me, you can come out.”
I’d been here a couple of times, so I knew the kitchen was straight up ahead. An archway to my left led to the living room, while a set of stairs on my right took you to the second floor.
There were dishes in the kitchen sink, a slightly fuzzy half-finished glass of orange juice on the island next to a discarded newspaper Cait’s father must have been readingthatmorning.
Goosebumps rippled over my skin.
It was like the house had frozen in time.
They’d been planning on coming home that evening. They’d left the dishes thinking they could wash them in a few hours… not knowing it would be the last time they’d sit down together for a meal.
I supposed my kitchen might have looked much the same, except our maids had already cleared away any sign of that last dinner we’d shared.
Nausea rocked my stomach, and I had to force myself not to throw up.
Don’t grieve until you have to.
I straightened. I had to find Cait.
I turned on my heel, making my way up the stairs. In front of me was a small family bathroom. Cait’s room was on the right
I peeked through the partially open door, praying I’d find her sitting in her bed, but the pink covers looked undisturbed.
Where is she?
I turned away, spotting another door at the end of the hall. Her parents room. The door creaked as I pushed it open, and then I saw her.
She was curled up in a ball in the middle of her parents’ bed, knees tucked up to her chin.
“Cait?” I called softly, moving further into the room.
