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“And she had to do that without me? With someone else?”
“She was just having fun. Nothing happened between them. Diego said they drank water and talked. That’s it.”
“And am I allowed to have the same sort of fun?”
I flinch at the sharpness of his tone, the self-righteous look on his face. “What?”
“If the situation were reversed… If it was me dancing with another woman, meeting another woman at the bar while Mae was asleep upstairs, would you say the same thing? Would you tell her to trust me? Would you say I was just having fun?”
I don’t need to answer him. We both know exactly what I’d say.
He shakes his head, leaning back again and looking away from me.
“I didn’t think so. Where is she, Flo? Because if she didn’t run away, if she didn’t leave me for him, the alternative is worse.”
“I know.” My voice cracks as I say it.
“If she didn’t leave, then someone’s taken her.That manhas taken her. Hurt her maybe. He has her trapped, and we’re just sitting here doing nothing.” He opens his mouth like he’s going to say something else, but he stops himself. “What are we going to do?”
I clear my throat, trying to think. “We… We need to call her parents. They should know what’s going on.”
He nods. “I know. I’ve been thinking about it, but…”
“It’ll kill them.” I finish the thought when he can’t seem to. “So close to the anniversary of Danny’s death and with her mom sick, it’s not fair. They don’t deserve to lose her, too. She’s all they have left.” My eyes swim with unexpected tears for the people I’ve always considered to be a second set of parents to me. “I’m scared they’ll blame me.”
For the first time, I feel Patton’s hand on my back. I’d almost forgotten he was there, silently allowing us to have our privacy. His palm strokes my back slowly, rhythmically.
“It’s not your fault,” Blake says.
“Of course it is. I’m the reason we’re here.”
“We both agreed to the cruise. And neither of us could’ve known what would happen. We still don’t know whatdidhappen. And I don’t care what Diego says. I’m going to call the police. See if they can help us. I can handle Bill and Martha, too. I’ll call them if you want.”
“No. You handle the police. I should be the one to call her parents,” I say quickly. “They’ve known me the longest. They should hear it from me.”
His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, his expression solemn. “Okay.”
“Okay,” I repeat. I have no idea how I’m going to do this.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
BLAKE
Time continues to move, despite the fact that my world has stopped.
I don’t know what to believe anymore. I’m so tired, yet I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. Can’t focus.
I don’t want to believe I could’ve imagined seeing Patton and the man at the bar, but Florence seems certain and I can’t push the issue anymore. I don’t want her to think I’m losing my mind.
I’d like to keep myself from thinking that too, if I can help it.
Still, I need to keep pushing for answers and help however I can.
In the safety of my room, I look up the number for the police station closest to our port of departure in Tampa. Is this an emergency? It feels like it, but I still don’t think I should call 911.
It takes just a few rings for someone to answer my call, and it’s the first bit of hope I’ve had in hours. I’m transferred to a detective who I’m told can take more information from me.
“Sir? Are you there?”
