“Of course. They have to be.” Brielle turned off the water and dried her hands. “They’re both tough and smart.”
Layne wiped her eyes. “What will I do without Emmett?”
Brielle hugged her. It was kind of awkward since they weren’t really friends. They never talked before she and Emmett started dating. “They’ll be back. Maybe this is just part of that viral video.”
Layne stepped back and stared at Brielle with her black doe eyes. “What do you mean?”
“They want that video to go viral, right?”
“Yeah.”
“What better way to get it started than for them to go missing while recording it? I mean, really. They went looking for ghosts.”
Layne looked deep in thought. “You think they’d do that?”
Brielle nodded, even though she knew Atlas would never want to make anyone worry. He’d always been one of those kids who put everyone else’s feelings ahead of his own, and unfortunately that had gotten him picked on by the Jacksons of the world.
Layne sniffled. “I guess that makes sense.”
“Hey, I’m headed to see the counselor. Wanna go with me?”
She looked at Brielle like she was crazy.
“It was the only way to get out of class. You know, because talking about it is going to make everything better.”
Layne rolled her eyes. “I just want Emmett back. That’s the only thing that’ll make it better!”
“I know, but at least we won’t have to sit through classes. Who can focus at a time like this?”
“Not me.”
“Come on.” Brielle put her arm around Layne, and they walked to the main office in silence.
When they arrived, the secretary looked at them like she was expecting them. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”
Layne and Brielle exchanged a confused glance.
“The officers are waiting for you in that conference room there.” She nodded in the direction.
“Police?” Layne exclaimed. “Why?”
“They want to question everyone who knows Atlas and Emmett.”
“So basically, the whole school?” Brielle asked. “That’ll take all day. Maybe all week.”
“If that’s what it takes to find them. You two are closest to them, right?”
Brielle shrugged. “I guess. Don’t forget the whole drama club is one pack of besties.”
The secretary nodded. “Who’s first?”
Layne was shaking. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Do I really have to talk to them?”
Brielle turned to the secretary. “Don’t we have a right to an attorney or something?”
“The school has the right to give permission when students are here, but the police just want to ask questions to find the boys. The more cooperative everyone is, the faster they can be found.”
Layne chewed on a nail.
The secretary sighed and gestured toward some seats. “Sit. I’ll let them know you’re here, and they can decide who to talk to.” She went into the conference room.
Brielle looked at Layne. “Why are you so nervous?”
Layne glanced around. “I’m not.”
“Coulda fooled me.”
“I’m not.”
“Okay.” Brielle sat and tried to hear what the cops were saying to the secretary.
Layne sat one seat over and twisted a strand of black hair around her finger. She sighed and chewed on her lower lip.
“Yeah, not nervous at all.”
She glared at Brielle. “Would you shut up?”
“You think the cops aren’t going to notice? If you don’t have something to hide, you’d better pull yourself together, or you will need a lawyer.”
“Stop, okay? I didn’t do anything.”
“I never said you did.”
A uniformed officer stepped out of the conference room. “Brielle Harrison.”
Relief flooded Layne’s face.
“You’re next.” Brielle picked up her bag and followed the officer into the conference room.
He motioned for her to sit across from him and the heavyset woman officer next to him. She was scarier than he was. He was actually pretty cute with his wavy hair and the sprinkling of freckles across his nose. “I’m Detective Moore and this is Deputy Alvarez.”
Brielle nodded toward both of them.
“And you’re Brielle Harrison?” Alvarez asked.
“Yeah.”
“How well would you say you know Atlas James and Emmett Powell?”
“They’re my best friends.”
“Your best friends aren’t girls?” Alvarez arched an eyebrow.
“Nope. We’ve always lived next to each other and we became friends long before we went to school.”
“What do you know about what they were doing last night?” She stared Brielle down.
Brielle glanced over at Detective Cutie, willing him to take over the questions. He didn’t. She drew in a deep breath. “It’s like I told Atlas’s dad. They wanted to go ghost hunting to get a viral video. I wanted nothing to do with it, not that I could’ve gone if I’d even wanted to because I had to study. Like it matters now. I can’t think straight to take a test.”
“Why not?” Alvarez wrinkled her forehead and kept her gaze on Brielle.
“Because my best friends are missing.”
“Not because you were up late?”
“I. Was. Studying.”
“Where did the boys say they were going?”
“To a haunted house or something. They wanted to find a ghost.”
Alvarez stared her down before speaking. “You don’t know where? You’re their best friend and they didn’t say where they were going?”
“They probably did, but I can’t remember. I’m not into that stuff.”
“Your best friends probably told you where they were going, but you can’t remember?”
Brielle shook her head no. “Do you remember everything your best friends tell you?”
“In fact, I do.”
Brielle shuddered. Alvarez probably did. Either that, or she didn’t have any friends. Both options seemed equally likely.
“Think hard. See if you can remember.” Alvarez’s nostrils flared.
Brielle’s heart thundered. “Do I need a lawyer? This doesn’t feel like you’re just asking questions.”
Detective Moore leaned forward and slid a business card toward her. “If you happen to remember anything, will you give us a call? Any small detail might help us find your friends.”
Brielle took the card. “Definitely.”
He ushered her out and brought in Layne, who was still acting like something was up.
The secretary glanced over at Brielle. “If they’re done asking you questions, you can go back to class.”
“I didn’t come here to talk to them. I came to see if I could talk to Mrs. Blackwell.”
“You did?”
Brielle nodded. “I didn’t even know the police wanted to talk with me.”
She looked at her screen. “Mrs. Blackwell is busy all day, but I’m sure given the circumstances, she’ll make room for you. Have a seat.”
“Sure.”
The secretary got up and knocked on Mrs. Blackwell’s door. She went inside, closing the door behind her.
Brielle tip-toed over to the conference room and listened, just out of sight.
“If I knew where they were, don’t you think I’d tell you?” Layne sounded near tears. “Emmett’s been my boyfriend for over six months! He’s everything to me. I just want him back!”
“Did Emmett ask you to go with them?” asked Moore.
“No. Atlas never liked me. He wouldn’t have agreed.”
“Why not?”
“Because he doesn’t like me! I don’t know why. Maybe because Emmett was spending more time with me than him. Atlas is jealous like that.”
“You think Atlas is jealous of you?” Alvarez asked.
“I know he is.”
The counselor’
s office door creaked open.
Brielle jumped and ran over to the waiting area. She sat and tried to look bored.
The secretary looked at Brielle. “Mrs. Blackwell will finish up with the student she’s talking to, then she’ll see you.”
“Thanks.” Brielle forced a smile. She didn’t want to talk to the counselor, but it beat going to class when she couldn’t focus.
A few minutes later, other kids came in saying they were there to talk to the police. Most of them were from the drama club and few were techie nerds who liked to talk game development with Atlas.
Layne came out of the conference room, her expression tight. She held her bag close and wouldn’t look at Brielle as she left the office.
That girl was definitely hiding something.
5
Zion Powell
* * *
Pain squeezed Zion’s temples and his chest grew tight. He’d driven around town, checking all of Emmett’s usual hangouts and every abandoned house he could find, but there weren’t any signs of either boy.
It was as though the two kids had vanished into thin air.
Now he sat in his car, facing his house. Inside, Rowena would be waiting for his return. Hoping for some news.
And he had nothing to give her. Not even one small piece of hope. Seeing her disappointment would crush him more than he already was.
Zion opened the door and stepped out into the warm autumn air, his legs feeling like weights. The air itself felt like it was crushing him.
What would he and Rowena do if something happened to their son? Emmett was their only child. Though they’d tried for more, it just wasn’t meant to be.
He drew in a deep breath and forced himself to walk the long path to the front door. His mind raced with things to tell his wife. Nothing would make her feel better until Emmett was home safe and sound.
As soon as he opened the door, Rowena’s heels clinked on the hardwoods. “Did you find him?”
She took his breath away. His wife had managed to grow more beautiful and elegant with age, and it broke his heart to have to break hers. He shook his head.
Her face fell and tears shone in her eyes. “Where is he?”
Zion pulled her into his embrace. “That’s what I’ve been trying to find out. I hope the police have had more luck questioning kids at school.”
“Somebody has to know something! Emmett couldn’t have disappeared from the earth.”
“No. They have to be somewhere. It’s just a matter of finding them.”
“Do you really think they went to a haunted house? Why would he believe in something so foolish?”
“I don’t think he does, but those ghost shows are popular. He and Atlas would do just about anything to make their video channel famous.”
“Why would he do this to us?” Rowena leaned her head against his and sobbed.
Zion rested his hand on the small of her back and threaded his fingers through her hair. What could he say? He had no way of bringing home their son as long as they had no idea where he was.
Once she stopped crying, he took her hand in his. “Why don’t we get something to eat?”
“How can you think of food at a time like this?”
“Because we need our strength. We haven’t had a thing to eat all day, and it’s already almost three in the afternoon.”
“I can’t eat right now.”
Zion cupped her chin. “Try. For me.”
Rowena sighed. “I can’t.”
“Please.”
“You aren’t going to give up, are you?”
He shook his head no.
“Oh, all right. I’ll try, but I’m not promising I’ll actually be able to eat.”
“Thank you.” He led her into the kitchen and warmed up leftovers from his uncle’s Jamaican restaurant. “Did you hear anything from the police?”
She frowned. “No. You?”
“Nothing.” He pulled the first plate from the microwave and set it in front of Rowena before putting the next plate in. Usually, the food would’ve made his mouth water but today it did nothing. He had no more of an appetite than his wife, but he would eat just to make sure she did.
They sat in silence, picking at the food. His stomach twisted at the sight of it, but he forced himself to eat. He tried to smile when Rowena looked at him, but it didn’t reach his face.
Rowena sniffled. “Emmett should be here now.”
“Actually, he should be in drama club.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“But I know what you mean,” he said quickly.
“What are we going to do?”
“We can search. Call his friends. Maybe they’d tell us something they didn’t tell the police.”
She pulled some hair from her eyes. “Maybe.” Then her expression lit up. “If he’d normally be at drama club, why don’t we go there? Talk to the kids.”
“May as well. We’re not doing any good sitting here. Finish eating, then we’ll go.”
“Seriously? You think you can make me eat all this?” She waved over the nearly-full plate.
He nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching.
“It’s cute that you think you can tell me what to do.”
“One of these days you might actually listen.”
“Don’t count on it.” She put her fork down. “Let me fix my makeup, then we can go.”
“You look great.”
“It’s smeared.”
“People will understand. Emmett’s missing.”
Tears shone in her eyes again. “You’re right. I’m just so used to keeping up my appearance.”
He squeezed her hand. “I know. It’s part of your job, part of who you are. But now’s the time to let it go. Today, you aren’t a fashion designer.”
“You’re right. In fact, I’m going to change into something more comfortable.”
Zion nodded, then cleaned up the plates while she headed upstairs toward their room.
His phone rang, and he answered it without looking to see who was calling, hoping it was either Emmett or someone with news about him. “Hello?”
“Zion, this is Nastasia. There’s—”
“Nastasia? I told you not to call today, or the rest of the week if we’re still looking for my son. If there’s an emergency with one of my clients, let Stuart or Liam handle it.”
“I know, and I apologize.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“It’s Ellen Waterman. She—”
“Ellen Waterman? Her husband is in jail thanks to his outburst during the trial. I’m not representing him anymore. Tell her to stop calling.”
“Uh, sir, she’s here. And she says she’s going to sue you if you don’t talk to her right now.”
Everything took on a red hue. “Are you kidding me?”
“No. I’m sorry.”
Zion took a deep breath. “Tell her my son is missing and that she can talk to me once we find him.”
“She said she’ll sue you.”
“Let her. I’d like to see that.”
Nastasia lowered her voice. “Would you like me to put you on speaker so you can talk to her?”
“No. I’m not dealing with anything other than finding my son. Tell her that. Oh, and Nastasia?”
“Yes?”
“I’m serious about not calling me until Emmett’s back. If she won’t leave, call for security to escort her out.”
There was a pause. “Um, okay.”
Zion was about to hang up on his assistant when he realized it was highly unlike her to go against anything he said. “What’s the matter? Is something seriously wrong?”
“Um…” Her voice trailed away. “I’m not at liberty to say.”
“What do you mean? Just tell me!”
Nastasia spoke in a muffled whisper. “She’s got a gun.”
“A gun?”
Rowena walked into the kitchen, wearing a casual outfit. Her eyes widened. “Who has a gun?”
Zion held
up his palm and spoke into the phone. “Do you want me to call the police, Nastasia?”
“Maybe you could just talk to Ellen.”
“Does anyone else know she has a gun on you?”
“No.”
Zion’s mind raced. He muted the phone and looked at Rowena. “Call the cops and send them to the firm. A former client has a gun to Nastasia.”
Rowena’s face paled considerably. Then she nodded and ran out of the room.
“Zion?” Nastasia asked. “Are you still there?”
He unmuted the phone. “I’m here. Put her on.” His pulse pounded from both anger and worry. How dare that woman pull this stunt, especially today of all days!
“Okay.” Shuffling noises sounded on the other side. “Here he is, Ellen.”
“What’s going on, Ellen?” Zion struggled to keep his voice steady.
“I think you know what.”
“My son is missing, and that’s the only thing on my mind. You’re going to have to elaborate.”
“My husband is in jail!” The woman’s tone was high and irate. “And it’s all your fault! You’re supposed to be one of the best lawyers out there.”
“It was hard to recover after he started shouting during a witness’s testimony. The jury couldn’t unsee that.”
“Did you hear what that man was saying about him?”
Nastasia whimpered.
“Ellen.” Zion cleared his throat. “Why does my assistant sound terrified?”
Rowena came into the room, her phone up to her ear. She pointed to it and mouthed, “Police are on their way.”
Zion nodded a thanks. “Ellen, did you hear my question?”
“Don’t change the subject!”
Zion took a deep breath to try and control his temper. He was usually easygoing, but this day was about to send him over the edge. “What is it you want from me?”
“You need to get him out of jail! He doesn’t deserve to be there.”
That was up for debate, but Zion didn’t mention that. “These things take time. I can’t get a retrial right now. The best I can do is get some paperwork started today.”
“That’s not good enough!”
“I can’t change the system. That’s how it works.”
“It’s supposed to be the justice system! An innocent man is behind bars! You have to be able to get him out.”
Lies Never Sleep Page 4
