Never Doubt Me: Judge Me Not #2(55)

“Yeah.” Chase scrubs a hand down his face. “Let’s go see if he has any eardrums left.”

But Will’s eardrums are of no concern when we walk into his room. He’s not even there.

“Shit.” Chase turns off the stereo and rushes over to the open window. A screen from the window sits propped up nearby. I notice that, like in Chase’s room, the roof is flat in this section of the house.

“Fuck,” Chase grinds out as he leans his head out the window. “Will must have shimmied down one of the porch posts.”

When he turns to face me, he looks more worried than mad.

“Where do you think he went? I didn’t hear any cars.” After a thoughtful pause, I add, “Then again, I couldn’t really hear anything with all that loud music.”

Chase sits down on the side of Will’s bed.

“I’m sure my brother knew you couldn’t hear anything. He turned the music up high like that on purpose.”

I sit down next to Chase, and the bed dips slightly.

“Do you think he walked somewhere?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “My guess is that he had Jared pick him up at the end of the driveway.”

“I’m sorry, Chase.” I feel like I’ve failed him by not watching Will more closely. I just never expected his brother to sneak out an upstairs window. “I should have checked on him.”

“Kay—”

“No, Chase, this is my fault.” I cast my eyes downward, but seconds later, Chase is tilting my chin up so I have no choice but to meet his soft gaze.

“Baby girl,” he says, “don’t say that kind of shit. This was not your fault.”

I nod into his hand, accepting his words. And then I ask, “If you’re going to go out to look for him, can I come with you?”

“Sure,” he replies, smiling and trailing his fingers down my neck. “We should leave soon since we have no idea how long he’s been gone. He could be anywhere, especially if he’s with Jared.”

Now seems a good time to mention that Will was on the computer when I first returned home this morning. “He closed whatever window he had open when I walked over,” I say once I’ve gotten Chase up to speed. “And then he snatched something up from the printer tray. You don’t think he had Jared take him to the airport, do you?”

Chase scowls and glances around Will’s room. “Nah, he wouldn’t leave all his stuff behind.”

True, all of Will’s belongings appear to be in place.

Chase and I go downstairs, preparing to leave to search for Will, but before we walk out he door, I call Missy to let her know we won’t be returning to the school this afternoon.

“Why?” she asks. “Did something bad happen with Chase’s brother?”

“Yeah, Missy, something kind of bad did happen. Will took off.”

“Oh no,” Missy says concernedly.

“Chase and I are going out now to look for him,” I continue, “but that means we aren’t going to make it back for the rest of the rummage sale.”

Missy’s tone is filled with nothing but concern and kindness when she replies, “Don’t worry about anything, Kay. I’ve got it covered. I can call my mom. She’ll be happy to come in this afternoon and help out. Take as long as you need. Oh, and I’ll let Father Maridale know what’s going on.”

“Thank you, Missy,” I breathe out, relieved. “You’re a lifesaver.” And, really, she is, stepping up to the plate like this.

Before we disconnect, Missy says, “I hope you find Will. I’ll say a prayer that he’s all right.”

I am hoping the same thing as Chase and I drive away from the house in his truck.

Since we’re fairly certain Jared picked up Will, we head to his house first, in the wealthy part of town, South of Market.

“How do you know where he lives?” I ask Chase when it’s clear he knows exactly where he’s going.

“I asked Will for Jared’s address a while ago, figured it was something I should know.”

I reach over and pat his knee. “Such a good big brother,” I say, smiling. “That was very responsible of you.”

He grabs my hand and laces our fingers together. “I’m getting better,” he replies, sighing. “But I have a long way to go.”

I squeeze his hand, for support, comfort, whatever he needs.

Chase slows as we turn onto what I assume is Jared’s street. We pull up to the curb and park in front of a perfectly manicured lawn that slopes up to a stately redbrick home, a very large home.

“Jeez, nice house,” I utter softly as Chase turns off the ignition. “I see nothing has changed South of Market.”

This is still the moneyed part of Harmony Creek, a fact made even more apparent when one of three garage doors opens, revealing a sleek red Jaguar. It’s a matching twin to Jared’s black Jag. Clearly, the Knox family is loaded.

Chase and I wait for the car to back out, but it never moves. Instead, a very thin teenage girl emerges from the front door and bounces over to the open garage. She’s dressed in barely there white shorts and a tiny purple tube top. Her dark hair is pulled up into a high ponytail. She opens the driver’s side door of the red Jag and grabs something from the front seat. As she heads back toward the house, Chase and I get out of the truck.