The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden(31)

Oh God. I think I’m going to have another panic attack.

I take two deep breaths before I unlock the door. I plaster a smile on my face that I feel looks very genuine. Maybe Liam is rubbing off on me.

There are two police officers standing in our doorway. One is a man, who is in his late thirties with ruddy cheeks and a gut that’s straining against his uniform. The other officer is a thin woman. She looks of Hispanic descent, with sharp black eyes, high cheekbones, and hair pulled back into a severe bun.

“Hello there,” the male officer says in a thick Long Island accent. “Does Liam Cass live here?”

Oh no. No no no no…

“Yes…” I manage. “He’s my son.”

The female officer flashes a smile that doesn’t touch her eyes. “My name is Detective Rivera and this is Detective Murphy. We were hoping to ask Liam a few questions. Is he home?”

“Yes?” I say, although I’m not sure why it comes out like a question. I clear my throat. “He’s just eating dinner.”

“Would you please interrupt him?” Rivera says. The phony smile has disappeared from her face.

“Um…” I glance in the direction of the dining room. Jason has come out to see what’s going on, and his eyes widen at the sight of the police officers. “Does he need a lawyer?”

Maybe I shouldn’t have asked that. That sounds super guilty. And we don’t know for sure Liam did anything. After all, he’s a sixteen-year-old kid.

“No, that shouldn’t be necessary,” Rivera says. She seems to be the spokesperson. “We just have a few quick questions.”

“What’s this about?” Jason speaks up, his brow furrowed.

“We’re just trying to get some information about the girl who disappeared this morning,” Rivera says. “We’re speaking with some of her classmates who might be able to help us. We just want to find Olivia.”

“Well, Liam says he doesn’t know her.” Jason folds his arms across his chest. “So I think you might be wasting your time here.”

Detective Murphy flashes Jason a disarming smile. “Then this will be real quick. We just want to make sure. A girl’s life is at stake, Mr. Cass. We need to do everything we can to find her.”

“I’ll go get him,” I say. I hurry out to the dining room, where Liam and Hannah haven’t moved, but Hannah is straining to see what’s going on. I put my hand on Liam’s shoulder, and he flinches at my touch. “There are a couple of officers out there who want to ask you some questions.”

Hannah’s eyes widen. “Shouldn’t he have a lawyer? Aren’t you supposed have a lawyer present if you’re being questioned by the police?”

It disturbs me how quickly Hannah—Liam’s sole confidante—came to that conclusion. I shake my head. “They say they have a few quick questions. Just tell them the truth, Liam.”

“All right.” Liam gets to his feet. “I’ll talk to them.”

Hannah’s eyes widen but she doesn’t say a word.

When I return to the living room, the two officers are sitting on our loveseat, while Jason is on the couch. He’s talking to the officers, but he doesn’t look nervous or anything. He doesn’t look like he’s going to throw up any second, which is the way I feel. He truly believes Liam has nothing to hide.

Liam sits down beside Jason on the couch, sitting up straight as he always does. He doesn’t look nervous either. He doesn’t fiddle with the hem of his shirt or the hole in his jeans—his hands are completely steady and he flashes the officers a brief, disarming smile. It almost makes me wonder if I’m worried over nothing. If Liam could look that calm around two cops, he must have nothing to hide.

“Liam?” Detective Rivera says.

Liam nods. “Yes.”

“Would you mind answering a few questions for us about Olivia Mercer?” she asks.

“I already talked to a police officer at school,” he says. “I told him everything I know.”

“Yes, but we have a few more questions. Just routine stuff.”

“Of course.” Liam looks her straight in the eyes. “I’ll do anything to help find Olivia. Please go ahead.”

Rivera crosses her legs as she leans forward slightly. “Do you know Olivia Mercer?”

“Yes. She goes to my school.”

“And are you friendly with her?”

He doesn’t hesitate. “She’s in my math class. I’ve spoken to her before.”

His answers sound rehearsed. As if he knew what they were going to be asking him and had mentally prepared for it the same way he prepares for his debates. I wonder if they notice.

“Is Olivia your girlfriend?”

“No.”

Rivera raises an eyebrow. “No?”

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Rivera lets out a laugh. “A good looking boy like you? That’s hard to believe.”

“He’s only sixteen, Detective,” I say.

“When I was sixteen, I had two girlfriends!” Murphy says. His ruddy cheeks grow pinker.

Liam doesn’t react to any of this. He flashes a brief smile, but says nothing.

The smile vanishes from Rivera’s face again. Her eyes are so sharp, it scares me. I want to tell Liam to be careful, that she isn’t going to be taken in by his charm. “So Liam, when was the last time you saw Olivia?”