“She’s out, then.”
“No, Kane. She’s been gone for hours.”
“Can you call Misty’s phone?” he asks someone on his end.
I bite my lip, waiting impatiently.
“It went straight to voicemail,” Knox says in the background.
My heartbeat quickens as a feeling of dread settles in my stomach. “Something isn’t right. She’s never ignored my messages all day.”
“Maybe she went to the shops,” Kane suggests.
“She’s sick. You should have seen her this morning. She couldn’t get out of bed. So she wouldn’t have gone anywhere.” I try to keep my voice even, but my chest is tightening and my throat is closing, making it difficult to breathe.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. She’s obviously left to go somewhere in her car. If she hasn’t shown up by seven, we’ll help you search for her, but it’s still early. Don’t stress—she’ll turn up.”
He was wrong.
Four
The Heavy Burden of Guilt
Knox
Age: Eighteen
Six weeks later
Zara’s househas been inundated with people. Her parents Helen and John, me, and my mom sit in the dining area, waiting for the psychiatrist to come out after talking to Zara.
I rub my eyes, which burn from staying awake for so long. Zara woke up screaming again, and it takes a while to settle her down to go back to sleep. Then I stay wide awake worrying about her.
I don’t know what’s going on in the investigation into Misty’s disappearance. Mom’s been communicating with the police and a private investigator, but no one can find her. I zone in and out of conversations, feeling as though I’m an unwilling participant in this nightmare.
“Knox, how did it go with you and Kane with the posters?” Helen asks.
The posters she gave us has a recent photo of Misty under “Missing person.” Below the photo is a detailed description of her looks, height and weight, and the car she drives. It also has the police phone number and a mention of the million-dollar reward my mom has offered in relation to anyone providing details that can locate Misty.
“They are posted in the front window of nearly every business in Crown Village, and Kane and I put them up all over the amusement park.” Someone must have seen something.
“Thank you,” Helen responds softly. “Did Kane go home?”
“Ah... yeah,” I answer.
Kane was drinking from his flask while we were handing out and putting up posters. I hate seeing him in pain and watching him self-destruct.
I look around. “Zara asked where Iris went. She noticed she hasn’t been around. When will she be back?”
Helen’s mouth opens, but Mom speaks. “She finished up with the Pratts. Said she wants to spend more time with her family.”
My stomach sinks. I don’t want to tell Zara.
“Why didn’t Iris say goodbye? Why would she do that to Zara when’s she’s already hurting?”
Annoyance clings to me. What the hell is wrong with everyone? Misty disappears, Iris leaves without so much as a bye, and I’ve noticed Mom gradually pulling away. I thought she would be here every day with me to support the Pratts, but she randomly turns up to see them, and it’s like her offering a reward is doing “her part.”
Helen looks to Mom for an answer, which is weird. “I’m not too sure. Maybe Iris wanted to give the family some space,” Mom answers.
