I call Pops, and he picks up after half a dozen rings.
“What’s the matter?” The gravel in his voice drowns out his brogue.
“Sorry about the time. I need a favor. I need someone to go to Ethan’s. Avery’s alone, and the guy who’s been stalking her may go after her there.”
“Where are you?”
“On a plane. I’ll get to my dad’s place in an hour, two at the latest. But I want someone to check on her now. And if your guy can stay to keep watch till I get there, even better. I’ll cover whatever it costs.”
“This girl is expensive,” he mumbles. “I thought the trouble was already dealt with?”
“Apparently not.”
A flight attendant raps on the door, telling me I need to take my seat.
“Gotta go. I’ll talk to you when I land.”
* * *
I haven’t madeit out of the airport before my grandfather calls to tell me Ethan’s house looks empty.
I call my dad immediately, but the call goes to voicemail. Understandable given the time, but I want to smash something. I retrieve my car from long-term parking and peel out of the lot.
On the highway, I try Sheri’s number, which I’ve never called directly in my life.
After a few rings, she answers, sounding half asleep. “Hello?”
“Sheri, it’s Shane. I’m sorry to wake you. I think Avery’s in trouble.”
“What?” Her sleep-roughened voice grows sharper. “What makes you say that?”
“She’s not at your house. She’s not responding to texts or calls, not even to say she’s all right. And I got an email from Casanova that makes me think he might try to take her—if he hasn’t already. My dad said she wasn’t going to stay on campus. Do you have any reason to think she changed her mind about that?”
“An email from Casanova? How?”
“Sheri, can you answer me? Could she have gone to Granthorpe? If she did, I’m going to send campus police to her dorm.”
“No, she’s not at Granthorpe.”
“Is she supposed to be at your house in Boston? Because she’s not. I sent someone there to be sure she’s all right, and she’s not home.”
“Are you—is this a trick? To get me to tell you where she is?”
“Of course not!” I snap. I regret it immediately. Sheri’s cooperation is necessary. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice. Just tell me where she is. I need to know.”
For the length of what feels like a hundred hours, there’s nothing but the sound of her breathing and my dad mumbling in the background. On my end, the loudest sound comes from my pounding heart. They know something. I can’t let Sheri end the call without telling me.
“No, I know,” Sheri murmurs, but she’s talking to my dad not me.
“Listen, I need you to tell me.” We don’t have time for this shit, I think, grinding my teeth. “If she’s in trouble, and I’m too late because I don’t know where to go—that can’t happen. Please. I’ll do anything you want.”
I hate the desperation in my voice, but at the moment, it can’t be helped. I’ll do whatever it takes to find Avery, and Sheri needs to believe me that time may be running out.
“Avery doesn’t want you to know where she is, Shane. And she’s fine. We talked to her. She’s fine.”
“When? When did you speak to her?”
“Um, yesterday. When we landed.”
