“Show me.” Monique passed me the phone. My hand shook as I took it. I frowned. “That’s not her phone. She has tons of pictures on her phone.”
“It is, I can smell her on it, and hers is the only scent.”
Michael strode into view, looking between us. “Perhaps she downloaded her images to a computer. She’s had a lot of spare time since this all happened. What do the messages say, anything of value?”
“No,” Monique answered, “just hey I miss you, I love you to the boyfriend, nothing about plans.”
“What do you know about him?” Michael asked me.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “He’s a basketballer, he plays for Houston, I think, I’m not sure. They’re in love and it’s serious. They’ve talked about marriage.” I shoved the phone in my pocket. “Talking about this isn’t helping. We need to keep searching. If Sarah has her …” My voice cracked.
“I have every vampire I could get hold of looking for her. We will find her,” Karson said.
I didn’t look at him. Couldn’t. My fingers still shook as I picked up my phone and called BJ.
“Hey, Amy, I’m so sorry I was working earlier and I’ve?—”
“BJ,” I cut him off, “can you track? I need you to track Georgie,” I rasped.
“What?” Panic made his voice shrill. “What’s happened?”
I quickly told him.
“Oh fuck,” he cried. “My mom or my aunty will be better than me. We need something of hers—I’ll have to break into her unit, unless Jodie has a key …” he trailed off, and I could hear his footsteps as he ran. “I think Mom put a blocking spell on you, and she could unblock it.”
“Let me know.” I hung up and squeezed my throbbing forehead, willing away the panic.
“Amelia.” Karson grabbed hold of my arm gently.
I yanked it away, pent-up rage spilling out. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
He stared at me with his beautiful hazel eyes. Grief and loss clenched every muscle in my body. I could feel my power simmering beneath the whirl of emotions. I clenched my fists. I wanted to punch him in those beautiful eyes. All the dreams I had of us, of our future together, shattered by the truth. He lied to me, he pretended to care when all the while he needed me for something. Was it more than needing me to protect the waters? Whatever it was, after what he told Rodney, I would walk through hell before I helped him.
“Amelia, please.” His voice was thick and gravelly, the kind that usually slipped like velvet along my spine. I was pathetic and stupid. So fucking stupid.
“I have no interest in listening to more of your lies. My only interest is finding Georgie, so you can help, or you can just fuck off.” I spun and strode down the road.
“It’s not what you think.” He fell into step beside me.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I snapped, turning the corner.
Cars whizzed by and sirens wailed as two police cars pulled up, lights flashing, before four officers ran into the bar. Moments later, an ambulance drew to a sharp halt, and two paramedics hurried in behind them.
“You go and search.” I stopped, trying to work out where to go first. “You’re fast and I’ll search the nearby bars, just in case.”
“Absolutely not.” He thrust his hand roughly through his hair. “I won’t leave you.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near me,” I cried.
My words struck. He flinched. “Don’t say that.” He sounded like he was pleading. He was an A-grade actor. “Amelia, just listen.”
“Go away!” I shouted. My fury reached the streetlight, and one above us flickered and went out, casting shadows over the street. “I have more important people to worry about than you.”
That comment struck too. He stiffened. I didn’t care. All I wanted to do was find Georgie and get him out of my sight.
Chapter 31
Karson
