“I guess it depends on what you define as cheating. A couple of years ago, I would have said it would never have crossed his mind. You caught him last year using AI to write his essay.” He shook his head. “Honestly, that I would not have expected.”
Both returned to finishing the dishes. When they were done, he stopped Ezra from leaving the kitchen to get ready for school. “Ez… there’s something else.”
“I wondered if maybe there was.”
“You’re too smart for your own good. You know that, right?”
His son shrugged and smirked. “It’s hereditary.”
“Nice suck-up attempt. This is serious though. Things have been happening at Officer Hookstead’s house. Vandalism-type stuff. That’s part of why she was here last night.”
Ezra cocked his head with a “Really, Dad?” look on his face.
“I said part. Her house isn’t safe right now. Someone took the vandalism to a new level and broke in. Trashed the place.”
The look disappeared, replaced with concern. “Geez. You think it was Ryker?”
“I don’t know. Maybe? But there’s something else as well. I need you not to tell anyone that you know, but it won’t be long before everyone does. Kennedy Dixon went missing Saturday night.”
Eyes wide, his skin paling, Ezra’s mouth fell open like a fish out of water. “What?”
“Elyxandre was searching for her all day. All they found was her phone.”
“That’s why you guys were quizzing me about the study zoo. To see if anyone knew anything or left at all.”
“Exactly.”
Ezra shook his head. “She never showed. Gemma went to her house to pick her up. Or tried to. She can’t always sneak out, so we weren’t sure if she’d get there or not. She said the house was dark, but her car wasn’t in the driveway, so she didn’t even bother to try her window.”
“Did she say what time she was at the house?”
“No, but it would have been just before the dance broke up because Gemma forgot her laptop and ran home to get it.”
Lucas noticed the fretful look on his son’s face. He put an arm around his shoulders and squeezed him in a side hug. “Don’t worry about it, Ez. There’s nothing you can do except worry, and that won’t help her. The police will find her.” He gave his son a playful shove. “Go on and get ready for school. We’ll order in tonight when you get home. And hey… Elyxandre’s going to stay with us for a few days, so try not to embarrass her, all right?”
With a smile, the teen headed to the stairs. “I’ll do my best. I want her to stick around, not scare her off.”
“That makes two of us.”
Twenty minutes later, they were heading out the door for school. The drive was quiet, but when they got to the building, Lucas stopped him from getting out of the car. “Ez… keep your ears open, okay? Maybe I’m paranoid, but I don’t like what’sbeen happening to Elyxandre, to Kennedy, at school. You hear anything, and I mean anything, you tell me immediately. Text me if you have to. I promise to keep you out of it if I have to do something with the information, but I’m worried. I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
Ezra nodded. “You got it, Dad.”
He ruffled the boy’s head, much as he’d done when he was little. “Learn stuff. Be safe. Don’t suck. Love ya, champ.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
WHERE’S LUCAS?
ELYXANDRE
“Officer Hookstead!”
Elyxandre stopped and turned to see Juliette walking swiftly toward her in the hallway.
“Have you seen Dr. Vaughn?”
“Not since this morning. I know he had a meeting with Superintendent Sealy about Kennedy Dixon. Maybe he’s still there.”
