Liam was gone.
“No, no, no!” I yelled. “Fuck!”
I tore through the apartment, checking anywhere he could have hidden, but couldn’t find him. I realized with a grimace that he must have left after I stupidly told him to leave me alone. Running to the bedroom, I picked up the bedside clock. That was thirty minutes ago.
He couldn’t go that far in half an hour, could he?
I grabbed my jacket. I had one foot out the door before the phone rang in my pocket.
“Hello?” I snapped.
“Vic?” Nick’s concerned voice made me stop in my tracks.
“Yeah,” I said. “What’s wrong?”
He swallowed thickly on the other end of the line. “The arsonist got bail.”
“What?”
Nick was stammering now. “It was a ridiculous amount of money – some guys showed up and just, paid it, they paid it, Vic!”
“Slow down,” I snapped. “Did they say why?”
“No! Even the guy was confused, from what I heard he didn’t even know them!”
My blood ran cold. “Where are they now?”
Silence on the other end.
“Nick?” I pressed.
His voice was quiet. “I’m trying to keep my distance, but – it looks like they’re waiting outside the abandoned building where we found Liam.”
“You’re there now?” I asked.
“Yeah. I don’t know what their problem is, but you and Liam just lay low for a while, alright?”
At my silence, Nick raised his voice. “Victor?”
“Liam isn’t here,” I whispered.
“What?”
“Liam isn’t here!” I snarled.
“What the fuck?” Nick cried. “Where is he?”
I stopped and exhaled shakily. “I don’t know.”
“Victor, this is serious,” he said. “You have to find him. I don’t know what these people are up to, but I don’t trust them.”
“Me neither,” I muttered. “Stay there. I have a bad feeling Liam’s going back to that building.”
“I will,” Nick said.
“And Nick,” I growled. “You be careful, too.”
I heard Nick’s smile in his words. “I will.”
