“The last time Jason’s phone emitted a signal was at lake Wallenpaupack. Around the same time Aoi read your texts,” he says instead, and I almost laugh out loud.
“Then I’m going to go find that motherfucker. If we find him, we’ll find Aoi. I’m sure of it.”
The phone vibrates in my hand, and I lower it to see who texted me. It’s probably Amira who’s asking for news on the search. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to tell her-
UNKNOWN
Come to this address alone. If you want to see Aoi again, you’ll do as I say.
UNKNOWN
I’ll know if you inform anyone.
Jason? It can only be him, but this proves he knows where Aoi is and that he has something to do with his disappearance. Maybe I was right then. Maybe Aoi never wrote that letter and it was all Jason’s fault.
Stop kidding yourself, you know Aoi better than that.
“Visha? You still there?” Bellami asks and I snap out of it. “Maybe you should back out of this and rest.”
I hold the phone back to my ear and step away from the lake. He was here. Alone and tormented. Fuck, how fucking useless am I that I couldn’t be there for him when he needed me?
I promised I wouldn’t let that happen to him again. I promised I’d be by his side, but I failed.
I failed him.
“No, I’m here and I’m gonna keep searching for him,” I grit out. “Tell me, do you also track my location?”
“Of course I do, why?”
“No reason. I’ll call you later.”
Perfect. Wherever I go, he will know where I am. All I have to do now is head to the address that motherfucker sent me and find my Aoi.
I knew he wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be.
“Excuse me, sir? Oh mister Lacroix, I didn’t know it was you,” a police officer says as he greets me. “Our officers are still searching the area, but nothing has been found yet other than a phone and his car.”
“Yes, thank you.” I stare at the lake on the horizon and sigh. “Keep looking around. He has to be somewhere.”
“Yes sir.”
“Have you searched the lake yet?” I demand. “You should have had plenty of time since my brother called. Or are you trying to tell me you were lazing around instead of doing your job?”
He pulls on his uniform’s collar and rakes his throat, avoiding my gaze. “The search of the lake tells us that Mr. Holden must havebeen dragged out of the water, or he dragged himself out.” He turns to the shore and points at it. “We found a trail in the stones. We hope our assumption is right and he made it out of the lake. Our search party hasn’t found a body in the water yet, so we believe there are chances he got out before it was too late.”
I nod, listening attentively. “Thank you, officer.”
He hesitates before nodding back and vaguely startles when a colleague grabs his shoulder. “Yes, Sanchez?”
“Glenn wants to talk to you about the trail on the shore,” officer Sanchez says.
Officer Reed–based on his name tag–smiles at her, then turns back to me. “We will keep Mr. Lacroix updated of any news.”
Glancing at the trail officer Sanchez mentioned, I fix my attention back on officer Reed and nod curtly.
I feel his stare on the back of my head as I walk back to my car and slam my fist on the honk. “Fuck!”
The night is thick as I drive off to the address sent by who I presume was Jason. A hidden small chalet comes into view when I drive up the hill and into the woods. Not a single light illuminates the area as I park in front of the wooden chalet. Although from the size of it, I should call it a cabin instead.
