He winces. “I care,” he says. “You know that I care.”
“I actually don’t,” I reply, wanting to hurt him. Mostly, I do think my uncle loves me, but lately, he’s been really shitty about showing it.
The sheriff waits there a moment, as if wanting me to reconsider his feelings. But then he nods sharply, back to hide behind his uniform.
“You know where this place is?” he asks Tech, his expression now unreadable.
Tech sniffs a laugh like the sheriff is being a dick. Still, he gives him the coordinates, which the sheriff relays into his radio. But he never once mentions the Starline Hotel or even Rum Runner Island.
“See what you find,” he says into the radio. “There was a report of…” He swallows hard. “A report of a body. I need that ID as soon as possible. Yeah, I’ll meet you out there.”
I lower my eyes, the moment feeling more real now that it’s an official order.
It’s not Ellis. I would have known. I would have felt it.
My uncle slides his radio away before turning back to us, his jaw tight. He points at Tech. “You’re done,” he tells him sternly. “You’re all done. No more going back out there, and not a word of this to anyone. I don’t need any more kids getting shot at.”
We immediately start grumbling, but my uncle holds up his hand to stop us.
“No,” he says simply. “End of discussion.”
Frustration boils over, hot in my chest. “You can’t just leave us out of this!” I tell him. “That hotel—”
“That hotel isn’t your problem,” he cuts in. “Whatever mess you found out there is already bad enough. I won’t let you make it worse.”
“And the fact there wasn’t a fire at the Starline?” Tech demands. “That my uncle’s entire life was ruined by a lie? What are you going to do about that?”
The sheriff winces, but quickly bats away the question. “That is a longer conversation,” he tells him. “For now… let’s just… let’s set our minds at ease.” He glances at me, and I feel sick.
He said it wasn’t him, but now… now I think he’s worried it really is Ellis out there. I’m not sure if I’d rather he lied. Silence settles between us, tense and suffocating.
The sheriff meets my gaze. “You want answers, Noa?” he asks. “Fine. But you’re going to have to wait here for them.” He hesitates. “I’ll call you if we find anything.”
Sheriff Castillo turns and walks away, his boots heavy on the dock, leaving us standing in the sun, stunned and scared.
My brother’s face flashes through my mind, and I press my hands together, bringing them to my lips. And I hate it… but I imagine him lying there.
Please don’t let it be him. Don’t let it be Ellis.
Shawn pulls me into a hug, tight and warm. Tech steps in, wrapping his arms around both of us. We stand there—clinging to one another and waiting for an answer. Waiting for the truth.
I consider calling my father, but I won’t worry him—or rather, destroy him—unless it’s confirmed that it’s Ellis out there. Instead, I sit in the living room with my phone balanced on my knee. Shawn and Tech took the boat out to clean up the blood. Jamie is in the hospital, but I don’t have his number anymore.
I wait for my uncle, the minutes fading into an hour. And then, suddenly, my phone buzzes.
“Hello?” I say. The sheriff’s voice is heavy when he speaks, and I nearly drop the phone.
“Your friend was right,” he says. “There is a body out here.”
“No…” I murmur, my eyes starting to well up.
“Wait,” Sheriff Castillo cuts in. “Wait, Noa. It’s not him. It’s not Ellis.”
“Oh, thank God,” I breathe out, covering my face. My heart nearly explodes with relief. I hadn’t realized how heavily I was grieving untilthe weight was lifted. I wipe at my face, and when I pull myself together, I ask my uncle what they found. “Who was it?”
“That,” the sheriff says quietly, “is not for me to tell you. I need to notify next of kin. I’ll also need to see you and your friends, get a description of the men you saw. But for now…” His voice drops low. “Do not tell anyone else about Rum Runner Island. Do you understand? Not a word.”
“No, I don’t understand,” I tell him. “Why?”
