“You might want some ice for that lip,” Hadley advised, intentionally delaying her departure. Lucas still didn’t address her directly, but he did give her a single nod of acknowledgment. He licked his split lip while continuing to glare at Kalen. “Well, I guess I’ll leave the three of you to it.”
Hadley finally turned as if to walk away, noting how their postures immediately released their pent-up tension. Three steps later, she pivoted sharply, catching them in the momentary vulnerability of assumed safety.
“One thing, though,” Hadley said, keeping her tone casual. “What was that about Missy Claymont?”
The effect of her words was immediate. She now had Lucas’ full attention, while Kalen and Ty exchanged concerned glances with one another.Hadley slowly closed the distance between them, reclaiming the ground she'd surrendered. Lucas took a step back.
“You can save us all some time and tell me now, or we can continue this conversation at the station. Your choice.”
The three exchanged glances, a silent communication passing between them that spoke of shared history and complicated loyalties. Lucas was the first to avert his gaze, his hand rising to touch his split lip again as if reminding himself of the consequences already paid for whatever words had triggered Kalen's anger.
“We were just talking,” Lucas finally offered as he stared at Kalen, as if expecting some support. “About the festival coming up, and how it feels wrong to have it when they still haven't found her.”
Hadley recognized the partial truth for what it was—intentionally wrapped in evasion. She’d been monitoring the other two young men for their reactions, and they were leaving out a crucial part of their previous conversation.
“And that led to a fistfight because...” Hadley prompted, letting the question hang incomplete.
“Because some people should be more respectful when they talk about the missing,” Kalen replied, unable to keep his anger in check. His words were directed more at Lucas than at Hadley. “Especially when they claim to have known her so well.”
Something significant lay beneath that exchange, and Hadley wasn’t leaving until she had some clarification. Nowhere in Missy Claymont’s missing persons file had Lucas Solomon’s name been recorded.
“How well did you know Missy Claymont, Mr. Solomon?” Hadley asked, focusing fully on Lucas now.
He shifted uncomfortably under her direct gaze. The security light illuminated half his face while casting the other in shadow, creating a visual metaphor for partial truths that wasn't lost on Hadley.
“I gave her guitar lessons,” Lucas disclosed reluctantly, as he used his shirt to press against his split lip. “Once a week for about six months before she disappeared, but she didn’t want anyone to know.”
“Why?” Hadley inquired cautiously, sparing the other two a glance to gauge their reactions.
“You’re from here, right?” Lucas’ brief laugh that followed was hollow. “Amelia Claymont would have tracked me down with that shotgun of hers. I’m six years older than Missy, and she didn’t think there was a chance in hell that her grandmother would believe that I was just giving her guitar lessons.”
“Yet your friends obviously knew about these guitar lessons. And yes, I was born and raised in Whistlerun, which leads me tobelieve that Ty and Kalen weren’t the only ones who knew about them, either,” Hadley pointed out, knowing just how fast news spread through the local gossip mill. “Was Chief Langley aware of your arrangement with Missy?”
“Not that I know of,” Lucas replied begrudgingly as he glanced at his friends for some backup. “Did you two mention it to Chief Langley?”
Both young men shook their heads in response.
“Look, I don’t know anything about Missy or the night she went missing,” Lucas continued on now that he believed he was on solid ground with his buddies. “I wasn’t even at the festival that night. I was over in Emberwood for a gig until one in the morning.”
Lucas supplied Hadley with the name of the establishment before rattling off the names of his band members. It was more than apparent that he was anxious about her questions.
“I swear to you that I had nothing to do with?—”
“What was it you said about Missy that made Kalen come to her defense?” Hadley asked Lucas, interrupting his denial of involvement.
“I’m sure you can understand that emotions were running high,” Ty said, coming to Kalen’s defense. “We all attended Mr. Telfort’s funeral today. Kalen's upset, understandably, and when Lucas mentioned Missy, things just...escalated.”
Kalen stepped forward.
“I shouldn't have hit you, man.” The words were stiff, and Hadley had a difficult time believing they were sincere. “I’m sorry.”
Lucas nodded, accepting the approximation of an apology with surprising grace.
“I've been hit harder for saying less.”
“And what exactlywassaid, gentlemen?” Hadley asked again, not appreciating the runaround.
“I said...” Lucas began, then sighed, lifting his thumb to his lip with a sideways glance toward Kalen. “I said Missy would have latched onto anyone who could help her leave this place. That she was desperate to get out of Whistlerun, and she would have done anything or...”
