“I have a bad feeling, Andy. I can’t explain it. Something is wrong.”

“I’ll be over in a few, and we can go look for her.”

I kept watching out the window as I waited for Andy to show up. As soon as he pulled in, I walked out to his car.

“No sign of her?” he asked.

“No. I already walked around the block. Let’s go to a few of the closer restaurants and see if she’s there.”

She wasn’t, so we went to look for her on campus. We checked her dorm room, the library, and a few other places where she liked to hang out at. We found nothing. When we left campus, I felt sick. Andy seemed as worried as I was. A tightness was around his mouth that wasn’t normally there. He could feel it, too. Something was wrong.

We made a quick stop back at my house to make sure that she hadn’t come back while we were out. After I checked the house again, we headed back out to keep searching for her. I knew she had a few friends, but she didn’t hang out with them much. I had no idea how to contact them.

“Andy, I’m about to freak the fuck out.”

“I know. Me, too. This isn’t like Emma at all.”

“I think we should go to the police.”

He nodded as he drove us to the station.

After waiting almost an hour to talk to someone, the cops were absolutely no help. No matter how many times we told them that Emma wouldn’t just disappear, they refused to listen. They said something about waiting twenty-four hours before we could file an official missing person report. That meant we had to wait an entire day before the police would help us.

I left the police station feeling more pissed off and worried than I had when I walked in. Andy and I continued our search until almost three in the morning with no trace of Emma anywhere.

“Dude, we’ve torn this town apart, and there’s no sign of her anywhere. I don’t know what the fuck to do,” Andy said grimly as we pulled up to my house.

We walked into the house, feeling defeated. If something had happened to her, I would never forgive myself. I was supposed to protect her. I couldn’t help but worry that Ally had something to do with this. There had been no sign of her for weeks, but she could have come back.

“What are you thinking?” Andy asked.

“Ally. I’m afraid she’s done something to Emma.”

“I doubt that. She has been gone for a while.”

“Something happened, something bad. I can feel it. Emma wouldn’t just disappear.”

Andy collapsed down onto my couch at the same time I did. “I don’t know what the fuck to think. You two didn’t get in a fight or anything, did you?”

I shook my head. “No, everything has been great between us. Emma has been so happy lately.”

My phone started ringing, and I nearly ripped a hole in my pants as I tried to get to it. I looked at the screen to see who it was. My stomach dropped when I saw Blocked Caller flashing across the screen.

“Hello?” I answered cautiously.

“Hey, Jesse. How are you?”

I held my hand over the phone as I cursed. Once I was sure that I wouldn’t start screaming at her, I moved my hand away. “Ally?”

Andy’s eyes widened when he heard his sister’s name.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

There was no way that it was a coincidence that she was calling while Emma was missing.

“What do you want?” I asked, forcing myself to keep calm. Maybe if I pretend like nothing is wrong…

“I just wanted to see how you are doing. It’s been a while since we talked.”

“I’m doing fine.”

“Really?” She seemed surprised.

“Of course. You sound shocked.”

“I just thought…”

“You thought, what?”

“I thought…never mind. I thought you might miss…me.”

“Ally, I asked you to leave. You messed up—big time.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I just thought you might miss me.”

“Where are you right now? If you’re close, maybe we can hang out,” I said, hoping she would lead me to Emma.

“I’m around. I can’t meet up right now though. I’m tied up with a project at the moment.” She giggled.

A shiver ran through my body at the way she’d said that, but I pushed it away. I needed to stay calm.

“What has you all tied up?” I asked, pretending to joke around with her.

“Oh, just something I need to take care of.”

“I see.” I was about to lose my cool. This bitch is up to something.

“What’s wrong, Jesse? You sound upset.”

“It’s nothing. I just…”

“You can tell me. I’ll listen.”

“Emma left me yesterday.”

Andy’s jaw dropped, but I shook my head. I didn’t want him to say something and screw this up.

“Oh, Jesse, I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

“Unless you can get her to come back to me, no. I miss her so much. I feel so broken. I mean, I knew it was coming, but it still hurts like a bitch.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ve been fighting a lot lately.”

“She never said anything about you guys fighting.”

I closed my eyes as I tried not to scream into the phone. Ally had Emma. Ally had just admitted it without realizing it. Things with Ally were worse than I could have imagined. She was seriously sick in the head.

“When did you two talk?” I asked.

“Oh, uh…it was a few days ago. I called her to apologize.”

“That’s so nice of you, Ally. It means a lot that you’d do that. I think…I think once I get over Emma, I’d like to give us a chance again.”

I heard her tiny intake of breath.

“I lied before. I’ve missed you so much since you left. I used Emma to pass the time, but it just isn’t the same. I love you, Ally.”

“I love you, too, Jesse. We can be together again. I’ll come back to you.”

“Let me come to you. Where are you?”

She hesitated. “No, it’s okay. I need to make a stop, but I’ll be at your house in a few hours.”

“Why do you need to stop somewhere? Don’t you want to see me?”

“I want to see you more than anything. I just need to do something first.”

“What? What could be more important than me?”

The line was silent, and for a second, I thought she’d hung up on me.

Finally, she spoke. “I have a problem that I need to take care of.”

“How are you going to take care of it?” I asked.

“I’m going to let my problem wash away. I’m going to throw it away and let it disappear with the current,” she said simply. “I love you, Jesse. I’ll see you soon.”

I shouted her name, but the call ended.

“Son of a bitch!” I stood and kicked the living room table in front of me. “Motherfucking son of a bitch!”

I kicked the table over and over again until it busted into pieces in front of me. This can’t be happening. Ally is going to get rid of Emma. Ally was going to kill Emma, and I still had no idea where Emma was.

“Jesse, calm down. Tell me what she said,” Andy said as he grabbed my shoulders. I hadn’t even realized that he was standing next to me.

“She said she has a problem that she needs to take care of. She’s going to hurt Emma or kill her, Andy.” I dropped down to my knees.

I would die if something happened to Emma because of me. Dear God. Ally is crazy, absolutely fucking crazy.

“What else did she say?” he asked urgently.

“She’s going to let her problem wash away. She’s going to throw it away and let it disappear.”

“Fuck! Did she say anything else? Did she tell you where she is?”

I shook my head. “She wouldn’t say. What is she going to do to Emma, Andy?”

He hesitated. “I think Ally is going to drown Emma.”

I stood and kicked at what was left of the table. “I’m going to kill Ally. I want to wrap my hands around her neck and watch the life leave her eyes.”

“Breathe, Jesse, breathe. We’ll figure this out. Were there any sounds in the background when she was talking?”

“Not that I could hear. It sounded quiet.”

“Okay, so she’s probably still wherever she took Emma then.”