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“Okay, Katie. I’m Neal, and this is my partner, Warner. We understand that your son was with Mr. Ellis when he was shot. Is that correct?”
“Um, I guess? I don’t honestly know. He should’ve been. I don’t know the details about anything right now. All I know is my son is missing, and my… and Nolan is in surgery.” I have no clue what I’m supposed to call Nolan to these officers, so I figure I shouldn’t call him anything.
“From what we’ve gathered so far, Mr. Ellis and your son walked out into the parking lot of the library after their class was finished. Several minutes afterward, shots were fired, and then the paramedics were called. When the paramedics arrived, Mr. Ellis was the only person injured, and your son was not with him.”
“Oh, God.” I cover my mouth with my hands. Vomit threatens to spew all over the detectives in front of me. I can bet they wouldn’t take too kindly to that. Adam gently rests his hand on my shoulder in support.
“What time does their class normally end?”
“Five. It’s an hour-long class.”
“Okay, and is there anyone you could think of who would want to hurt Nolan?”
“I… No. He’s the best man I know. Everyone loves him.”
Adam then suggests something I never would’ve thought of. “Katie and Nolan are currently in the beginning stages of a custody case with Cody’s biological father, Bryce Aldrich. He lives in Greensboro. It’s only just begun, but it hasn’t been an amicable situation.”
Warner takes notes in his little notebook.
“Do you really think Bryce could’ve had something to do with this?” I ask Adam.
He shrugs. “I don’t know, honey, but it’s worth a look, just in case.”
“Anything helps at this point. Until Mr. Ellis can tell us what happened himself, any lead is a direction to follow.” They ask for his contact information, which I provide.
“Is there anything else you can think of that might help us find Cody? Any friends or anyone that he might’ve gone home with?”
“No, none of his friends take that class. And I can’t believe a single one of them would be capable of doing something like this.” I drop my head into my hands. This is too much for anyone to handle. What if he’s hurt? What if some maniac kidnapped him from the parking lot, leaving Nolan to die? What if Cody…
At that thought, the tears begin to fall. I can’t hold them back any longer. I’ve kept everything shoved down, trying to hold myself together, but I can’t stop them now. Adam wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his chest. My sobs are wracking through me as I purge every ounce of terror and hopelessness inside of me. By the time they finally slow, I don’t feel anything anymore. I can’t decide if that’s better.
Adam slides a tissue box across the table to me once I pull away. “I’m not sure I need those anymore, thanks to your shirt.”
Adam breathes out a laugh while I take one anyway. “Where did the detectives go?”
“They said they were going to try to get a hold of Bryce.”
“But I didn’t answer all of their questions.”
“They gave me their card to call them if you think of anything,” Adam reassures me.
I’m about to stand when someone in scrubs peeks her head through the door. “Mrs. Ellis? We have an update on your husband.”
CHAPTER 40
Cody
“Are you hungry, kiddo?” The kind lady staring at me gives me a look like she’s sad. I shake my head. I don’t want to say the wrong thing. Bryce made it clear that if I did, he’d hurt Mom like he hurt Nolan.
The lady—whose name is Susan, I think—walks around the fancy kitchen. It’s got white-ish wood cabinets and looks like a picture from a website or something.
“I’ll make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, just in case. It’s dinnertime. You need to eat something.”
I don’t move from my stool at the island. Bryce pulled me in here, and I haven’t moved since. I don’t know where he went. Somewhere in this big house, I guess. I don’t really mind. He could stay gone forever, and I’d be happy.
My shirt is itchy, but I’m too afraid to say anything. There are red splotches on it from Nolan’s blood. He fell down so fast I didn’t even know what happened. I tried to call out to him, but he wasn’t listening. Bryce shot him. I only know that because of the TV shows Mom lets me watch with her. She says I probably shouldn’t since they’re for adults, but the stories are really good, so we watch them anyway. Seeing it happen in real life is way worse than on TV. It’s louder than when it happens in the show.
Bryce wouldn’t tell me if Nolan would be okay. He just shoved me into the back seat of his car and drove away. I kept asking because I didn’t want anything to happen to Nolan. That’s when Bryce told me if I spoke again, he’d turn the car around and hurt Mom like he did Nolan.
