Page 76 of Dark Verse

“Because I think I could accept that reason,” he presses.

“What’s up?” Zeke repeats, his attention fully on us now.

I hold up the little device so he can clearly see it.

“I just found this in Knox’s pocket,” I say.

“Hey, Via, Cash,” Knox calls them from the other side of the van, and they both appear. “Do either of you have a missing iFind tag?”

“iFind tag, yes, missing, no. Isn’t that kind of the point of them to begin with? To find something,” Cash says.

My stomach feels suddenly sour, and I know Knox’s face is a mirror image of mine.

“When was the last time you checked your pockets?” I ask him.

“Right before we went on stage,” he answers immediately.

“You’re sure?” Cash asks.

“Yeah, I empty my pockets before any show at this point. House rules,” he says. I think he means it to be a joke, but it doesn’t land.

“So when?” Zeke asks, his brows drawing together.

We all stand there for a solid minute, and when it comes to me, I realize it shouldn’t have taken me a solid minute.

I say, “When you all left the stage. The crowd crammed in. All those people wanted pictures and autographs.”

My words spark something in all of them, and they all begin to check their pockets. Even I check mine, suddenly paranoid. A thorough search proves there is just the one. However, I still feel edgy about the whole thing, even after Knox crushes the device thoroughly under his heel. Zeke scoops up the pieces and tosses them into a nearby trash can. I don’t really know what to do with this information, and an unease I cannot fully name settles into my bones, as if those tiny broken plastic pieces were part of a story I don’t understand.

That unease follows me through the rest of the weekend. Through packing all my clothes, through my final goodbyes with the Nightshades and with Knox. To the airport. And all the way back to California.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

RAVEN

THE ELEVATOR bell rings softly as it reaches the ground floor. Hearing loud playful barking from inside, I step to the side. As the door slides open, three massive dogs come rushing out, dragging their poor owner with them on their leashes.

“Evening, Carl,” I say, recognizing the man who lives a few doors down from me.

He looks away from his pets. “Hi Raven.”

“Walk-o-clock?” I ask, watching as the three Alaskan Malamutes attempt to drag him towards me. All three sniff loudly, noses pointed toward the brown bag I hold in my left hand.

“Yeah, I think we’re going down to the beach today. They need to wear off some of this energy.”

“I’ll alert the local bird population,” I say, recalling watching these three chase after sparrows and gulls in our communal green space.

Carl chuckles, even as he struggles with the three of them.

“You know I used to feel bad for the birds, but after watching them for a while, I’m pretty sure we should feel bad for the dogs. I’m pretty sure those birds are taunting them.”

I lift my bag high over my head as the smallest of the three, Shadow, breaks free and bounces ten feet over to me. She immediately starts begging, panting loudly, tail wagging furiously.

“I’m sorry, Ray,” Carl says, grabbing Shadow by the collar while still trying to wrangle the other two.

“No worries. Let me get out of here so they aren’t focused on the smell of my food anymore.”

“Have a good evening.”