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“Her safety?” Eloise blurts out. “What do you mean, her safety? This is Oakley Island. It’s the safest place on the planet.”
“And what ‘situation’ are you talking about?” Merritt’s voice is crisp and sharp as a blade.
While I feel every bit as concerned as they both look, I don’t speak up or step in. I actually take a step back, sliding my hands into my pockets with forced casualness. If I slip away now, I could get to Sadie and give her a heads-up before these guys figure out where she is.
At the very least, I owe her a warning.
“Respectfully, ma’am,” German says dryly, “this is official SUCS business and I’m not at liberty to provide the details. But I can assure you Sadie’s safety is our only concern. If you don’t cooperate fully, it could put your sister at risk.”
Somehow, I know that if Sadie were here, even knowing her safety was in jeopardy, she would still laugh atofficial SUCS business,and I feel a sharp longing to have her beside me.
The joke is lost on her sisters, though. Understandable considering the information they’re trying to process. Eloise’s face blanches at Agent German’s words, and she reaches for Jake. Hunter wraps an arm around Merritt’s waist, and I can see the way she’s clenching her jaw.
“Does anyone know where Sadie is right now?” the agent asks.
Eloise and Merritt both glance my way. Of course, they do. Sadie was with me most of the night. And they both know she’s staying on my boat.
“Do you know?” German says, his focus shifting to me. His partner takes a step closer, his arms folding tightly across his chest.
So much for slipping away.
I try to school my features, but I feel every bit as concerned as Merritt and Eloise now look.
“If you know where she is, it’s best that you tell us,” Agent German says. Then, clearly reading my hesitation, he adds, “She’s expecting us.”
I step forward, swallowing against the lump in my throat. “She’s not here,” I say. “But she was. Left about twenty minutes ago. She said she needed a break from the crowd, so I let her take my car.”
“She washere?” German says. “At a party?”
His tone is chastising, like we all should have somehow known better than to let Sadie be here. As though this isn’ta party on the back lawn of a house her family has owned for generations but some kind of dangerous area known for drug deals or shootouts. As though Sadie actuallymentionedwhatever trouble she’s in, and we disregarded it just for fun.
“Of course, she was here,” Merritt says. “Why shouldn’t she be?”
“Because we told her to keep a low profile.” German pulls out his phone, grumbling under his breath, but I’m standing close enough to make out his words. “Does that woman ever do what she’s told?”
Ha. Not likely.For the first time since we started talking to these guys, I want to smile. I also have an irrational thought, one that would make Sadie roll her eyes and probably take a swing at me:That’s my girl.
The truth is, Sadie might very well have thought shewaskeeping a low profile. This is Oakley Island. It’s a tiny, sleepy beach town, and this party was mostly for residents, for people I’ve known my entire life. Yes, tonight is a big event as far as the island goes, and there are some out-of-towners who arrived early for the Flower Festival.
But I can’t see a world in which anyone here could or would harm her.
“To be fair, Agent German,” I say, “most of the people here tonight have known Sadie since she was a little girl. They’re all friends. People she can trust.”
“Sounds charming,” he says, his words thick with sarcasm. “Like a scene right out of a movie. But I’m less concerned about the people here and more concerned about the people who are looking for her. The fewer who know she’s in town, the better.”
Behind us, a booming laugh echoes across the lawn. I turn and see Frank filming a video of a very tipsy Harriett doing a very bad rendition of the chicken dance. It will almost certainlybe on TikTok the second she finishes. Frank’s been filming and posting videos all night.
Which means …Sadieis probably on TikTok.
Frank is usually harmless. He’s had a few videos go viral, but mostly he only gets traction with a small but loyal following of current and former Oakley residents.
Still, his account is public. And it’s almost a guarantee that as much as Sadie and I were together tonight, he’s already posted something about the two of us.
“Frank’s TikTok,” Eloise says slowly, clearly reaching the same conclusion I did. “He’s already told the whole internet Sadie is here. And I might have posted a few things too. Just in my stories but …”
Before Merritt finishes saying, “Delete them,” Lo already has her phone out.
And Hunter makes his way toward Frank.
