I shove one hand deeper into my pocket, feeling the tremor in my fingers like frayed wires. I pull out my phone and text Jax: At the museum. Might need back-up. No questions. Just be here.
Zero blood alcohol level—what a night to be sober.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
the district daily news
Dated August 23
NERROCK HEIR MISSING SINCE SUNDAY.
Cape Rogan City Police are investigating the disappearance of Deakon Nerrock, 5, only son of the prominent Nerrock family.
The boy was last seen asleep in his bed shortly after midnight Saturday by Adolf Bauer, the family’s captain of security. He was reported missing at 5:30 a.m. Sunday by his mother, Madeline Nerrock.
Volunteers, private security, and police conducted searches across a 5km radius surrounding the Nerrock estate, but there was no trace of the boy.
“As far as we are aware, no one entered or left the house—the security system was still engaged when we realised the boy was missing,” Mr. Bauer said.
Investigations are ongoing. No suspects have been identified, and no demands have been made.
Mrs. Nerrock made a public appeal Sunday evening. “If anyoneknows anything, you will be generously rewarded. And if you took my son, please bring him back to us. We will do anything to have him back.”
Deakon Nerrock is 3’5”. He was last seen wearing a Batman shirt and black cotton pants.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Cape Rogan City Police at 08 98263521 or www.mp.crcp.gov.au. A reward is on offer for information leading to his discovery.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
blesk
“See…” I hear Jaxon’s voice before I see him approach, just as we move into a different part of the exhibition, leaving the wall of love letters to inmates behind. “I would have taken you to dinner.”
I turn. He is striding over to our little group. Slapping his hand on Konnor’s shoulder, eyes on me, he says, “Dinner and a movie.”
“Classic,” Elise agrees.
“How boring.” Konnor laughs, but it’s tight, as if he’s kicking himself for the morbid choice of date. But he didn’t know. He didn’t know that this would be creepy. Or that there would be an entire installation about crime in The District. That it’s a little too close to home for me.
My fingers move to find a loose thread… Nothing. I smooth my palms down my dress instead.
Blinking, I focus on the displays. Most of the scenes on the walls are from the 1980s, well before… Well—before.
I’ve had a lot of practice ignoring the world’s reminders. I just want to let my past go—completely. And right now, I’m looking forward to the restaurant at the other end of the museum. Somehow, this strange exhibition is less frightening than my walk through campus at dusk.
“What’s in there?” Jax points to the murder mystery room we just left, which was actually really fun.
“Oh! You just missed a wall of crazy-eyes,” Elise says to him. “Literally, a wall of criminals.” She lifts her hands, making a border around her eyes. “Just their eyes. It says to guess the crime based on the gaze. Come see!”
Jax looks at Konnor. “You good?”
“As rain.”
“I got them all wrong,” I admit, glancing at Konnor, who has his hands in his pockets, his broad shoulders filling his black shirt. He’s tall. Gorgeous. When we entered the museum, the girls at the counter forgot what they were doing, instead making eyes at my date. Then in line, two girls in front of us kept finding reasons to turn around and bat their lashes. I understand; he is over six feet, with a jawline that could cut glass, and green eyes that are almost unreasonably green, and dimples on both sides. I understand it completely.
“It’s over here.” Elise and Jax head back the way we came, Jax saying, “We’ll catch up after I’ve seen the wall of crazy-eyes.”
I close the gap between Konnor and me. “Are you feeling bad about your choice of first date?”