I inhaled, the air seeming to have jagged edges, the way it felt when temperatures were below freezing. “We fought. She stormed outside. I gave myself a couple of minutes to get it together, and then I followed. I knew she’d be pissed, that she likely wanted to be alone, but I was worried. By the time I got out there…she was gone. I heard a vehicle peeling out of the parking lot.” I swallowed back the burning in my throat that was somehow creeping up behind my eyes.

Crosby squeezed my shoulder. “We’re going to find her.”

Caelyn leaned forward. “Hunt, have you called Ethan? Maybe he saw something and just hasn’t put it together because he doesn’t know that Bell’s missing.”

Hunter nodded and hit Ethan’s contact. The room was so quiet, I could hear the ringing on the other end. It went on and on, no answer in sight. Garbled words sounded, and Hunter hit end and dialed again. This time, it rang once, and then a muted voice answered. Hunter’s brows drew together. “He sent me to voicemail.”

I began pacing. “Call him again. Maybe he thinks you’re trying to drag him out of bed for a ride.”

Hunt nodded and hit Ethan’s name again. “Same thing.” A flicker of something passed over my brother’s features.

I stopped pacing. “What is it?”

“Nothing.”

My muscles tensed, and I fought the urge to deck Hunter. “That doesn’t sound like nothing.”

He let out a frustrated breath. “I swear it’s nothing, my mind is just looking for zebras when I should be thinking horses.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I stepped towards him, but Crosby put a hand firmly in my chest.

“It’s stupid. I just remembered something from high school.”

“What thing from high school?” I gritted out.

Hunter toyed with the cell phone in his hands, spinning it in circles. “Ethan had a massive crush on Violet.”

Dread slid through my veins, thick and suffocating, like tar, slowly drowning out my ability to breathe.

“Don’t freak, Ford. He’d crushed on her forever, even gave her flowers in middle school, violets, but he never actually made a move. I told you, paranoia is getting to me.”

Caelyn pushed to her feet, her body seeming to tremble. “He was around a lot, and for no real reason, especially after Vi died.”

Kenna’s brow pinched. “He came by the hospital a few times, even offered to drive Bell to physical therapy if her parents couldn’t.”

“You guys, it’s called being a good person,” Hunter argued.

Crosby held up a hand. “You had that moment of doubt for a reason. It doesn’t cost us anything to check it out. You know where he lives, right?” Hunter nodded slowly. “We’ll go knock on his door. No harm, no foul. We need to know if he saw anything regardless.”