Chapters (95)
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Video #1
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Video #2
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Video #3
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- The Final Video
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Cover
“There’s no way to know. Some people will say anything to save their hides. And this guy was clearly trying to fool everyone.”
“And he succeeded.”
“Maybe you need to just sit back and think about all this more. Look for the things I mentioned before.”
“Look for what?”
“Contradictions, for one,” he says. “Places where there are two facts that seem in contradiction to each other. If two things contradict each other, there’s tension. It’s a pressure point.” He purses his lips and folds his arms. “Press on that point. Maybe something will shake loose.”
“None of it makes sense, Dad. Sometimes I think there’s not enough information to put it all together. All we know are scraps I can remember, and now what Ron has admitted. Other times I think there’s too much information.”
“Too much?” Dad asks.
“Too much,” I say. “If we know so little, then the answer could be an infinite variety of things. Chloe could have been kidnapped. She could have run away. She could be pregnant. She could be living in the woods like Tarzan. She could have been taken by aliens. Anything goes because we know don’t know anything for sure. It all makes me want to bang my head against the wall.”
“I understand. I’m sure the cops feel the same way. But if everybody just keeps—”
“Dad, I’m sorry, but I don’t see how any of this is helping. No one has figured out anything. We’re no closer. And…” The words linger at the back of my mouth. If I give them voice, then they might become true. But more and more, it seems like that is the very thing happening right before our eyes. “Dad, I’m starting to think Chloe isn’t coming back. That we’ll never know what really happened to her. No one will ever know except for the person who took her.”
Dad looks disappointed. He frowns, and some of the light goes out of his eyes. It’s disappointment at the truth of what I’ve said. But also disappointment that I might be ready to give up.
What else I can say or do?
First, I thought it was Basher. Then, I thought it was Ron.
I’ve got nothing.
“Well,” Dad says, “if you want to talk, just let me know. And if you don’t, that’s okay, too.”
He stands up and walks to the door. As he’s pushing the door shut again, I say, “Thanks, Dad,” but I’m not sure I speak loud enough for him to hear me.
Seventy-Seven
Since Dad left the room, I’ve been staring into space. But then, without knocking, Olivia barges into my room.
“I need you to give me a ride to Gabby’s house.”
“Sure, you can come in,” I say. “And, please?”