“You’re scared.”

She nods and paces across the snowy-white living room carpet. “It’s stupid, right? It’s not like Isaac is the most responsible person around. He used to go off on his own all the time.”

Before the divorce no one ever knew where Isaac was. Since his dad moved out, he’s been better.

“But he has work tomorrow and he wouldn’t put that in jeopardy,” Rose continues. “The police say he hasn’t been gone long enough to consider him missing and that we shouldn’t worry.”

“Did he say anything before he left?” I ask. “Anything that might give you an idea of where he went?”

“I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t think I had to. And now he’s gone. Even Dad is worried. Dad never worries. He gets angry. But he’s not angry this time and that’s scarier than—” Her phone rings and she puts her hand on her stomach as she looks at the screen. “It’s Mom.”

She walks toward the kitchen, and I put my hand on my pocket and feel the outline of the Isaac’s security ID.

Then she returns. Her arms are wrapped tight around her chest and her jaw is clenched. “It’s that gang.”

“What?”

“The one that Dad told us about yesterday. The one that made you set off the alarm. The police say they’ve been targeting the families of government officials. Dad says a lot of them have been ransomed back, so he’s going to do what he can to—”

“He’s wrong,” I say so quietly Rose doesn’t hear. I swallow hard as my mind wars with my heart. Do I let her believe the lie or possibly put her in danger by telling her the truth?

The crack of the Marshal’s gun rings in my memory.

I don’t have to tell her what I have learned. I can keep quiet and wait and see what happens. The less she knows the safer she should be.

But as much as I want to believe that, I know it isn’t true. No one is safe in a world where asking the wrong question can get you taken and possibly killed. Rose is going to ask questions. The only way to protect her is to set the truth free and hope she can forgive me for what I have done.

“Mom’s going to work. She’s going to put Isaac’s picture up on the front of the Gloss website with a number for people to call if they have seen him. Dad’s going to get the mayor to try and contact the gang. He thinks—”

“There is no gang,” I say, raising my voice. “The gang your father described isn’t real.” My stomach clenches as my best friend looks square at me.

“What do you mean? You got the paper. You set off the alarm. You were there when my dad said—”

“He lied.” The words crackle. Rose jerks back, and I force myself to keep going. “There’s no gang of criminals terrorizing the city and kidnapping government officials’ kids. Your brother wasn’t taken because your dad works with the mayor.” I pull out the card I took from Isaac earlier today and hold it out to Rose. “He was taken because of me.”