“You’ll thank me for this later,” Penn was saying in her ear, and that was the last thing Gemma heard.

NINE

Lost

“Where’s your sister?” Brian threw open Harper’s bedroom door, banging the doorknob into the plaster.

“What?” Harper rubbed her eyes and rolled over in bed to face her father. “What are you talking about? What time is it?”

“I just got up for work, and Gemma isn’t here.”

“Did you check her room?” Harper asked, slowly becoming alert.

“No, Harper, I thought I’d check your room first,” Brian snapped.

“Sorry, Dad, I just woke up.” She sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. “She went out swimming last night. She probably just lost track of time.”

“Until five in the morning?” Brian asked, the worry in his voice unmistakable.

But Harper knew he’d been through this once before. When she and her mother had gotten in the car accident. They’d left for a few hours in the evening, and Brian didn’t hear anything from them until the hospital called the next morning saying his wife was in a coma.

“She’s fine,” Harper said, hoping to ease her dad’s fears. “I’m sure she just got sidetracked. You know Gemma.”

“Yes, I do, and that’s why I’m worried.”

“Don’t. Gemma’s fine.” Harper ran her hand through her sleep-disheveled hair and tried to calm Brian. “I’m sure she’s with Alex or napping on the beach or something.”

“You think telling me she’s out with Alex will make me feel better?” Brian asked, but he actually did seem to calm a little. Being out with a boy was a much more favorable alternative to being hurt or dead.

“She’s fine,” Harper repeated. “Get ready for work. I’ll go track her down.”

Brian shook his head. “Harper, I can’t go to work when my daughter is missing.”

“She’s not missing,” Harper insisted. “She just stayed out too late. It’s not a big deal.”

“I’ll drive around and look for her,” Brian said and started to leave her room.

“Dad, you can’t miss work. You already missed too much when you sliced open your arm in February. You can’t lose your job.”

“But…” Brian trailed off, knowing she was right.

“I’m sure Gemma is okay,” Harper said. “She’ll probably be home any second. You go to work. Give me a chance to look for her, and if I can’t find her in the next two hours, I’ll come get you. Okay?”

He stood indecisively in Harper’s doorway, looking pale and gaunt. Brian clearly wanted to go track down his daughter, but he knew Harper was probably right. He couldn’t risk his job and being able to support his family just because Gemma stayed out too late.

“All right.” He pursed his lips. “See if you can find her. But if you haven’t heard from her by seven, you come get me. Okay?”

“Yes, of course.” Harper nodded. “I’ll call you as soon as I find her.”

Once he turned and left her room, Harper let her own panic set in. She didn’t want Brian to worry unnecessarily, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared herself. It wasn’t like Gemma to stay out past curfew. Gemma liked to push the rules, but she rarely broke them.