“When is the last time you’ve heard from him?” Reggie asks slower this time. More calmly. But I still detect a hint of worry, quivering just below the surface.

“Yesterday morning. I had a bad feeling, and he was being more flaky than usual. He didn’t answer any of my calls. Finally, he texted me back. Said he was fine, just busy doing repairs around town because of the storm.”

I frown slightly, vaguely remembering Mason mentioning this my first day back. He works for a local contractor, picking up little jobs here and there when they need him.

“But then he didn’t show up at the bus stop this morning,” she goes on, “and when I called Mason, he said Waylon hasn’t been home since Friday. He said Waylon texted him Saturday, telling him he was crashing at my place until I got back to water my plants.” Her eyes tighten as she gives a quick shake of her head. “I don’t have any fucking plants!”

I frown. “What about the bar?”

“Mason said he was a no-call, no-show last night. And Saturday—”

“—he called off sick,” I finish, nodding. I rub my tense jaw and look away.

Fuck.

I just figured he was hungover.

Or avoiding me...

Reggie fires off questions, but I only half-listen as the events from the other night wreak havoc on my brain.

“You’ve checked your apartment?”

I should have checked on him.

“Of course I did. It was the first place I looked. He wasn’t there. He was never there.”

Why the fuck didn’t I check on him when I woke up?

“Do Mason and Shawn know he’s missing?”

She hesitates, drawing my attention back to the present. “No. I think it’s better they don’t. Not until...well, not unless we have no other choice.”

Reggie’s frown deepens, and I have to bite down on a sudden swell of anger. Remind myself it’s not my place to interfere. If ever there was a time for my acting skills to be tested, it’s now. I can’t let them see how this is affecting me. I can’t show them how much I care. Because, fuck, fuck, fuck do I care.

“I’ve checked his usual haunts...hit up friends of friends, past hook-ups...” She shakes her head. “He’s never done this before. Not to me.”

Reggie nods slowly. Once. Twice. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to make some calls, see if anyone in town has seen him. If he was telling the truth, and he’s been working during the day, at least, then someone’s gotta have something.” He turns to me. “Will, you go with Ivy. You two drive around. Check parks, bars, even the fucking churches. Check everywhere.”

A rock wedges itself up in my throat as Ivy nods rapidly.