Finding Ford

chapter twenty four

"I will always think of us as a fire with embers still burning beneath the wood. You can stomp on the flames all you want, but they'll burn through the night in the light of the place we stood." -I The Mighty, Embers

"I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S SMART," FORD says, his eyes following Jas as she paces the motel room, small enough to make Ava feel claustrophobic with all three of them (of course adding on the tension in the air) crowded inside. "I get you guy want to sow you're not scared, or whatever, but he won't hesitate to kill any of use if I come back to Cailbridge."

"Here's an idea," I blurt. "Let's tell the police."

Jas glares at my tone. "And what? We both know James isn't the only one part of this. Once James gets locked up, the other guy will come after us. And who's going to save us if no one knows who it is?"

"We don't know he's working with someone for sure," Ford says slowly, as if trying to convince himself. "I mean, it's likely, but we have no hard proof."

"How else would he have gotten the instructions?" Jas points out.

"His dad is a mechanic," I say.

Jas sighs, shaking her head. "You guy don't get it. Look, I was looking for movies, so I was going through his files and stumbled on the brake document. It was for an email- someone sent it to him."

"Well who was the email from?" Ford demands, sitting up on the bed.

"I don't know," Jas admits. "I couldn't check. He was waking up."

Ford's eyes narrow. "How convenient."

"Excuse me?"

"Okay, we are not doing this," I stop them before they can really begin to argue. "Jas and I will go to James' and check it out. Jas, when are his parents out of the house?"

"They're both always working," Jas admits. "She seems to have calmed a bit and stops her pacing, taking a seat on the bed and crossing her legs underneath her body. "We should go during school."

"I can't skip school," I sigh. "My parents are already getting mad at me for always being out."

"Doesn't James do track? They practice on Monday after school, if I'm remembering right," Ford offers.

Jas nods. "Yeah, he does." Her eyes are cast down at the mattress. I can tell the whole realization of what James- her boyfriend, practically best friend- had done is still upsetting her. I squeeze her hand comfortingly, but she doesn't look up. She takes a deep breath. "Ava and I will go Monday after school. It's going to be fine. We're going to figure this out."

Jas leaves to get the car warmed up. Ford and I exchange goodbyes and kiss a couple of times (which manages to give me butterflies every time) before finally parting ways. Every time I have to drive away from the motels he stays at, it gives me a weird feeling in my stomach. I'm almost nervous to leave him alone, terrified at the idea that something might happen to him.  

I don't what I'd do if something did.

x

Jas comes to school with no makeup, no heels, no low-cut shirt, and that's when I know something's seriously wrong.

I pull her into the bathroom before class starts, even though I know it'll get me in trouble. Jas looks like a cow chewed on her a bit before spitting her back out. Jas never looks like that- she's the type of person to put a lot into her looks. Luckily, no one is in the bathroom, so when I drag her inside, I'm able to say, "Need a hug?"