The Changing

Chapter Thirteen

          We were back at the house within a few minutes and then I was shocked all over again. There were two cop cars in the yard. Four cops were standing outside, two were talking to Kidd and Carter while the other two were talking to Serina and Ethan. Aiden and Alyssa were standing on the porch, in front of the front door.

          One cop broke away from each group they were questioning and walked up to Jake and I as we got out the truck. "I'm officer Winchester and this is deputy Hardy," officer Winchester said as they approached us.

          "Is something wrong?" Jake said, grinning.

          "There's a missing persons case on this girl since six thirty yesterday morning," deputy Hardy said, gesturing to me.

          "I had no idea," I said, shocked.

          "Has she been with you since yesterday morning?" officer Winchester asked.

          "Yes, she has," Jake answered.

          "Are you Ms. Walker's boyfriend?" officer Winchester asked.

          "No," Jake and I said at the same time.

          "Wren was just hanging out with us yesterday and stayed the night since it was so late," Jake informed, coming up with a story.

          "Ms. Walker's car is still at the school and has been for two nights since she didn't go to school yesterday or today, just like none of you did, did you pick her up yesterday morning?" deputy Hardy asked and then she eyed us as if telling us not to ditch school. "Mrs. Porter issued a missing person's report after she called the school yesterday morning and the principal said she never came to the office when she was called," deputy Hardy explained.

          "Yes, we did pick her up yesterday morning, I went with Serina and Kidd," Jake said.

          "You guys heard, if they ask questions about what I said tell them exactly what I told them," Jake said through the pack connection.

          "We have eyewitnesses from the school that say they saw all of you, along with Ms. Walker, going into the woods two days ago," Officer Winchester said.

          "We like to hang out in the woods," Jake replied, shrugging his shoulders.

          "And what about the blood on her shirt that Mr. and Mrs. Porter reported seeing when she returned home the night before she disappeared?" Officer Winchester asked.

          "I told Emily and Kevin I tripped in the woods," I said through pack connection.

          "She fell in the woods, we cleaned her up best we could before she went back home, and I already told you that she didn't disappear, we all went to hang out," Jake said.

          "Ms. Walker, did Jacob Nolan kidnap you? Don't be afraid to speak the truth, he can't hurt you right now," deputy Hardy asked.

          "I'm offended, Jessica," Jake said, holding his hand up to his heart.

          "That's deputy Hardy to you, Jake," deputy Hardy said and looked back to me.

          "No, he didn't kidnap me, we were just hanging out," I said as if the idea of Jake kidnapping me were ridiculous.

          "Thank you, but Wren, you don't need to be hanging out with the likes of them," deputy Hardy said, spitting out the last word as she glared at Jake.