By Next Thursday

Chapter Thirteen

A rough comparison of the finger prints on my phone and Ryan's from the restaurant showed that I was, indeed, right. Ryan wasn't my kidnapper.

The sun streaming through Meredith's girly, pink curtains didn't brighten my mood as I curled up at the foot of her bed. Jay was face down on the bed and hadn't moved since we'd gotten there so I assumed he was either sleeping or thinking hard. Probably sleeping.

Meredith was aimlessly flipped through our yearbook, as if the answer to our problem was in there.

"Maybe he has an accomplice?" Meredith said for the thousandth time.

"No," I shrugged, clutching my knees even tighter to my chest. "He seemed to be genuinely working at the restaurant. He clearly moved back for an actual job and I don't remember him ever being that normal... I think he finally got the help he needed."

"I suppose that's a good thing," she sighed sadly. "It's just frustrating that our best suspect isn't it. If Ryan wasn't the one beating you up somewhere, who was it?"

"Okay... Well we've ruled out my ex who works with my dad, my ex who was stalking me, and there's no way any of my friends are smart enough to pull this off. Where else do we look?" I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"Why don't we stop looking at the obvious people in your life. Whoever this is, is right in front of us." I snapped my head around as Jay spoke up. Apparently he was just thinking hard. "No, I wasn't sleeping." he added with a smirk, as if reading my mind. I frowned, I didn't realize I was that easy to read.

"You're not that easy to read... I'm just getting used to your facial expressions." Jay chuckled and leaned back onto the pillows.

"Seriously?" I gaped at him. "That's weird."

"Guys!" Meredith snapped her fingers. "Focus! Jay, what do you mean they're 'right in front of us'?"

"Well think about it. There's a pattern here. Every single suspect we've had, has dated Kelly. Why don't we stop looking at people she did date and look at the people who wished they dated. We can rule out all the girls in your life anyway, they're all dumb as rocks." I nod in agreement at his last statement.

Meredith remained unimpressed. "Every guy at school wanted to date Kelly. That doesn't help at all."

"Yeah, but who comes to mind above all else. Someone who really thought they had a chance.  Most of the other guys knew she was out of their league, but one comes to mind who was really fooled." he raised his eyebrows at me. "Someone easily smart enough to pull this off."

"Rory Johnson." Meredith and I say at exactly the same time.

I gasp as my brain clicks. Rory brought to mind the image of his creepy gray eyes. Gray eyes. "My dad's new girlfriend!"

"What?" Jay just looked confused.

"I knew she looked familiar!" I jumped up and started pacing. "Her eyes are exactly the same as Rory's! They have to be related... This all has to be connected somehow..." I kept pacing, rubbing my eyes trying to think.

"Umm. Kelly?" Meredith said timidly. "Are you sure you're not just forcing that conclusion? I know it's weird having your dad dating someone but..." she trailed off looking to Jay for help.

"No!" I said when Jay opened his mouth. "I know my dad dating her and my disappearance have to be related somehow. I can feel it."

Jay sighed, resigned. "Fine, Kel. We'll look into it, after we catch Rory. It's already almost the end of Monday. We have barely over two days."