Stay (Disasters In Love: Book 1.5) (SLOW UPDATES)

Chapter 20

Ben
*
3 days later
*

I've called Samantha's phone back relentlessly, but there is never any answer. It was definitely not her voice who answered the first time. Who could it be? Her accomplice?

I called Mother, but she claims she hasn't seen Samantha for weeks. She could be lying, for all I know. I don't know who to trust anymore. Everyone is a suspect now. 

I went to her place and it's obvious she's been gone a while. That doesn't mean she didn't take Kat though. She could be holding her somewhere else. I just need to figure out where.

I just don't understand the reason behind it. Why now? What did Kat do to deserve this? She was innocent. If anyone is to blame, it's me. I tried to fix the situation and instead, it blew up in my face.

After I read the letter, I just knew it had to be Samantha. Who else is spiteful enough to do this?

"So, now what?" Nate looks at me with the same sad expression he's had for the past three days. 

I blow out a breath. "I don't know."

"Shit, man." His eyes are wide. "Well, if you don't have a plan, we're screwed."

"Oh come on, stop being so dramatic." I can't think straight but at least I have someone in corner. Someone to try to cheer me up. Kat is out there all alone with no one. 

"No, I'm serious. You're the brains. I'm the brawn." I roll my eyes, but it only reminds me of her. 

"I thought Kai was the brawn." I'd rather have them all go help me beat up whoever has Kat. 

"You're right. I guess I'll have to settle for being the looks." Laughing feels wrong when I know she's out there somewhere struggling, but I manage a faint chuckle for his sake. 

"Dude, is that you?" Nate is looking at his phone like he was expecting a call, but he hides his disappointment when he realizes it's not his buzzing obnoxiously. 

"Oh. Maybe." I run and grab it off the counter and answer the unfamiliar number. "Hello?"

"Hey man, it's AJ." Shit. I'm really nervous to hear what he's about to say.

"Please tell me you have good news." I switch the phone to speaker, so Nate can hear too.

"Ehhh... Well, we found some footage of what looks like it could be Kat being forced into a black car around the time you said she disappeared. Unfortunately I can't make out the license plate, but there's something strange." Strange? Better be good strange and not something worse than what we're already dealing with.

"Spit it out." I grit my teeth. I don't have time to wait around for him to beat around the bush. Kat doesn't have time.

"We've also been looking out for Samantha, but she's gone. We went pretty far back and she was also pulled into a black car outside your mother's house. I don't think she's the suspect anymore." He blows out a breath, as if he was holding it while saying all this. 

"What?" Is all I can get out. My brain isn't functioning properly. Something isn't right, everything pointed to her, but if she's involved too, then who else could possibly be behind this?

Nate must notice because he continues the conversation as if I'm not standing here with my mouth hanging open. "So, if it's not her, who could it be?"

"Well, I actually have a little good news." He chuckles, but it only annoys me. This isn't funny at all. There are now at least two lives at stake. "The second video did catch the license plate. It's registered to JB Holdings as a business vehicle. Ring any bells?" 

Why does that name not sound familiar at all?

Nate and I look at each other, with matching looks of confusion, both replying the same thing in unison. "No."

Fuck.

Not another dead end. Just when I started to have a sliver of hope. I should have known better. 

"Well, I happen to have a friend there and they said the primary driver listed for that vehicle is Brett Jones. Anyone you know?" He sounds hopeful to have our answer, but we have no more leads than when we started this infuriating call.

"Nope." And there goes the last of our hope.
 
"Shit, man. I'm sorry. I really thought I had something for you. I'll keep looking." To his credit he does actually sound genuinely sorry. I just wish that did anything for us. 

"Thanks. We appreciate it." Nate mumbles a goodbye and hangs up my phone. 

He looks at me with so much sympathy that it's pissing me off. "Well, now what?"

"How about you go home and stop looking at me like my puppy just died. Jesus." I can't stop the anger swelling up in my chest. I don't need pity. Pity isn't going to help find her. 

"What the fuck man? I'm trying to help you here." He looks hurt, but I can't stop myself. 

"Yeah, well, maybe I don't need your help." I'm so full of shit. I can't even do it WITH his help, how could I ever expect to do this alone? But I can't stop myself from pushing him away when I'm overcome with this much disappointment. 

"Just leave me alone." I'm so pissed off at everything, but mostly I'm pissed off at myself for not protecting her. 

"Fine. Have it your way." He does a sarcastic bow and leaves, with a slam of the door.

Finally. I'm alone with my thoughts. 

Oh shit. I'm alone with my thoughts. Fuck. I don't want this. When did it get so loud in my head?

What is wrong with me? Why am I getting mad at the one person who has helped me through all this? Why am I such an idiot?

Why can't I just figure this out and find her so we can get married and have a family and grow old together? 

Oh shit. What if she's already dead? 
No, don't think like that. She has to be okay. She has to be. 

Fuck. This is all my fault. Whoever is doing this is doing it to get to me. What did I ever do to them? 

What do they want? Is it money? That seems the most likely. But that doesn't explain the note. 

No wait. If that's all they were after, then why haven't they contacted me? And why would they take Samantha too? 

Unless she's in on it and just made it look like she was taken too? But why would she do all that? What's her end game? 

No. It has to be someone else. Someone with that company, right? JB Something? Why wasn't I listening better during the call? But why would they be dumb enough to use a vehicle that's so easy to track? Unless they wanted us to track it and get the wrong person.

But then who's the right person? And why do they want us to think it's this Brad guy? Shit, that's not right. Brandon? No, wait. Brett? Yeah, why do they want us to think it's this Brett guy? Unless it is this Brett guy and he just sucks at crime? Time to do some more investigating, it seems. 

Shit. None of this makes any sense.