The Best Intentions

Chapter Twenty Eight

I couldn't muster up the energy to get out of bed. Something bad happened to him. Kieran. I hadn't heard from him in three days, and I knew he didn't just run off.

Nobody at the movie theatre saw where he went, and there weren't any other witnesses. There weren't security cameras in the area either. I took less than two minutes to get back to him, but he was already gone when I got back.

I searched for him until three in the morning then went home and sobbed myself to sleep. I looked for him every chance I had after that, but that day, I just couldn't.

My phone buzzed. I jumped up, hoping Kieran had texted me. I frowned when I realized it was a news notification. I grabbed my phone, ready to throw it across the room when it started ringing.

Aubrey.

Against my better judgment, I answered.

"Hey, Sab. I haven't heard from you in a while."

I stayed silent. What did she want?

"How are you?" Aubrey added after a moment.

I gave her a dry chuckle. Why had I been hoping she was going to tell me Kieran was at Dark Skies? I hung up, then went to my closet. I pulled on a black hoodie, ignoring the fact it was summer. It was always chilly in Iron Beach anyway.

I snuck out of the house without incident, then ran to Dark Skies and let myself in.

Kit jumped when I walked inside. "Hey. Long time, no see. What're you doing here?"

I didn't miss the spark of hope in his eyes. I crushed it with a desperate, "Have you heard from Kieran?"

"No," Kit replied with a shake of his head. "What happened?"

Uneasiness filled my stomach as I explained the situation. Aubrey and Samantha were gone. Devin was passed out on the couch, drooling.

Kit sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I might know a place."

***

Kit knocked on the door with a petrified expression. I had no clue where we were, or why we were knocking on the back door of a bar hidden in an alleyway.

The door was thrown open by an older woman. For a moment, I felt sympathetic. She was hunched over with dark circles that told me she hadn't slept in a few days. The sympathy left when I realized this was Kieran's mother, the one who threw him out on the streets. They shared a plethora of similar traits, from their wide eyes to the shape of their nose. I glanced at the bruises on her arms and felt the sympathy return, though it wasn't as overwhelming as before.

"Hello, Miss Reed," Kit greeted. "How have you been?"

"Kieran isn't here!" she snarled before slamming the door shut.

I blinked a few times, then glanced over at Kit. "She's unpleasant."

Kit nodded with a grim expression. "This is the last place I thought to look, Sabrina. Nobody has heard or seen from Kieran since he came to live with you. It's obvious he didn't run away. Maybe he got kidnapped."

I'd rather have had him run away. A pressure built in my chest. "Do you think he's alright?"

"I hope," Kit muttered. "I'd assume Mendoza was behind this. The same thing happened with Katherine Harris, you know. Devin has her wrapped around his finger, so maybe she'll let something slip soon."

I clenched my fists. "If she had something to do with this-"

Kit placed his hand on my shoulder. "Calm down, Sabrina. We're going to figure this out. You should go home and get some rest. If Devin finds anything, I'll let you know."