✅🎊✂️ Hypnosis Won't Take Me There!! [alternative cut]

Chapter 363: Deleted

"We have to have missed something." Toni slammed the drawer closed with an echoing clang. "I could understand if she wanted to take... something I suppose. But Nyx said she virtually never touches the paperwork. Why would she empty the file?"

"I think we're looking at this all wrong. This isn't a little girl running away from home, for whatever childish reasons. This isn't something she's done on the spur of the moment. And with that note saying they've gone to the park, I think Adi was feeling too small to plan this. I'm wondering if we're looking at an actual abduction."

"That doesn't make any sense. Why? It's not like the family has money, and someone who's doing... something like that... would be more likely to pick someone popular, at least."

"But once you've eliminated the impossible..."

"Yeah. Online stalker? I know she posts a lot of stuff, or used to. Is there any chance she's given someone enough info to find her?"

Both girls knew it was an unlikely option, but they couldn't think of anything else that was even believable.

"She's been posting on the Critical Mass forums in the mornings," Britney stated the facts as if speaking them aloud would somehow make sense out of facts that didn't seem at all likely. "When she feels a little more grown-up on waking. Could have got someone's interest, we don't know if she's sent any private messages. I mean, there was some guy who did an experiment, managed to find a blogger's address from casual mentions of the weather, the colours of the local football team, and the neighbour's dogs. If you're determined to find someone, I think everybody shares more than they realise."

"And they took Dean too because he was in the way?"

"He could have been hurt, or..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. But if someone had taken Adi away, it was hard to imagine anything that would have stopped Dean from at least contacting them. He would have to be hurt pretty badly to not even get in touch. He was getting paid to look after Adi, but he was still as close as family and seemed to care for her like a sister. If he'd followed the kidnappers, he would surely have been able to send a message. A quick glance told her that Toni was thinking exactly the same thing.

"Heard anything from Belle?" Toni knew it was probably another futile line of enquiry, but she couldn't give up. "If he's in hospital or something they'd call her, right? Dealing with something like that, she might not think of calling us right away."

"She could need help too. I mean, he pretty much raised her, and I think he said their parents are out of the picture. So he's the only responsible adult in her life. Does he still sort out food and bills and stuff? I'd better call her again."

They discussed the idea for a few minutes longer, but there was no way of denying that they needed to check on Belle. She wasn't a close friend to either of them, and had been an abrasive character for most of the time they'd known her, but in the last few months she'd helped as much as anyone to look after Adi; and there was no doubt the cheerleader would be anxious about Dean's disappearance.

"Hey," Belle answered after a half dozen rings. She didn't seem particularly upset, which made Britney a little less worried. "Any luck?"

"Not yet. Just wanted to check up on you. Any sign of Dean yet?"

"Nothing, sorry."

"Are you doing okay? I'm not sure how much you were relying on him for stuff."

"It's no big deal. I said in my email, I'll let you know when he gets back. Maybe he'll know something to help us."

"What email?" Britney raised an eyebrow, wondering if she was missing out on something. If there was any information she wanted to be on top of it, even if it was another dead end.

"Last night. I thought you'd be happier knowing."

"I've not seen anything. Have you got my address right? No, best not get distracted. Can you send it again? Or let me know what you said, if you think it might help."

"Yeah, I think I sent it to Toni. She's in charge, right? It's not a big deal. Dean's always been here, but he's in college now. He comes down every week, sometimes more. Helps with the chores, does proper home cooking so I'm not living off takeout and cup noodles the whole time. I mean, don't get me wrong. I can look after myself, but I kind of played that down. An excuse to see him more than anything, I can cope."

"Good to know," Britney nodded. "We weren't sure how you worked it out, so I thought I should check. You don't need help with anything?" At the same time, she was gesturing to Toni, and was pretty confident that she'd managed to convey the instruction to check her email. Toni had her phone out, and was tapping carefully through the menus, trying to find the missing message.

"No, I'm fine. Just thought I'd let you know in case you're worrying about Dean too. He's stocked the chest freezer here, made sure I got everything I need. I got a ton of TV dinners, some extra cash, and a bunch of recipes pinned to the chalkboard. All with notes in the margin to tell me what cupboard stuff is in, like when he was trying to teach me to cook for myself. So I guess Dean's not missing, he must have had something else to deal with."

"What?"

"I don't know. But he was talking about meeting up with some guy he met online. Were you there at the usual time? Maybe he had to go to his appointment or something. I mean, he might have thought Adi would be okay by herself for a few minutes, and she's decided to go to the park before you got back?"

"Possible. I wasn't more than a few minutes late, though. And why would she take –"

An expletive like a gunshot from Toni made Britney forget the next thing she was going to say. All her attention was on the tough girl staring angrily at her phone, and Belle had probably heard the interjection too.

"Toni?" she hazarded.

"Stupid," Toni spat the word with enough venom to make it practically a curse by itself. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. If I'd just checked sooner, or if I'd remembered..."