New Beginnings {ACM}

Chapter 38

"Are you sure it's not a problem?"

"Yes, just go." She took Lucy from Austin and waved us off. "Call us if you hear anything."

"Thanks, you guys!" the two of us said before hurrying out the side exit door to the parking lot. We jumped in Austin's car and floored it out of the lot.

"When did Jace call?" Austin asked as we hit the freeway.

"He tried before but my cell never rang so I called back to see what he wanted."

"Leah doesn't have her phone?" Austin asked. "What kind of teenage girl doesn't carry around her phone all the time?"

"She was at work," I told him. "So a responsible one."

"I didn't think a sixteen year old girl could disappear so easily."

"Never underestimate the criminals of Miami," I shuddered.

"Do you think she was taken?" Austin asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know."

We got to Quinn's house ten minutes later and parked on the street. "Oh my god," I said. There were cop cars and detectives everywhere.

Quinn and Jace were sitting on the front steps. Quinn had her head on her older brother's shoulder.

I followed Austin as we walked up the driveway. When they saw us, they jumped up and ran over.

"Thank god!" Quinn cried fresh tears as she ran at Austin and threw her arms around his waist. "I'm seconds away from losing it."

While he comforted her, I hugged Jace. "Anything new?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. The detectives are talking to our parents."

"Where's Jesse?"

"He's on his way," Quinn said. She pulled away from Austin and came over to me while Jace moved to talk to Austin. I rubbed my friend's back. "They'll find her, Quinn, alright?"

"What if they don't?" She sobbed. "Or what if they do but she's...you know..." She couldn't finish as she burst into fresh tears again. The poor girl was a wreck; her hair was thrown into a long sloppy ponytail, and she was wearing sweats with one of Jace's sweaters. She looked like she hadn't slept all night, her brother the same.

Jace wrapped Quinn in a hug. "She's a strong girl, sis. She'll be fine."

"Where's Sheridan?" Austin asked.

Quinn wiped her eyes. "She's, uh, at our grandma's house. I didn't want her around this; she would keep asking where Leah was."

"Yeah, we left Lucy with Taylor and Alex," I said.

Quinn's mom came over. Her eyes were red. "The police need you two to answer some questions," she said quietly, talking to her two kids.

They nodded and I gave Quinn's hand one last squeeze before they went over. Their mom, Becky, turned to Austin and I. "Thank you for coming, kids. It means a lot to Jace and Quinn."

"It's no problem, Mrs. Bradshaw," I said. "We'll help in any way we can."

"Please, call me Becky," she insisted. "Where's your little one?"

"We left her with Taylor and Alex," Austin spoke. "We thought it would be better."

Becky nodded. "I see. Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to go speak with Allan." Allan was her husband.

We nodded and she left. I turned to my boyfriend. "I can't imagine what they're going through right now."

He put an arm around my shoulder. "Leah will show up. I'm sure she's okay."

Just then, Jesse's car squealed around the corner of the street and he flew up to the curb. He jumped out and hurried over to us. "Hey, where's Quinn?" he asked, out of breath.

"Answering questions for the cops," Austin said, shaking his hand. I gave him a quick hug.

"I had to find someone to cover for me at work," Jesse told us. "So I'm a little late."

We talked for a few minutes before Jace and Quinn came back. Quinn ran into Jesse's arms immediately.

"Let's head inside," Jace said. "Get away from all this."

We followed our friends inside and gathered in the kitchen. "Do you guys want something to drink?" Jace asked.

"A water is fine," I said, Austin agreeing.

"I'm good for now, thanks," Jesse said.

Quinn went to the fridge and pulled out a Budweiser, cracking the can open and taking a swig.

"Quinn, no!" Jace exclaimed, yanking it out of her hands.

"Oh, like you give a damn," she snapped at him, trying to take it back. "Give it back!"

"You're not even of legal age!"

"So what? Teenagers drink underage all the time now! Don't even lecture me about that, Jace," she shrieked. "Now hand it over, that's my beer!" She was actually trying to climb up her brother to get the beer he was holding way over his head.

"Quinn!" Jesse said, jumping up and grabbing her around the waist, trying to pull her back. I stood up and hurried over to Jace, grabbing the beer from him and dumping the rest down the sink. A waste, I know, but it needed to be done.

"What the hell?" Quinn screamed. "Why'd you do that?"

Austin grabbed her legs, which were flailing everywhere.

"I just- I need to relax, to calm down, and the alcohol helps!" she yelled. "Let me go!" A few seconds later she started sobbing again and went limp in her boyfriend's arms. I hated seeing her like this; it broke my heart.