Stolen Secrets

Stolen Secrets- Chapter 18

I saw what Jeff meant and nodded reluctantly. “Maybe we should call the detectives too,” I said. I hadn’t thought about them for a while. From what Jeff told me about my kidnapping, the detectives had been next to no help when it came to actually getting me. But that didn’t mean they were completely useless. They might still have information regarding my dad that was important to know.

“After school we will. But for now, just try to get through school alright?” Jeff said giving me a small smile.

I nodded again and then proceeded to get ready for school.

Once we got to school, I raised the hood of Jeff’s sweatshirt again. I don’t know why I was still wearing it, Jade had brought me a couple of my own, but I guess it just felt right to wear Jeff’s.

Jeff stood awkwardly next to me, shifting from foot to foot.

“Do you only want to help me at ho-” I stopped myself before I said home. Jeff’s house wasn’t my home. When Dad came back I would move back to my apartment. Jeff’s house was just a temporary thing. “at your house?” I asked Jeff nervously.

“What?” he asked clearly shocked by my question.

“It’s fine if you do. I just thought that you would maybe…” I trailed off. I had no idea what I thought.

Jeff reached for my hand and held it in his. “I wasn’t sure if you would still want me to once we got here,” he said honestly.

I looked down at my hand in his. His hand was so large compared to mine. “I need you everywhere, not just when we’re alone.”

“I didn’t want to make you feel weird or anything,” he explained.

Together we walked down the halls to our lockers. People were whispering and pointing at me once again, but I just pressed myself into Jeff’s side and used him as my shield against the strangers.

When we got to Jeff’s house afterschool, the detectives were already there. I looked over at Jeff and he just gave me an innocent shrug. That was all I needed to know that he had called them and told them I wanted to talk to them. I don’t know when he had called them though. I had been with him all lunch and before and after school the whole time. It must have between one of his classes.

“Natalie,” Dt. Greene greeted me. I had met her and Dt. Brailer at the hospital when I had first gotten home. They had also buzzed around lots for a couple of days afterwards. “It is nice to see that you are holding on strong.” I nodded. I wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean but okay.

Dt. Brailer stayed quiet like usual. “Hello detectives,” Jeff greeted tugging on my hand slightly and leading me over to the armchair. He let me sit on it and then sat on the arm of it.

“We’ve been wanting to contact you about your father’s disappearance but your temporary guardians said that you were not ready for that yet,” Dt. Greene continued.

“What?” I glanced at Jade and she smiled innocently from where she was sitting on the couch next to Dt. Brailer. Dt. Greene was on the last couch. “Temporary guardians?”

“You didn’t know?” Dt. Greene asked glancing between Jade and I. “Jade and David agreed to be your temporary guardians the day your father disappeared. If they hadn’t you would have been sent to foster care elsewhere,” she explained.

“Oh. No I didn’t know that.” I was glad that Jeff’s parents had agreed to be by temporary guardians to save me from going to an actual foster family that the police had somewhere, but I was mad that no one had felt the need to tell me any of this.