Scream with Me

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Jensen was finishing up with a customer when Nate came running into the shop. “I tried calling you.” His cousin said, slightly out of breath giving away just how much he was rushing.

“I put it on silent when I’m working. Is something wrong?” Nate wouldn’t be running into the shop just to say hi. Jensen kept his hands steady but his thoughts were racing with fear for Maryanne. “Give me a second and we can talk outside.” He finished the tattoo then called one of the other artists over to bandage it.

Nate was pacing outside away from the front door. “Have you spoken to Maryanne since lunch?” that was the last time Nate had seen his best friend.

“Yeah, before I left school she told me she was staying late for a make up test.”

“She told my mom the same thing this morning when she dropped Anna off but a test doesn’t take three hours and when I tried calling her I got no answer so I went to the school.”

Jensen didn’t like any of this. “It was empty?” he knew something was wrong; there was no way Maryanne wouldn’t check in to ask about her daughter. She wouldn’t just disappear.

“Yeah.” Nate groaned and ran a hand over his short hair. “I was thinking of going by her parent’s house.”

A million thoughts raced though Jensen’s brain. He hated it but maybe Maryanne had fallen off the wagon and didn’t want them to know until she came down from the high. But this last week she had been doing good, she was on point and focused. Even high she wouldn’t abandon Annalise. Something had to be wrong and the only person she expressed fear toward was Annalise’s father. “Give me a minute.” He rushed back in the shop and explained to Miles something important had come up and he needed to go. His boss was understanding about the matter and wished him luck.

They were about five minutes from the shop when Nate’s cellphone began to ring. Considering their tense situation he took the chance and answered it as he drove. “It’s my mom.” He said quickly to his cousin before answering. “Hello?”

Every thing inside of Jensen was tense with fear and hope but even as he waited he knew it couldn’t be good. Maryanne wouldn’t be late just for anything. Something had to be wrong and he was so terrified for her and what came next.

Nate’s face wore a look of disbelief the longer he listened. “That doesn’t make sense. I’ll be there soon.” He hung up and dropped the phone down onto his lap. “She said Maryanne’s parents came and picked up Anna. She tried to get some answers but they were out of there fast.”

Jensen cursed. “This can’t be happening. Keep driving to their place, we need answers. Maryanne didn’t want them to have anything to do with her daughter ever again.”

“Besides you and me no one else knew my mom was watching Anna. For the Hale’s to pick her up Maryanne must’ve told them. What the hell is going on?”

“I don’t know but I really don’t like it. Why didn’t Maryanne pick up Anna or go with her parents?” They shared a look that had Nate pushing harder on the gas pedal.

Finally at the Hale residence Jensen couldn’t shake the tense fear lining his skin. Her parents were already back, he noted their car in the driveway and remembered Maryanne hadn’t lived far from Nate.

Jensen raced from the car with Nate quick on his heels.  He didn’t bother with the pleasant sounding doorbell; he banged on the door with his fist. A guy in his twenties opened the door and just like that everything inside of Jensen shifted from fear into cold anger. He knew this bastard was Annalise’s father and the man Maryanne was terrified of.  “Where is she?”