Casper Hardwin, 2 weeks after the accident
Multiple search parties are out to look for my sister. We basically split the town up, every nook and cranny gets searched through to look for her. A lot of people are in the forest, close to where the wreckage was. When I told people my sister was considered a missing person, they just stood up, put on their coat and started searching. I stood in the diner, at a loss for words. No one believed she could just vanish. If she was not in the car – where would she be then?
Jay had then stroked my back and whispered that we are grateful to have so many people on the look out for her.
2 weeks later, and the townsfolk is still busy looking for her. Sure, some of them dropped out from searching but nonetheless, I'm still glad I got so many people on the case.
Speaking of cases, Miller is fucking useless. He has yet to find any lead and he just keeps going through his papers in stress, to try and give me some sort of good-formulated answer. He sucks. I wish I could go at it alone.
Though, Oliver, Daniel and Jay stay by my side mostly. Chief Webster is Jay's dad, and today, he's the one with the search dogs. He had also spent a lot of his free time looking for her, ever since he picked me up from the venue.
Us four get on each other's nerves constantly – Oliver and Daniel try and be concerned, but they really aren't bothered that much. At least, that's the impression they give me. Jay gets irritated by them and we end up arguing constantly. For the rest of the time, we remain out of each other's way, as long as we all continue to do our job.
Jay is always very involved, not just in the case of my missing sister, but also in me. Things went pretty quickly for us and at one point, I worried if it was normal for things to go like this. I had never been in a relationship before - especially not under these circumstances – but the truth is, she is there for me when I need her. She and I have these conversations that are mind-blowing to me, it helps clear my head.
It's weirdly familiar spending time with her. Even though we never really talked before, it feels like we already said everything we needed to say to each other, like an instant connection. Her eyes are warm and indulge me, they're so gorgeous to look into. Like dark chocolate, and I happen to like the bitterness and pureness.
I like how she can distract me from the reality of my missing sister. Of course, I stay worried about her, but my energy gets drained so much from walking around town and its surrounding areas, just waiting to stumble upon a clue.
Initially, I am supposed to stay with aunt Olivia and uncle Ed, they're arranging to become my legal guardians. They've been great, especially aunt Olivia but they're just nothing like mom and dad. I just hope they don't worry too much about me, and that they won't notice I sneak out every night to stay over at Jay's.
"Cas, search parties are goin' home now. Think we should go too?" Jay's sweet voice woke me from my worries.
I had been gazing at the horizon, wrapped up in my thoughts for longer than I intended. I give Jay a glance and look past her, at the forest. The sun is setting and the air is tainted with blue. We've spent hours here today.
"Right, yeah. We're going."
Jay zips my coat further up. "How can you always have that halfway, it's cold, Cas. Take care of yourself."
I love how she coos over me. I smile at her before passing her by.
"Alright, everyone," I clapped my hands together and the noise echoes through the forest, "thank you all for helping out today, hope you understand how much I means to me. We might not have found Juliet today, but I'm sure we are a day closer."
As the crowd slims down, I run my hands through my hair and kick hard against a log.
"Fuck!" I exclaimed.
"Hey, stop that." Jay grabbed my arm.
"Another wasted fucking day."
"Not a wasted day, another day getting closer to finding Juliet, you said it so yourself."
"Screw that. What if there is no goal? What if those fucking firefighters oversaw her and let her burn in that car?"
"That's likely to never happen," Jay intertwined her hand in mine, "besides, no bones were found."
"Maybe the fire was way too hot." I debated.
"Nonsense."
I sighed. "I just wish she was here."
"I know you do."
Jay lifts up my chin and kisses my mouth as she wraps her arms around me.
"Why don't we get out of the forest and go home, drink some coffee and try to distract you from your worries?"
"But. . . it's not just worries, this is my reality. My life. What if Juliet is hurt, or lost? What if she is. . . dead?"
Jay studies my face and from her expression I can tell she is thinking really hard about what to say. She has no clue, either. What does one say in this situation?
"So, you're the one calling off the search now?" I heard a voice, and my eyes jerk to its direction. It's detective Miller, leaning against a tree.
"Uh, yeah. They're my townspeople. I can say when they can go."
Miller stands up straight and starts towards us.
"Are they afraid of searching in the dark?"
I push Miller's chest.
"Why don't you get some more cops out here to search in the dark?" I spat.
"Cas-" Jay reached for my hand.
"You are sitting on your lazy ass and you're not doing SHIT! You're not helping, you're acting like you are!"
"Let's just go." Jay pulled my arm.
"Yeah." I mumbled.
We make our way to the entrance of the forest, the sun is going down and with it, its warmth. The air is cold and the winter has been rougher on us than before, but the sun shining through the clouds has been a factor to keep me going.
"This could be interesting." I hear Miller say.
I turn my head around.
"What could be interesting?"
"The last person who saw Juliet was her ex-boyfriend, Logan."
My eyes widen and I feel Jay squeeze my hand.
"Where?"
"At the store, to get.. eh, paint supplies."
"Fuck."
"I want to question him." Miller stated.
"I'm going to kill him."
"Wow, wait. We can't do that – we don't know anything about him!" Jay called.
"He's the last person, besides my dead parents, who saw her. I'm going."
I move forward again, leaving Jay and Miller behind me. I glance up the hill next to me, and see Chief Webster standing atop it, holding a dog on a least. It lays on the ground, probably tired of searching all day. Her dad looks at me through narrow eyes. I know he doesn't like me, he's busted my ass too many times testing the law to like me. He probably also hates his daughter has feelings for me. I even wonder if he has any pity for me at all – but maybe my chances of those have been expired a long time ago.
"Where are you going?" Jay yelled after me.
"To the store." I answered.
--
I have Logan pinned to the wall, his arms are up in the air and I push against his throat. Logan is much taller than me, and appears stronger, yet he's not fighting me.
"I swear Casper, I have nothing to do with Juliet's disappearance. Please."
"You were the last person who saw her!" I pressed.
"Yeah, okay, maybe I was. I was helping her with – with the supplies for painting. Her mom, er, your mom was there too. And besides," He coughed loudly, "besides, we have camera's surrounding the place. I happen to have a fucking alibi for the time the car crashed."
"I don't care for your excuses!"
"Casper, buddy, she was in the store in the afternoon, the crash happened in the evening. I was working all that time."
My brows knit together.
"Long shift, huh?"
Logan huffed, "I just started working when Juliet came in."
"Oh, so you were focused on helping her?"
"She came to me for questions, jackass."
Logan put his strength in the mix, and pushes me off him in a swift motion. I look at him with a bewildered expression, but the look in his eyes makes clear I am not to touch him again, ever.
"If that detective-friend of yours wants to talk to me, fine. But I won't let myself be harassed by a dumb 16-year-old."
Logan walks out of the alley, looking to his left, then his right before proceeding. But then he turns, and has a weird expression on his face.
"I loved her, you know that right?"
"I love her, too. Hence the things I do – it's for her.
Logan gives me an acknowledging nod before walking off.
I just stand there, dumbfounded.
+++++++
So, we have Casper still desperately looking for his sister and having the assistance of the whole town with him. Jailah loves him very much, but is conflicted in her feelings when she sees the way Casper handles things. So far, every lead Casper has followed has brought him nothing, he starts to question Miller's intentions with the case.
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