by Amy Waeschle
Cassidy wanted to slap him. “Yes, now put that down and start talking.”
William set the bong down, his eyes darting away. He clenched and unclenched his fingers. “It was Cody’s idea, you know.”
Cassidy crossed her arms. “How did Izzy feel about it?”
“Feel about what?”
“About . . . any of it!” Cassidy exclaimed. “Being with . . . both of you . . . being filmed.”
“Did you watch it?” William replied, looking horrorstruck.
Cassidy paused. “I saw some of it.”
“Oh, man,” William breathed. “You’re not going to tell my girlfriend, are you?” He pinched his forehead. “She’s gonna be so pissed.”
“William!” Cassidy cried. “Forget about you for a minute, here, okay? We’re talking about Izzy. She left the van in Biggs Junction and got a ride to Bend, Oregon yesterday. I’m trying to figure out where she is now.”
William was silent for a moment, and Cassidy tried to be patient as he processed.
“She was into it,” William said in a quiet voice. “I’ve never done . . . anything like that before. But I think Cody had. Or at least he’d thought about it.”
“Did Izzy know you guys were recording it?”
William nodded, his face looking haggard.
Cassidy reeled in her surprise.
“Cody kind of talked her into it, but she was game.”
“Did she agree to Cody uploading it? To making money off it?”
“I don’t know.”
“C’mon, William,” Cassidy said.
He glanced up, his eyes glassy in the dim light. “Really, Dr. Kincaid.” He shook his head. “It all kind of happened fast. We were dancing, and she was kind of coming on to me, then to Cody, and then, at the dock, Cody said he had one of those cabins. That we could hang out there instead of going back to camp.”
Cassidy frowned. “This is at the resort? The last night of field camp?”
William nodded.
With a jolt, the memory clicked into place. The sounds coming from the window of the lake cabin.
Cassidy remembered the air so fresh and everything quiet. Until she had passed that cabin—the noises, the pale light from inside the room. Oh fuck, she thought, gripping the edge of the coffee table for support.
“And then what?”
“I dunno.” William swallowed. “We talked. We partied a little more. Then Cody was kissing her. Then Cody asked if she’d like to . . . kiss me too. He took a video of us, and . . . at first, she was pissed. She made him delete it. But then, he told her how hot it made him, watching me and her. At that point she tried to leave, but Cody went after her, and when they came back, everything was cool.”
Cassidy tried to sit calmly but it was so hard to imagine. Her brain wouldn’t put the pieces together. She kept imagining what was going through Izzy’s mind. Had she known what she was getting into? Or had she felt pressured? Was it a power trip to have two guys want you like that? Confused, Cassidy shook her head.
“So . . . after,” Cassidy asked. “What happened?”
William sighed. “It got really late. We decided we’d better walk back.”
“But what about the video? Did Izzy agree to Cody sharing it?”
William’s eyes slunk away. “I don’t know.”
Cassidy tried to refocus her thoughts. “Okay. So the next day, did you talk at all? What was the mood like?”
“Cody and I woke up late. It was . . . weird.”
“But you got in the same van. Did you talk then?”
William picked up the bong and his lighter, looking pensive. “I was pretty hung over. We didn’t get much sleep.” He lit the bong and took another hit.
“When I sent you guys off that last morning, I remember you and Cody focusing on a screen. Were you . . . watching it then?”
William let the smoke out of his lungs and rested his elbows on his pointy knees. “Cody had done some . . . editing.”
Cassidy stood, feeling wretched for not knowing what had been going on right beneath her nose. Could I have seen this coming? she wondered. “But didn’t the other students see it?”
William shook his head. “We had the sound off. And after it . . . was done we . . . put it away.”
Cassidy paced in front of the coffee table. “Did you talk to Izzy at all during the drive?”
William shook his head. “No. But I think she and Cody were texting.”
“Do you know what it was about?”
“I think she was pissed.”
“You know that that video is now up on a porn site, right?”
William nodded, looking uncomfortable.
“Was that your idea or his?”
“I wouldn’t even know how to do something like that,” William said, and this time, she heard an emotion in his voice: anger.
“Cody posted this without your permission, didn’t he?”
William’s lips pressed into a firm line. “No, I knew about it,” he finally said. “It’s just . . . ” He looked off for a moment. “I didn’t think he’d actually do it.”
“Why would he then?” Cassidy asked.
“That’s just Cody,” William said.
“So, are you still friends?”
William nodded. “He’s my best friend. What am I supposed to do?”
“Text him,” Cassidy said after a long moment, trying to decide what to do. “But don’t tell him I’m looking for him. He’s avoiding me.” She said this last bit while glaring at William, who looked away. “See if you can find out where he is.”
William already had his phone out of his pocket, his fingers flying, and had a reply within seconds.
“He’s at Blairalley,” he said.
Cassidy looked at the clock: 10:47. “Let’s go,” she said, spinning for the door.
He blinked a wide-eyed look at her.
“You’re part of this, too,” she said. “Whether you want to be or not.”
Fourteen
The distance to the vintage arcade in the northwest section of the city meant that by the time they arrived, Cassidy’s Subaru smelled like marijuana and B.O.
“So, Izzy left the van at that gas station?” William asked.
“Yeah,” Cassidy said. “Then she got to Bend somehow.”
“It’s a cool town,” William said absently, as if Izzy deciding to disappear was no big deal.
Cassidy held onto her musings regarding Izzy’s motivations. “So, did you have a crush on her?” she asked.
William stared out his window. “She’s hot. Who doesn’t?”
“Were she and Cody going out?”
William shook his head. “He’s not . . . like that.”
“What’s that mean?” Cassidy asked, sneaking a glance at him. They pulled up to a stop light.
William shrugged his lanky shoulders. “He gets more ass than anyone I know.”
They arrived and Cassidy parked in a crowded lot. Inside the arcade, the bright lights and colors shining from the rows of arcade games lit the room. It was like stepping back to her childhood—Quinn used to go spend his quarters at places like this. Pac Man, Space Invaders, pinball—the robotic chirps and bleeps filling the bar brought it all back. She thought of Quinn right now, probably asleep in his hotel room and hopefully ready for his big race the following day. Would he still enjoy playing these games as an adult?
Cody stood at the bar, his back to them, wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. Cassidy hurried over just as Cody turned, holding a beer. The music seemed to pulse in her ears as she crossed the remaining distance.
Cody quickly recovered from his surprise, and sipped from his beer. “Dr. Kincaid!” he boomed. “Here to play a little pinball?”
William and Cody slapped hands in greeting, exchanging a look that Cassidy couldn’t read.
Cassidy ignored his remark. “Why haven’t you answered my calls?”
Cody grimaced playfully, then his impish blue eyes drifted to the row of arcade games
behind him. “Sorry. The tournament’s been kind of all-consuming.”
Cassidy turned to see a dozen or so young men, some playing, some leaning against the machines, watching. Two players gyrated in front of a pair of machines, dueling it out while the others cheered.
“Have you heard from Izzy?” Cassidy asked.
“Huh? No,” Cody replied, his smooth face blank.
“She left the field camp van on the way home yesterday. Did you know about that?” Cassidy said.
Cody’s eyes glazed over. “Huh,” he said.
William shifted behind her, and Cassidy wondered if the two friends had spoken much since returning from field camp.
Cassidy crossed her arms. “I know about the video. Did you post it without Izzy’s permission?”
Instead of being surprised, Cody flashed her a shrewd look. “I’m seeing a whole new side of you tonight, Dr. Kincaid,” he said. He raised his eyebrows.
Cassidy resisted the urge to shove him against the wall. “Did you?”
Cody shrugged, his expression hardening. “I sent it to her dad.”
“You what?” Cassidy cried, but before she could make her next move, William sprang at Cody, shoving him back, hard enough to make his head snap back. “You fucker!” he shouted.
Cody stumbled back, his beer flying through the air and crashing to the floor. But William wasn’t done. He grabbed Cody’s shirt and shoved him into the bar. “God damn you, you selfish bastard!” he roared. “Why?”
Cody gritted his teeth. By then, the bartender had come around the bar. “You!” he barked, pointing at William. “Out!” Then he turned to Cody. “You okay?” he asked.
William let go of Cody, his eyes full of venom.
Cody smoothed his t-shirt. “Yeah,” he said.
“Why don’t we go outside,” Cassidy said, trying to recover from her shock. “We can talk out there.”
“I have nothing more to say to this asshole,” William said. “I want that video taken down. Now.”
Cody gave him a scoffing look. “Are you kidding me? No fucking way.”
William jumped at him again, but Cody met him halfway and they went at each other, wrestling, grimacing, their sneakers bracing against the floor as one tried to overtake the other.
“Stop!” Cassidy yelled.
The bartender stepped between them, pulling Cody off William. “I said, ‘out!’” he growled, pulling Cody off William. “Both of ya!”
“Just tell me why you decided that was a good idea,” William said, breathing hard, his fists clenched.
Cody’s jaw flexed. “I did it for Izzy,” he replied.
A look of disgust took over William’s face. “Go fuck yourself, you know that?” he spat, then turned and walked out of the bar.
Cody pulled a bill from his wallet and handed it to the bartender, an apology in his eyes. The bartender snatched it, and Cody shuffled toward the exit. Cassidy watched the pinball players follow him with their silent eyes.
Cassidy realized that all of the other patrons were staring at them. She hurried after Cody.
Outside, the air tasted of dust and metal. Neon lights from a neighboring convenience store and the streetlights created a glow that gave the parking lot a menacing, grimy feel.
“Wait,” she said, chasing Cody. “Cody, stop!” she yelled.
He paused, his shoulders tight, as if prepared to fight. She caught up to him at the trunk of a compact car, the backseat littered with take-out containers and several empty water bottles.
“What did you mean, you did it for Izzy?”
He leaned against the trunk. He crossed his arms and looked at the night. “He’s always controlling her life. If he doesn’t like what she’s doing, he cuts her off.”
“Is this about her dad?” Cassidy asked.
“It’s always about her dad,” Cody replied with a sigh.
“So you thought you’d blackmail him?” Cassidy asked, incredulous.
Cody shrugged. “I thought he’d go for it. I mean, he’s got the money.”
“Let me guess,” she said, unable to keep the scorn from her voice. “He didn’t.”
Cody’s lips arched downward in a kind of disinterested pout.
Cassidy filled her lungs with a slow breath. “Then Izzy found out.”
“It should have worked,” Cody said, running a hand through his hair. “I mean, yeah, I thought maybe she’d give me a cut, but that wasn’t really why I did it, Dr. Kincaid. I just . . . I wanted her to be free of all that.” He gazed off into the night. “She told me about some of the things he’s done.” He gulped a breath then let it out in a loud puff. “When she switched majors to earth science, he stopped paying for her apartment.” Cody’s eyes flicked up. “She came home one day and all her stuff was in the street. Can you believe that?” He looked at Cassidy, his eyes hard. “After she agreed to keep communications as a minor, he started paying again.” He shook his head. “It was like that all the time. She’s always broke, and I bet it’s because he’s yanking her chain all the time.”
“Okay,” Cassidy said, steering her thoughts back to the task at hand. “Was Izzy texting you about this at the rest area?”
He nodded, his head slung low.
She couldn’t help but ask him about this. “Why wouldn’t she just talk to you?”
Cody shrugged. “We don’t really talk.”
“Were you dating?” Cassidy asked.
A look of confusion crossed Cody’s face. “No.” Then, he gave her a sideways look. “You’re not blaming me, are you? Because Izzy was all in that night. After William took her from behind, I showed it to her and she went fucking wild.”
Cassidy blinked away her shock. She forced the images Cody had just presented from her mind. “What did she text to you at the rest area?”
“She was pissed about her dad finding out. She threatened to claim that she didn’t know about being filmed.” His eyes flashed with heat. “That’s when I got pissed. This whole ‘Me Too’ thing sucks for us guys. I mean, don’t get me wrong, guys shouldn’t harass chicks at work.”
Cassidy’s nostrils flared.
“Or anywhere, whatever,” Cody added. “But it can go the other way. Dudes don’t wanna hook up with girls anymore because they’re afraid they’ll be accused of rape and all that.” He puffed out another breath. “If Izzy claimed that I had taped her without her knowing, I’d be fucked.” He shook his head hard. “A guy had that happen to him in New York. He got labeled a sex offender and spent three years in jail.”
Cassidy was so furious with this reasoning that she had a hard time staying calm. Was this type of thinking common to this generation? If so, Cassidy felt only gloom for the future.
“I found proof that she’d consented,” Cody continued. “It was in one of the earlier clips.” He shuffled his feet. He glanced at her. “C’mon, it wasn’t like you’re trying to make it seem, Dr. Kincaid,” he said, opening his arms, as if he might try to hug her. “She agreed to make the video, and she was fucking fantastic. Lots of people are gonna get off on it, and despite what you think, she was into that. Plus, it’ll make us money, and she was definitely into that.”
Cassidy felt like she was talking to a foreign species. “But sharing it with her dad is what started this whole thing,” she said, almost to herself. “That’s what got her so upset. She knew that her dad was going to cut her off again, she may have even thought he was going to cut her off for good.” She knew her voice was rising but couldn’t stop it. “Why, Cody? Why would you do this to her?”
Cody rolled his eyes. “It’s gotten over two million views already. Do you know how much that’s going to bring in?” Cody replied. “A couple grand at least,” he answered. “And that’s only after 48 hours.”
“So, you’re telling me that a few thousand bucks was worth betraying her like this? Cody, you’re the reason she’s on the run right now.” The rage inside her was growing into a full-blown fury the way lava presses at the flanks of a volcano l
ike Kilauea. “She withdrew three hundred dollars at the gas station but that will only get her so far. And if she can’t get more, she’ll have nowhere to turn. She left Bend this morning, but I have no idea where she is. What if she’s in trouble?”
He laughed. “You talk like she’s some sort of innocent flower or something.” He glanced at her. “You don’t really know her, Dr. Kincaid. I’m betting she’s fine.”
Cassidy rested her hands on her hips and swiveled away, thinking. They stood in silence for a moment, Cassidy listening to the sound of the cars hissing by on the busy street.
“I want you to take the video down,” she said.
Cody’s eyes narrowed.
“Or I’ll find a way to get it taken down.” Every muscle felt tense with anger and Cody’s denial of responsibility was only making it worse—so much so that her jaw began to ache from clenching her teeth so hard.
Cody shook his head, his lips a tight line. “Fine,” he said, not looking at her.
Cassidy realized her nails were digging into her palms. “If she contacts you, I want you to call me immediately,” she said. “I’ll come get her, no matter where she is.”
Cody looked up. “You’ve really missed your calling, Dr. Kincaid,” he said, a sly note in his voice. “How’d it feel when you found out the truth about your stepbrother?” he asked. “When he went from missing to dead?”
Cassidy rocked back on her heels.
“Did it give you ‘closure’ or any of that bullshit?”
Cassidy’s skin prickled. She thought of the many hours she had spent with Jay, grieving the loss of the stepbrother she had turned her back on. “Just call me if Izzy contacts you, okay?” she said while fighting to stay in the moment.
Cody watched her with a steady gaze that she could feel boring into her back as she turned and walked toward her car.
Once inside, she remembered William. Had he taken a taxi home? She tried to call him, but he didn’t answer.
Feeling exhausted, Cassidy drove toward the freeway, noticing a strip of hotels. After registering for a room in one of them, she climbed the concrete stairs to the second floor.
She had no idea what to do—tomorrow was her redeye flight to Hawaii and the work she had been anticipating for months. Izzy could be anywhere. So would Cassidy make her flight tomorrow, or would Richard insist she keep searching?