“So what makes you think something happened to her?”
Hadley looked at her hands that remained folded on the table before she turned her eyes to meet mine full on. “I volunteer at Hope House every day after school. I’ve seen a lot of kids go through there but Esther wasn’t bad. Her mom is convinced she’s evil. We became friends the first time we spoke. It was like this instantaneous connection. I know her. She would have told me if she planned to leave town.”
Erkens reclined in his seat and folded his arms over his slight paunch, giving Hadley the same kind of look he’d given me when we first met. “What have you seen?” he demanded, very clearly unwilling to deal with more of the girl’s evasions.
And heat rose in Hadley’s cheeks. For the first time, she looked genuinely freaked out. “The kids at Hope House talk about this . . . thing. They say it’s a guy with wings and if he picks you, you disappear from existence.” She let out a shaky breath and clenched her hands into tight fists. “Esther told me she saw the thing. I laughed at her. I thought she was joking. Then she was gone the next day.”
“What type of wings?” Erkens asked, for all the world like he was taking the girl’s story seriously.
“Everybody has a different story. Fester said they were red and scaly, though.”
“Male or female?”
“Um, male I think. I really thought she was joking. I thought it was like a ‘see ya later’, kind of thing. If I’d thought she was serious, I would have . . . done something.”
“Don’t do that, Hadley,” I told her, shaking my head as she looked at me. “I know how it feels to blame yourself when something bad happens to your best friend. What you have to remember is that you’re here. You’re trying to figure out what happened to your friend. That takes the kind of strength I can respect because I’ve been there.”
She sniffed and picked up her coffee, taking a small sip. “My sister says you’re . . . well, nothing nice. The next time she says something nasty about you, I’m going to pop her one.”
Her sister. My stomach lurched. I did know the girl or had at least seen her once or twice. It had been a long time. “You’re Infinity’s little sister, aren’t you?” I asked, recalling the talk around school about the problems their parents had with the girl.
Infinity had been my high school nemesis. She was the same age as Ian, which meant she was two years older than me and had been in all AP classes just like I had. The fact I had ranked above her had not made her happy. She had made it her mission to beat me and when she couldn’t, she had simply gotten mean.
Hadley made a face and nodded. “It’s not my fault,” she said in a snide way.
I blew out a long breath and took a fortifying drink of coffee. “Don’t pop her one. Something I learned when I was in grief counseling, was to ignore the things that make you angry. Ignore them and count to three and as a general rule, it’ll calm you down.”
“I’m Infinity’s sister. I’d have to count to three million.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of my mouth. I picked up my coffee cup and offered it in a toast. “I’m going to see what I can do to find Esther. Friends can be family in your heart, so I’ll find your real sister if I can.”
She tapped her mug to mine and dug an envelope of cash out of her purse, setting it on the table in front of Erkens. “Thank you in advance.”
Erkens pushed the cash toward her. “We’ll do an initial investigation to see if you do indeed have a paranormal issue and after that is done, we’ll let you know if we will be working for you.” His tone was stern. I had a feeling that sternness was directed at me. I probably shouldn’t have promised to find Esther.
I turned to my laptop, relieved when the waitress returned. She set down our orders and refilled our coffee cups, everything about her cheerful and unaffected by the darkness all around us. She loved her job and made that clear as day.
I didn’t care if I had to fight Erkens tooth and nail. I would find Esther. I knew what Hadley was going through and there was no way I would leave her to try and find her best friend alone.
TWO
Hadley Novak sighed in relief as she got onto the bus. She hadn’t felt hopeful in close to a week. Suddenly, hope filled both her heart and mind.
She cringed as she saw what time it was, aware she’d be in trouble for leaving although she didn’t care. All she cared about was finding Esther.
She glanced down as her phone rang, a smile coming to her lips. Everybody texted, other than him. He wasn’t like everybody else.
She answered the call, her stomach fluttering as she heard his voice. She could listen to him talk all day. He was the one person in the world who paid attention to her. He only spoke to her for a few minutes. Those minutes were like heaven for her.
Hadley entered the address he had given her into the transit map on her phone and stuck earbuds into her ears. The mechanical voice of the mapping system told her to get off the bus at the next stop, so she pulled the cord and rose. She followed the phone’s directions to the light rail station a block over from where she’d stopped. It was easy enough to swipe her debit card through the machine and take the T and another bus to the address he’d given her.
It was a part of the city she had never been to before. He’d said he wanted to meet her there. She always did what he wanted, no matter what he asked.
Everyone else at Hope House treated her like she held some contagious disease that they were terrified to catch. Not him, though. He liked the fact she was unique and for that, she adored him.
He spoke to her like she was important. He looked at her like guys looked at her sister, like she was as perfect as Infinity. He treated her like no one else ever had in the entirety of her life.
Her hands fluttered nervously as her phone informed her there were only a few blocks to get to the address he’d given her. She didn’t like the idea of walking through that part of the city. He would never have done anything to endanger her, though. She would be fine. She knew it.
A cold shiver worked its way up her spine as her phone informed her she had arrived at her destination. He had said it was a place where they could be together without having to hide. She wanted that but the abandoned brewery in front of her looked like a place that should have been condemned.
It didn’t feel safe. With the severity of her allergies and the fact she’d already had an asthma attack that day, going inside that building seemed like a chance she shouldn’t take.
Hadley looked around, not sure what to make of the situation. He had told her they wouldn’t have to hide. This felt exactly like hiding. Was he ashamed of her?
Then she saw his truck and her heart sped up. He always made her feel that way, not like the fat, disabled lump her perfect sister had always made her feel like but a beautiful girl who he wanted.
Hadley smiled as she saw a figure beckoning her over to a door next to a loading dock. They could be together. All she wanted was to feel accepted, to be noticed, to be loved.
Hadley’s ears popped as she walked through that door. It was strange like she had traveled a very long way in a short amount of time. She didn’t care what it felt like. He was all that mattered.
As the door closed behind her, Hadley took off her sunglasses and stood still, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. She was sure this would be the best night she’d ever had. He had told her that the first time he saw her, he’d wanted to marry her. No one had ever said anything like that in all of her seventeen years.
She trusted him. She loved him. She had to tell him that Madison and Erkens had agreed to find Esther. Best night of her entire life.
Her heart fluttered as he slid his arms around her. His eyes moved down her body in a way that made her feel entirely grownup and sexy.
His lips curved and he gave her one of his characteristic smiles. Her breath caught in her chest as he leaned in to kiss her, his hand sliding up her shirt. Something sharp jabbed into her side though she was too e
nthralled by him to notice. The feel of his tongue traveling over hers as his fingers touched places no one but he had ever touched, made her whole body tingle.
No. It really did tingle. It wasn’t some emotional reaction to his kiss. It was . . . but the world began to blur, then gray, then turn to black.
Her knees wobbled yet his arms were still around her, his hands still touching her. She wanted to tell him to stop. Her mouth wouldn’t form the words. It couldn’t be real. There was no way.
She could feel herself being lifted up. She couldn’t move. His hands were on her body as he pulled her phone from her purse.
“I told you not to look for Esther,” was the last thing she heard as unconsciousness wrapped its arms around her.
THREE
After the longest lecture in the history of long lectures, Erkens finally allowed me to go home for the evening. I had most definitely learned my lesson. If I was going to help people, sometimes I’d have to do it by going behind Erkens’ back. Lesson learned.
It took me a while to drive through Pittsburgh during rush hour traffic. I spent that time making a plan. I would dedicate that evening to researching every last story that ever came out of Hope House and first thing in the morning, I would go there. The more people I could talk to about Esther, the better.
My stomach fluttered nervously as I pulled in the driveway. Serena was just getting out of her own car. Things had not been easy between us over the past couple of weeks.
She flicked her eyes in my direction, then turned them down. Her shoulders were slumped. She was not wearing her usual perfect outfit. She wore torn jeans and a ratty sweatshirt like the loss of her boyfriend had changed something inside her.
I wanted to speak. There was nothing to say. All she knew was what had been on the news. The reports had been accurate enough, yet hadn’t given the full story. The full story was something I hadn’t told anybody.
Serena rushed into the house, tears gleaming in her eyes. I wasn’t sure what I could do. Allowing her to grieve in her own way seemed to be the only option. I hoped it was the right answer.
My stomach fluttered in a different way as I trudged my way into my bedroom to find Ian sprawled out on my floor. I hadn’t seen his car, so could only assume he’d jogged. That was impressive since it was a five-mile trek from his dorm to my house and I knew he hadn’t done much running recently. Looked like that had become his way to cope.
I took a moment to appreciate the sight of him. He was as tall and toned as ever and his dark blonde hair had recently been buzzed. It was a look I didn’t like on most guys. On Ian, it simply drew attention to every feature that was so striking. His bold, Caribbean blue eyes turned to meet mine and my insides morphed into jelly.
The wound on the side of his head had faded, leaving only minor signs that something had happened. The slightly reddened scar on the side of his head was the least of the changes in him. Over the last couple of weeks, he’d had to deal with interviews by the police, the opening of his sister’s murder investigation, the funeral of his best friend, the truth that Dylan hadn’t really been his friend at all . . . and so much more. The sweetness that had become such an integral part of him had faded, leaving a wounded, angry boy in its wake.
He sat up and wrapped his arm around his knees, extending his other hand out between us. “Hey,” he said and that one word was enough to show me the sweet guy was still in there.
I had known him almost my entire life. We had gone through so much together. He had become my world in the last month.
I sat down next to him and took his hand, leaning my head on his shoulder. “You are allowed to be on my bed, you know. So long as I’m not in it, I think even your mom would be okay with that,” I teased, relieved when he twined his fingers with mine.
He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. “Have you met my mom?” he asked and laughed again. “She’d be appalled that I even entered your bedroom, Mads.”
I winked at him. “I won’t tell,” I said, examining his face closely.
There was something in his eyes that worried me. Their striking blue depths were dimmed by all he’d endured. I knew depression. It was easy to recognize. Ian Gregory was in pain.
“We got a case today,” I told him, eager to get his mind off the grief and confusion that had become mainstays in his life.
He raised his brows and leaned against my bed, scooting me around so my back rested against his chest. “Does this mean your research is done?” he asked quietly, his hand still around mine as he rested his other on my drawn up knee.
“Not by a long shot,” I said and told him about all that had happened, all Hadley had told us.
“Hadley Novak? I thought she was in Juvy or something.”
“Apparently not,” I said and shrugged a little. “Wasn’t she the one who told one of her friends that her mom abused her, then when her friend reported the mom for abuse she said it was a joke or something?” I asked, recalling the rumors which had traveled around the school about her after that.
“I don’t know. I didn’t pay any attention.”
I snorted out a little laugh. “Why, Mr. Gregory I’m shocked. Shocked, I tell you,” I said in a high pitched tone.
He chuckled. “Why does that sound like an insult, Mads?” he asked and released my hand to run his fingers over the one place on my body that was ticklish.
I squirmed away and turned to look at him, grinning like an idiot. “It’s not an insult. It’s an observation about how you deal with people you don’t approve of. You pretend they’re not around.”
He raised his brows and before I could react, he had grabbed hold of my foot. He used it to slide me over and again laid siege to that spot on my side.
By the time the worm had stopped tickling me, my sides ached with laughter. He looked so much like the guy I had grown up with, it was as though we were little kids again. Joy filled my heart to see that side of him, to remember the days when our lives had been cheerful and full of jokes.
I heard a small sound from near my door and glanced over. Serena stood in the hall outside my room, looking in at us with tears sliding down her cheeks. When she saw that I’d noticed her, she took off. Her bedroom door slammed behind her.
And every last bit of peace I’d felt was wiped away. Dylan was dead. Serena would never have the kind of moment with him that I’d had with Ian.
I jumped up and rushed after her, tears filling my own eyes as I heard her sobs from behind the door of her room. I laid my hand on the wood of the door, the conflict inside me at its highest level. My friend was in pain although the guy she grieved for was a monster.
Ian’s hand on my shoulder turned me around and he drew me back to my room. His own face had changed to the same look he’d worn for the last two weeks. It was the angry, confused, and hollowed out look which made me want to cry even more.
He sat down in my desk chair and reclined with his arms folded. “Are you going to Hope House tonight?” he asked in a cold voice that made me feel like my spine had been replaced by an icicle.
I hadn’t intended to. Right then, being out of the house seemed like the best plan. “Are you coming with me?” I asked hoping he’d say no.
I didn’t want to have to deal with any more grief. I wanted nothing more than to immerse myself in the mystery Hadley Novak had set before me. Okay, so it was a bad idea to evade the issues that way. I needed time to process all we’d endured.
Ian swallowed, not looking me in the eye. “I want to do something. I’ve never been so far ahead in my classes, all because I don’t want to talk to anybody. The only thing anybody wants to talk to me about is Dylan. Most of my friends don’t even bother talking to me anymore.”
I stepped over and placed my fingers under his chin to turn his head. “I’m not going to tell you how to grieve, Ian. Everybody does it in their own way. If you want to hang out with me and help me investigate a case that’s probably some girl who ran off, I’m cool with that. I need something from
you, though.”
His eyes went wary. He didn’t speak, though. He simply waited to hear what I had to say.
“I need two things, actually. First, I need you to take a shower. You smell a little sweaty. Second, I need you to NOT complain about the toppings I plan to order on the pizza we’re going to grab on the way.”
His lips quirked up in a pathetic excuse for a smile. “You order cheese pizza and we have a deal, Mads.”
I sighed in a world-weary kind of way and stuck out my tongue like a little kid. “Boring,” I sang and took hold of his hand to pull him to his feet.
He rose on his own and flicked the end of my nose, giving me a more genuine smile than he’d given me in a while. “Madison Meyer, under all the profound intelligence and gorgeousness, there’s still a bratty little girl buried deep.” He covered my mouth before I could retaliate. “How are you planning on getting into Hope House?”
“I plan on turning us into volunteers,” I said through his hand.
He took it away and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You can’t show up and be put to work the second you walk in.”
“You can if you hack in and put yourself on a list of volunteers who go around to help out everywhere they’re needed,” I said and walked over to my bag to take out my laptop. “Go get your shower and by the time you’re clean, we’ll be able to walk into the building and start working.”
He shook his head. “I don’t have any clean clothes to change into. You can work your magic from my dorm while I’m cleaning up,” he said and walked toward the door.
“Ian?”
He glanced at me.
“I’m glad you’re going to work with me on this.” I meant far more than that, though it seemed like enough in the moment.
He reached out to offer his hand to me. “Mads, you could make a search for a potato interesting. Trying to find out if somebody is really missing sounds like the best way to spend an evening.”
The Black Merchant Page 2