Page 12 of Even After Sunset

“Well, that’s great. You got some sleep, though?”

“Yeah… Yeah, of course. How are you? How’s Meryl?”

“We’re doing well. We miss you already, but we’re doing okay.” There’s a pause, then he continues. “I’m actually calling about Silas.”

My head jerks up.

What the…

Jackie’s gaze snaps to meet mine, clearly just as shocked.

“Silas Carmichael?” She asks, as if there are a dozen other guys named Silas he might be referring to.

“Mmm. Apparently, social services got a call from his aunt at the beginning of last week,” Richard says. “She’s rescinded custody.”

Jackie darts me another look, but I just close my eyes and let my head fall against the headrest, cursing inwardly. Why the hell is he calling to share all of this shit with Jackie?

“What?” Jackie exclaims. “Why? Why did she do that?”

There’s a pause on Richard’s end, as if he’s deliberating what to say next. Or how much to say.

Tread carefully, old man.

“There have been some, uh… some issues. It’s been tough for her and her husband.” Then after a beat, he adds: “For Silas too, I’m sure. For all of them.”

I open my eyes, but they’re narrowed now as I stare straight ahead.

“Look, I’m calling because I said I’d check with you in case you happen to have seen him lately. I’m told he’s been missing for over a week and he’s not answering any of the calls or voicemails from his social worker. Or his probation officer,” Richard says.

“Probation officer?” Jackie blurts. “Isn’t that for people who’ve been in jail?”

I curse under my breath again, because this is just fucking wonderful. Like my life wasn’t already enough of a mess without finding out that it’s now being broadcast to the entire freaking state. Hell—two states over.

“Well, you remember Silas was in a juvenile detention facility for almost two years, right? Until just a few months ago?”

I’m guessing, based on her expression, that no, she did not in fact know this.

“Jackie… sweetheart? Areyou still there?”

She pulls off the road and into the parking lot of a dry-cleaners. She puts on the break and I can feel the weight of her stare on me now. I still don’t look at her, though.

“Oh, Jackie…” Richard says in his soft, guided-meditation-style voice. “I’m sorry… You didn’t know.”

He’s a quick one, this guy.

“But how did — Why was he in adetention center?”

She sounds as shell-shocked as if she just found out I was off at Hogwarts. Or Gladiator School or something. To be fair, I’m guessing not a lot of kids from Sandy Haven Prep get shipped off to juvie every year. Or, let’s be honest—ever.

Richard sighs. “Well, I don’t know all the details. But there’s been a string of incidents over the years. Fights, underage drinking, disorderly conduct… That sort of thing. It was a break-and-enter that got him sent away, as far as I remember.” He sighs. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I assumed you knew. But of course, how would you?”

And then he apologizes again. “I’m sorry, Jackie. But I need to know if you’ve talked to him recently… Child Services found out he was at Scarlett Thiel’s party last night and I know you were there—which is why I called. Did you speak to him at all at that party?”

Jackie’s still looking at me. She hasn’t shifted since she found out about the whole juvie thing. But if she’s waiting for some sort of clue from me on how to answer, she’s going to be sitting there for a hell of a long time.

She licks her lips and lets out a slow breath.

“No,” she finally answers. “I was outside most of the time. And he had already, um… he’d left by the time I got inside.”

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