Page 87 of Before We Fell

A chill crept down my arms and I kept my arm on Riley’s shoulder, stepping up next to her. “Hey Squirt, go use the bathroom real quick. I’m sure you have to go, right?”

“No,” Lauren snapped, and she grabbed my hand, smiling down at Riley.

“What is it?”

She pointed to the back door and leaned close. “I closed and locked that door earlier, Noah.” Her hand trembled in mine, clawed at me like I was made of steel. “The curtains are stuck in it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I double-checked before I left. Closed it, locked it, shut the curtains. I left my house through the front door.”

“Okay. Okay.” Shit. Shit. Fuck. “Let’s go to the porch. Grab the cider. We’ll call the cops.”

“It’s probably nothing,” she murmured. Her bottom lip disappeared in between her teeth. She worried the soft flesh and flinched. “Maybe I’m wrong.”

Her gaze went to the door. Back to me. Repeat. Finally, she nodded. “Shit. I know I locked that door.”

“Okay then, we’ll go outside. Call the cops. Wait for them. It’s probably nothing, okay?”

“Right. Just let me get the cider.”

She moved to the fridge and as she opened the door, frowned at the stainless steel appliance. I already had my phone in my hand, when she spun in a slow circle.

“Noah, what’s wrong? Something happen?” Riley’s little voice shook.

“No, Squirt. We’re okay.”

“Then why are you calling the cops?”

Shit. Who knew how she’d deal with cops in her house. Or talking to us. Or the idea of something bad happening. Beneath my hand at her shoulder, her body went rigid. “Did something happen?”

“I don’t know.” I bent down as Lauren called my name. Her voice devoid of anything. Blank and scary as hell. “Noah. Maybe we should go to your place.”

Her hands went to her hair. Eyes to the fridge door. The floor. She moved and checked the side of the fridge.

Damn it. Something was gone and she was searching for it.

“What’s missing?”

“A drawing.” Her brows furrowed, she shook her head. “Just a drawing a student made. It could have fallen.”

“Sure it could have,” I said. Neither female believed me based on their expressions. I was still crouched in front of Riley and reached to the floor, grabbing her bag of candy. “Let’s go sit outside while we wait for the cops, okay?”

“Cops are coming?”

“Yes.”

“Why? What happened? Who’s hurt?”

“No one. Listen to me, Squirt, okay?” Tears were already welling in her eyes. Chin shook. As she blinked and tears fell, I swiped them away. “No one’s hurt, but we think someone who shouldn’t have been here was, okay? The cops will come and check everything out. Make sure Lauren’s safe. They help people, remember?”

“Okay.”

I searched for Lauren. Found her still staring at the fridge. Frowning. Worrying that lip. “Lauren. Outside. Let’s search through the candy out there while we wait.”

“But the cider.”

“Can wait.”

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