Page 33 of Little Child Gone

“Adrian Lynch is a popular kid. He’s a sophomore.” Amelia worried her lower lip. “Mom and Dad don’t know exactly what he said. Just that he was mean to me about my being half-Black.”

Nikki had noticed the difference in skin tones, but genetics always surprised her. Amelia was light-skinned enough that she could have been white and taken after the other side of the family and just had a darker complexion. “I’m sorry that happened. Kids are cruel.” She waited for Amelia to continue. “Guys, if there’s more to it, we won’t say anything to your parents unless it becomes crucial to bring Taylor home, I promise.”

Caden nudged his sister again.

“Adrian’s sister is in my grade, and I’d been to her house a few times. He asked me out, but I’m only thirteen and I said I wasn’t allowed to date until I was sixteen. Then he laughed and said it was a joke, I was too fat and Black for him. Then he started calling me a slut.”

Nikki and Miller looked at each other, disgust on both of their faces. “First off, he shouldn’t have said that. It’s not true, and no one should be judged like that. I promise you that kids like him are secretly insecure as hell. And some boys can’t handle rejection. Men, too.”

“Did the fight happen on school property?” Miller asked.

“In the high school parking lot,” Amelia said. “The next morning. I thought Taylor was going to be in big trouble for getting suspended, and Mom yelled, but Dad said he did the right thing by sticking up for his sister, even though he shouldn’t have laid hands on Adrian.”

“Are you close friends with Adrian’s sister?” Miller asked.

Amelia shrugged. “I thought I was until then. I went to her house a couple of times. Adrian has a school permit and picks her up from school sometimes. That’s when it happened.”

“How’s school been for Taylor since?” Nikki asked.

“Some people bully him now because he hit a popular kid,” Caden said. “But Taylor’s a band geek. He spends his free time down there.”

“Tell us about Taylor’s friends,” Miller said. “They’re all in marching band?”

“Taylor played the quad drums at football games on the main drumline,” Caden said. “He’s really good.”

“Do you guys play anything?” Nikki asked.

“Violin.” Amelia didn’t sound very happy about it.

“Not me,” Caden said.

“Me either,” Nikki answered. “I learned piano for a while, but I never practiced, so my parents stopped paying for lessons. Who are his closest friends?” She wanted to see if the siblings mentioned anyone different than their parents had.

“Neena and Logan,” they both answered. “He doesn’t really hang out with anyone but them.”

“Are they both in concert band with Taylor? What time is practice?” Stillwater High School’s impressive music department had several different options for students.

“They all do concert and jazz band.” Amelia glanced at the clock. “Concert band practice starts in half an hour. Maybe he’ll show up at school.”

“We’re headed there next,” Miller said.

“You’re not going to search for him?” Amelia asked.

“I’ve got my deputies out right now, and the police department is searching as well. We’ll find him.” He walked over to the table, intimidating in his uniform. “Is there anything else we should know? Any other secrets?”

Both shook their heads.

“Is he seeing anyone?” Nikki didn’t like to make assumptions about sexuality, especially around younger generations. “Girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

“He’s not dating anyone,” Amelia said.

“Do you guys think he might go back to Indianapolis to stay with a friend?” His parents had disagreed, but Taylor’s siblings likely knew him best.

“No way,” Caden said. “He’d never leave us. Or Penny. He’d never put her through that.”

Amelia nodded in agreement. “He’s never stayed away this long. I’m really scared.”

“I know.” Nikki gave each one of the kids her business card. “You can ask your parents to call me any time for an update, or if you remember something. It may be something little and insignificant to you, but we still need to know.”

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