Syn's Deep In My Blood 2

Sickness

I was watching him go back and forth from his bedroom to the living room, setting up and packing everything to leave in the next days.

"I just hope this is all gonna be worth skipping your finals..." I grumbled, and he sent me a killer gaze.

"Dad! I can do the finals later. Warped is one unique opportunity, you know that."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just messing with ya."

Somehow, I had a heavy heart. He wasn't even eighteen yet. And he had just... had an overdose. I shouldn't let him go. But I knew he would go anyway.

"How are things with you and Susan?"

He stopped what he was doing to face me with an enigmatic glance. He hesitated a little, and then he finally broke down the silence.

"There's no Susan and me anymore." He diverted his eyes, going back to what he was doing in his suitcase.

"No way! Really? What happened?"

"She broke up with me."

"Why?"

He rolled his eyes and brushed his hair back. He was clearly annoyed with my interrogation.

"I screwed up, ok, dad? That's all you need to know."

"Oh, c'mon, kid. I thought things were different from now on. We were trusting each other, remember?"

"Uncle Scott asked me to start a band with her, but I had no interest in that, really. But I needed the studio room for my band, so he blackmailed me. And she found out."

"That's weird... Why would he want you to start a band with her anyway?" I frowned.

"He wanted her to be close to him. They talked a lot about her parents' story. You know, about the dirty triangle and everything."

I squinted my eyes, and something came up to my mind in a blink. Scott left for NY on the same day – or maybe even on the same flight – as Brian left for his tour.

What the hell is going on here!?

"Wait a minute... Sam, where does Scott know her family from?"

"He said he used to be friends with her stepdad. And he knows her mom, but I sensed he isn't so fond of her."

I shook my head.

"Why do I only know about this now?"

"Well, you've never asked before."

Yeah, he was right. I was too self-involved to care about my heartless brother. But now... now I was starting to connect some dots.

What if... he's involved in Brian's disappearance?

I knew exactly the kind of person my brother was. Vengeful. Cold. Evil.

He could definitely be involved. But I couldn't just... throw him under the bus without thinking this through first.

I needed some time to process it before I could call Emily.

He wouldn't dare to hurt her, would he?

____

We left early in the morning again, and this time we went out to have breakfast in a diner. Maybe Brian could appear in there. I still had some hope inside that he would just appear in front of me like a magic trick. I was starting to see him everywhere I looked. Like he was some kind of a drug I was seeking desperately.