𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

⑤

That morning, Jazmine woke earlier than Rafe. She got dressed in the dim light filtering through the curtains and quietly made her way upstairs.

When she reached Rafe's room, she paused at the doorway. He lay sprawled across the bed, shirtless, with one arm dangling off the side. His face was pressed into the pillow in a way that made him look almost peaceful—vulnerable, even. For a moment, she just stood there, watching him. She wasn't sure why, but seeing him like this, without the walls he usually kept up, was almost... amusing.

With a slight shake of her head, she snapped herself out of it. Jazmine turned away, making sure not to make a sound, and quickly descended the stairs. For the first time since they'd arrived, she was planning to go out on her own. And today, she was going to take the car Rafe had left at her disposal—a sleek vehicle he'd probably handed over without a second thought, assuming she'd use it only when necessary.

As she slid into the driver's seat, a thrill of independence coursed through her. For once, she was alone, without Rafe's watchful eyes or sarcastic comments. She gripped the wheel and drove into town, her mind buzzing with curiosity about this strange place.

When she reached the town center, she parked the car and decided to explore, letting her instincts guide her through the narrow streets and hidden corners. She had no plan or shopping list; it was more about feeling out the town, understanding its secrets.

She wandered into a small, old-fashioned grocery store. The bell above the door chimed softly as she entered. Behind the counter stood a couple, mid-conversation, their laughter fading when they noticed her.

"Good morning," Jazmine said, a polite smile stretching across her lips. "I hope I'm not interrupting, but I was wondering—do you happen to know who those kids are, the ones on the news?"

The man behind the counter gave her a once-over, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Not from around here, are you?" he said, his voice carrying a trace of suspicion.

She matched his gaze with a calm expression. "No, I just moved here recently. Figured I'd get to know the place."

He seemed to relax a bit at her answer, nodding slowly. "Those kids—they're the ones who went missing. Word is they got themselves wrapped up in some kind of treasure hunt."

"Missing?" Jazmine echoed, letting just a hint of curiosity slip into her tone. She glanced at the television screen, where the faces of the missing teenagers were plastered, their smiles frozen in time.

"Yeah," he said, sighing like it was an unfortunate but familiar reality. "Been gone a while now. Folks around here are starting to think they might never come back."

Jazmine gave a small, thoughtful nod. "What a strange little town," she mused, more to herself than to him.

The man let out a dry chuckle. "Strange doesn't even cover it," he muttered, shaking his head.

He studied her a bit more closely. "I don't think I've seen you around before. You don't live nearby, do you?"

"No, I'm from farther away," Jazmine answered, then hesitated for a beat. "Actually, I was hoping to ask you something else—Ward Cameron. Was he well-liked around here?"

The man's face hardened, a shadow passing over his features. "Ward Cameron? Among the Kooks, sure, he was a big deal. But folks around here? Not so much. After all that came out about him, his reputation tanked."

Jazmine raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly. "What exactly came out?"

"A few months back, there was a cop who died," he said, voice low like he was sharing a secret. "At first, they pinned it on his son, Rafe, but it turns out Ward was the one behind it all."