Little Miss Nosy

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Thorne In My Side

- Edited -

"You and Logan are no longer together, correct?"

"Correct."

"And when did you two break up?"

"Halloween night. Well, the morning after."

"That was over a month ago. You didn't think to note his absence to his parents?"

The interrogation has only lasted around thirty minutes, but Thorne's intimidating stare coupled with his partner's intrusive questions make it seem like double that.

Her blue eyes scrutinize me. I move a lock of hair from in front of my eyes and she follows the movement. I can't even flinch without her suspicion trailing after me and as the innocent one in this situation, it succeeds in pissing me off.

"Detective Jo, is it?" She nods. "Logan was a liar. A cruel person who swept me off my feet just to toss me aside after I wouldn't give him what he wanted. So, no. I didn't tell his parents about his absence because I didn't even know he was gone! Is not being on speaking terms with your ex a justified reason to land you on a suspect list?"

Logan's parents reported him missing about two weeks after Halloween. Apparently frequent absences were nothing new for him—no doubt having to do with NorthClaw business—though it seems like even his parents have a limit. He texted during the first week, then completely ghosted them the next.

"We're just doing our job, Ms. Adams." Thorne's voice drifts over the glass of water near his lips. "You must understand how partners are number one suspects in these scenarios. It's nothing personal."

Everything about this is personal. Jacob said something about NorthClaw having ties to the police. I've never seen Jo before but Thorne isn't a cop. And if he is, he's a corrupt one. Everytime our eyes meet I remember the apathetic look in his when Jacob took that man's life in the abandoned building. I'm walking a tightrope. Juggling the answers to their questions while trying to keep Mom as uninvolved as possible.

"I understand, but you're wasting your time. I haven't spoken to Logan since his letter-"

"A letter?"

Shit. Jo and Thorne glance at each other before straightening in their seats. My fingernails are so deep in the palm of my hands that they leave marks.

How could I be so stupid?

"He wrote me a letter...He was saying goodbye...We don't go to the same school so I never noticed he was gone...I just wanted to leave him in the past." Each sentence is followed by a drawn out silence. Three sets of eyes glued to me.

"Where is this letter?" Thorne asks.

I exhale slowly. If I weren't number one on their person of interest list before, I sure will be now. "Shredded."

"Why did you shred the letter?" Jo scribbles something in her notebook, not taking her eyes off me.

"What part of 'I wanted to leave him in the past' don't you understand?"

"Paige," Mom scolds under her breath. She places a reassuring hand on my arm but I can see her leg bouncing underneath the table. She's just as nervous as me but can contain it now that the spotlight isn't on her. Oh. If only she knew how much more there is to this missing persons case.

Thorne sits up. Buttons his cufflinks. "We're just curious about this letter. Did Logan give any hints of his whereabouts?"

You would know where his exact whereabouts would be, wouldn't you?

I settle for a comment with similar levels of venom. Just more discreet in keeping Thorne's—and I suppose my own—secrets. "If I knew of his whereabouts, I would've saved us all a good thirty minutes and told you before you came in."