See Jane Run

Chapter Three

THREE

Ice water shot through Riley’s veins, paralyzing every inch of her.

I locked the door, she wanted to shout. I know I did.

She bit her lower lip to hold back tears. Her dad must have seen her expression, because he leaned over and patted her thigh. “Don’t worry, hon. We’re not mad at you. It happens. Just make sure you don’t let it happen again.” His words sounded hollow though.

Riley nodded, clenching her jaw. She blinked, and the missing poster flashed behind her eyelids, those wide, dark eyes of the little girl burning into her soul.

“D-d-dad,” she started. Then, steeling herself, “Dad, there was some—”

What little voice she had was cut off by the shrill ring of her father’s phone. He held up a single finger to Riley and pressed the answer button on his earpiece.

“Glen Spencer.” He cocked his head for a microsecond while Riley tried to gather her thoughts and then start again. Sorry, he mouthed, client.

They made the rest of the drive in silence.

By three o’clock, Riley and Shelby had dumped their backpacks in Shelby’s trunk and were stuffing french fries in their mouth as they watched carnies snapping together rides in the back forty.

“I can’t believe we have to spend our whole night volunteering at this stupid thing. Don’t they know I have to pack?”

“Shelbs, we’re going to be gone for one night. How hard is it to pack for that?”

“It’s one night on a college campus. And why are you so gung ho on the carnival?” She pointed a fry at Riley. “Wait. Are you all into the carnival, or is your alter ego, Jane O’Leary, all into it?”

Riley rolled her eyes. “Neither of us are really into clowns and carnies, but both of us are into getting volunteer hours.”

“So you admit it! You’re one of those kids on a missing poster!” Riley rolled her eyes. “You know what? I can’t wait until you get a concussion in the dunking booth. Anything to make you stop talking about the birth certificate. You have me freaking out and thinking horrible things about my parents.”

“They have done horrible things.” She made the universal face for “gag.” “Like buying rice chips and seaweed.”

Riley wiped her palms on her jeans and straightened her green and white Hawthorne Hornets bow. “Are you ready to go?”

Shelby leveled the giant hornet head over her own. “I really can’t believe they let you run the change booth and they made me the stupid hornet.”