Too Much Clickbait - Sequel to Clickbait

75

The moment the cops left, Zane locked the door, looking at Kam and I like he had seen a ghost. We all were silent, minus Zane's heavy breathing as he walked over to the kitchen island. Both boys pulled out stools, sitting down, as I went to the refrigerator. I grabbed three bottles of water before closing the door, handing one to each of the boys. I clicked mine open, drinking nearly the entire bottle before I spoke. "I know what they think. I know how it looks... Heath didn't hurt Lexi. There's not a doubt in my mind that he's being framed or... Something, I don't know."
"I need to get ready for work." Kam pushed himself away from the island, catching the surprised look on Zane and I's faces. "Uber, only. If the cops don't believe us he was missing, I'm going out there to look for him. They can't call us crazy if they have no proof."
     Kam continued to walk away when something triggered my memory. Heath's voice flooded my head for a moment, my breath hitching as it sounded like he was right next to me. 'No one is going to look for it unless they know what they're looking for".
     I lunged over the counter, picking up Heath's phone. We had not told the officers about it, for fear of them confiscating it. Seeing Zane's confusion as Kam closed his bedroom door to change, I knew he was calling my name. Though, I was too fixed on attempting to find Heath's clue. I broke open his great and black Otterbox, immediately hearing the chimes of a half-burnt penny on the marble island. Feeling my heartbeat reach my throat, I looked up at Zane. "This. This is the only proof I need. I don't give a fuck about the cops." Zane's eyes grew sad and I knew he was trying to say something, but didn't know how to. "What do you know, Zane?"
"Come here." Zane sighed, gettingbup. He walked to his bedroom, dropping to his knees when he got to his bed. He reached with an arm out towards the middle of the mattress, making a small grunting noise, before retracting his arm with a snack of envelopes. "He's been getting these for a while... He was scared to show you."
"Well..." I swallowed my pride, both literally and figaurtivelg, walking into the room. I took the envelopes from Zane, walking quickly back to the living room. "I guess we have to start from here."

*****

I flipped through the envelopes with Zane for the last hour, sitting on the couch as he sat on the floor. The coffee table dividing us was covered with the letters, some of which Zane claimed he never had seen before. Partially because he was too terrified and also because Heath warned him what he would read wouldn't be worth it. Zane put down one of the letters, sighing. "Katie, I don't mean to be nasty, but... There's nothing here."
"There's always a pattern. Have you never fucking watched Criminal Minds?" I raised an eyebrow, only half joking, as I skimmed through a letter for the tenth time in a row.
"That was more of a him and you thing. We were more into The Bachelorette, if I remember correctly." Zane smirked.
I looked up from the letter and met Zane's eyes, seeing a hint of jealousy in them before they were overshadowed by doubt. Running a hand through my hair, I placed the letter down and onto my lap before speaking. "I'm sorry for the shit that I put you through. I really am. And I have missed you... Shit is just different now."
"Yeah... I'm in love with the one person you can't stand." Zane teased, meaning Andrea. "In all seriousness, she isn't all bad."
"I'm sure she's not... To you. But how can she be all mean she your dick is hanging out of her mouth." Zane gave me a look as I giggled to myself, looking back down at the letters. "Hey, Zane... Look. This one doesn't have a stamp on the back... It wasn't mailed. Are any others like that?"
We both frantically looked at every envelope before deciding that was the only one. He picked it up, handing it to me almost immediately. "This one wasn't... He didn't..." Zane adjusted his weight in his seat, becoming anxious. "He wasn't here for this one, Katie. He left before... He didn't read this. He went to the bar before I could give it to him."
I read the letter aloud, the hair on my arms beginning to stand up with every line. "You found me, but like smoke I disappeared. When I was missing, you grew with fear. When I was captive, you fell short, but now that I'm safe- The ball is in your court. You can ask for help, though no one is listening. And even when Heath's screams, just know it's not you he's missing."