The River Speaks

Chapter Fourteen: On Foot

Chapter Fourteen: On Foot

Aiden

I brace my weight against the dining room table, shaking my head.

"No, I'm one hundred percent sure it's him." I say to Lily's family.

"How? How are you sure sure boy? What are you not saying?" Lily's Dad asks.

I press my lips together.

"Look," I sigh, looking up at him. "I know you don't like me. Especially after you pulled Lily aside. I get it. I'm a new person walking into your daughters life and she just went through hell and back." I take a deep breath. "And I know this isn't going to help my case any, but in high school I was...stupid, okay? I did stupid things. I was a bad teenager, but I blamed it on being young even though I knew better. The point is, I got good at some...illegal activity..." I bite my lip.

Her father crosses his arms.

"Like?"

"Stealing...sometimes right off of somebody's body."

"So?" He asks.

"So I stole his wallet, alright? I saw his license. It's him."

"Did you put it back?" Lily's Mom asks.

"Yes." I say immediately. "But I took something." I drop the slip of paper on the table.

"An address in Boston." May frowns.

"It's not just any address." I shove my hands in my pockets. "It's my address."

Everyone looks at me.

"I'm going to get in contact with some people in the military." Lily's Dad says. "But first, I want to know your intentions with my Lily and I want to know now." He points at me, his voice deep.

"James-" Lily's Mom starts.

"My Mom got rough housed by my Dad when I was a kid. They divorced when I was eight. I always wanted to help but I never could. I went down the wrong path with drugs and a lot of other stuff in high school and after I just barely graduated, I realized I wanted to do better. So I went to college to be a police officer. I'm working my way up. The point is, when I see Lily, I see my Mom. It's not out of pity, I just...nobody deserves this. Please, I know you don't trust me, but let me help. I care about her and I swear on my Mom's life that my intentions are true."

"Do you think that Elliot kidnapped Lily?" Noah asks.

"I don't." April says suddenly. "Elliot was sitting at the bar drinking, right?"

"Yes." Maddy nods.

"And Lily was gone. The bar is across the street from the Burke's property, and the only thing separating home from them is the road."

"You think Lily came home?" I ask.

"Yes." She says. "And I'm willing to bet every penny I have that a certain brown and white horse is gone."

"I'll go look." Noah walks outside.

A few minutes later, he comes back.

"April was right. Ruby is gone and so is the emergency bag."

"Okay, so we at least know that Lily is safe."

"Yeah we do, but how did he know about you?" Lily's Mom asks.

I lean against the counter, thinking hard.

"What if he's still tapping Lily's phone?"

"He'll see that you're who she called."