Staged: (Oliana Mercer series Book 2)

Bad Decisions

I checked my phone as I ran up the stairs leading to a building I promised I'd never visit again. The Denver Police Department. 9:27 a.m. Last night, I'd determined that my only hope was that Detective Tanner worked on a Sunday. Although we'd only met after what happened to Devin, Tanner had told me to call her if I needed anything. For Austin's sake, it was important to prove that the messages I had received came from James's phone.

When I entered the waiting area, directly in front of me were a set of elevators with a U.S. and Colorado flag posted on opposite sides. Off to my left, people were glued to their phones while dispatchers spoke softly into their headsets, typing furiously behind a counter protected by glass.

"Oliana?"

I glanced down at the end of the counter and saw a tall, dark-haired man wearing a police uniform. "Officer Bloom."

"Are you okay?" Officer Bloom's height was still intimidating. The fact that I wasn't under interrogation this time and had helped to solve Devin's murder put me at ease.

I explained what happened and showed him the text. "Is Detective Tanner around?"

Officer Bloom signaled me to go with him.

Flashes of my last visit, staring at bare white walls, while shifting in a hard seat settled in my mind as I waited in the conference room for Detective Tanner. Getting convicted of a crime, only to hear the slamming of metal bars behind you and accepting that you'd never get to live a normal life scared me to death. The one thing I could never figure out was why there were so many repeat offenders.

Moments later, Detective Tanner entered holding a notepad. "Bloom filled me in. I'm working this case. James isn't new to trouble. We know for a fact that he was hanging with bad people. A lot of things point to this not looking good for your friend."

"But we don't know that it's James. The only way to find out is through dental records, right?"

Tanner, tight-lipped, said nothing.

"Why would a stranger send me such a personal message?"

"Probably a prank. Anyone could have his phone."

"Can you check to see where the text came from?"

Tanner drew in a breath and exhaled. "Ever think about becoming a cop instead of an actress?"

A microwave dinged across the hall.

"No, not really." I showed Tanner the message. "None of this makes sense."

"Don't do what you did last time, Oliana. Stay out of it, or I'll arrest you for interfering with my case."

"Will you let me know when you find out?"

"You'll find out along with everyone else. Now go home and be a teen."

That was all I needed to hear.

Back home, after an agonizing search, I found my old tablet. Devin always complained that her mom went through her cell phone. Like me, she had the no dating rule. My tablet was her way to communicate with James and keep track of him. After James cheated on Devin, she made him put the Lifestyle 365 app on his phone.

My hand trembled as I touched the app. Please have your phone on. I clicked on James's history to see where he'd been. There were no check-in points around town. I tapped the map and expanded it.

According to James's phone, he didn't leave Denver until Saturday at 3:27 p.m. The app updated his location at 5:12 a.m. this morning. What the heck are you doing in Las Vegas?