Finding Ford

chapter twelve

"If I told you my secrets, you would never look at me the same way." -Robbie Williams, Into The Silence

"SO," FORD BEGINS, "WHAT WERE YOU SAYING about that bloody jewellery box?"

I blink a couple of times at Ford's question. My eyes are focused on the road ahead, hands tightly clenched around the steering wheel to the point that my knuckles have turned white. This, however, divides my attention, having my eyebrows furrow. "What do you mean?"

"When we were texting," Ford continues, "You said something about a bloody jewellery box." My eyes glance over to his direction quickly, just to notice he's not looking at me either, choosing to lean his head against the window instead.

"Yeah," I say, turning my eyes back to the road. "We found your jacket in the forest, and the jewellery box you and I made in the forest. The jewellery box was covered in blood."

"That's... scary."

"Says you," I snort. "How did you get the jewellery box from Mr. Stevens?"

"I didn't..."

When I turn to look at him this time, he's looking right back at me. "Excuse me?"

"I never took the jewellery box," Ford says. "When did you find it?"

I bite my lip, trying my best not to lose focus of the road. "Like... a week after you went missing."

"I was long gone by then, Ava." Ford follows my example and worries his bottom lip. "It was the person- the one who has been sending me threats. Did you check the security tapes?"

I nod, "Yeah, we tried. But anything from the day that you went missing to the day we found the box was gone."

Ford visibly shudders. "Oh my god." The sound of him taking deep breaths echoes through the car. "What...?"

"I don't know," I admit. "But after what you told me... it makes sense, I guess. James, Jas and I went to look at the tapes, and they had just been erased. I mean, it's obviously someone in Cailbridge..."

Ford rolls his eyes, "That only narrows it down to, like, six hundred people."

"Not including me and you," I point out.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Five hundred ninety-eight." Ford gives me an exasperated look. "Look, Ava, I tried for a good month to try and figure out who this is. And I've just kept drawing blank after blank after blank. Whoever it is, they're really good at hiding."

"Well, let's think about it," I suggest. I let one hand drop from the steering wheel, trying to relax myself from the stiffness the seriousness of the topic has brought on. "It was someone who messed with the computers. That means they're technology smart, right?"

"Right," he says. "And maybe someone who has easy access into the school?"

"Everyone has easy access into the school. It's almost always open."

"But how would they get into the security room?"

I shrug, "When we snuck in, it was already open."

Ford stops for a moment, hesitating before asking, "Snuck in? So, like, you watched it without the police?"

I furrow my eyebrows, glancing at Ford. His eyes are oddly... soft? "Well, yeah. Not too long ago. We figured since the police weren't bothering, we would."

"So... like, you kept looking? Even after a month?"

"Remember my text, Wilson? I never stopped looking. You scared me out of my mind. I know we're not that good of friends, or whatever, but I'm the type that can never have an unsolved mystery. I just knew... I knew that I had to keep looking. That something wasn't right. Besides," I send him a small smile, "What would I do without the smartest kid in my class letting my cheat off him in tests?"