Chapter 8 - DYLAN’S MOTHER
Dylan stared at his father.
“My mom?”
Mark didn’t answer.
“Dad!”
Mark pulled the truck over.
Maya and Jake exchanged a look.
Dylan’s mother, Kelly Cooper, had left town when Dylan was six.
That was the story everyone knew.
She called on birthdays.
Sometimes Christmas.
Almost never visited.
Dylan grabbed his father’s arm.
“What does Mom have to do with this?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Dylan.”
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Deciding what I’m allowed to know.”
Mark looked at him.
For the first time, the anger left Dylan’s face.
What replaced it was hurt.
“You lied about Uncle Adam.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You lied about Mom too, didn’t you?”
Mark looked away.
That was the answer.
Dylan opened the truck door.
Mark locked it.
“Don’t.”
“Tell me.”
Mark exhaled.
“Your mother didn’t just leave.”
Dylan stared at him.
“She was threatened.”
“By who?”
“I never knew.”
“When?”
“After she started asking questions about Adam.”
Dylan’s voice became quiet.
“Why would she ask questions?”
“Because she knew Rebecca Reynolds.”
Maya went still.
“My mom?”
Mark nodded.
“They worked together after high school.”
Maya looked stunned.
Jake felt like every family in town was somehow connected.
Mark continued.
“Rebecca gave Kelly something before she died.”
“What?”
“A key.”
“To what?”
“She wouldn’t tell me.”
Officer Ruiz called again.
“Mark, I need you to come to the station.”
“Why?”
“We found Kelly’s car.”
Dylan leaned closer.
“Where?”
Ruiz paused.
“Near the old quarry.”
Twenty-five minutes later, police lights covered the road.
Kelly’s car sat beside the tree line.
Driver door open.
Nobody inside.
Dylan ran toward it.
Ruiz grabbed him.
“Stop.”
“That’s my mom!”
“I know.”
Inside the car, investigators found a purse.
A cracked phone.
And blood on the passenger seat.
Dylan stared at it.
“No.”
Mark’s face went white.
Jake turned away.
Maya suddenly pointed.
“Wait.”
Something was hanging from the rearview mirror.
A small brass key.
Mark stared at it.
“The key.”
Maya looked toward the quarry.
Then at the numbers stamped into the metal.
Jake’s skin prickled.
“Room 214?”
Dylan looked at him.
“Harlan’s classroom.”
Officer Ruiz took the key.
“No one goes back to that school.”
Jake nodded.
Then looked across the road.
Someone was standing between the trees.
Watching them.
Jake squinted.
The figure stepped backward.
“Hey!”
He ran.
“Jake!” Maya shouted.
Jake crossed the road and pushed through the branches.
The person was fast.
Jake chased them down a muddy path.
“STOP!”
The figure slipped.
Jake caught the back of the hoodie and yanked.
The hood came off.
Jake froze.
It was Kelly Cooper.
Dylan’s mother.
She had blood on her shirt.
She grabbed Jake by both shoulders.
“Listen to me.”
May you like
“Mrs. Cooper—”
“Do not trust Officer Ruiz.”
