“I only know all of them were trying to get Torin.”
“Or Lexi.”
“Don’t start, Jen, none of that was…” His voice trailed off.
I raised my brow. “You think youstillget to be skeptical of what he told us? He freaking told you he was a time traveler. He said he travels on storms. He said she was a princess and swore to protect her from danger, and not ten minutes later, there is so much danger and then they disappeared in a storm. Not believing himnowis senseless.”
He shook his head. “I know, I know, I just don’t know what to think. I was wrong, I was totally wrong. Wait, where’s Dude?”
He looked around. “Do you see Dude?”
“No, but he probably went inside.”
Cooper turnedand banged into the house, calling, “Dude! Dude, here kitty-kitty, Dude!”
He came backout a few moments later.
I said, “Did you check the basement, we were all down there.”
“Yeah, he’s not in the house.” His hands went back to his head. “Damn, did he get taken too?”
I scanned the yard. “I mean, sometimes he disappears for days, he’s pretty independent, he’ll likely come back tonight.”
Cooper said, “I don’t know, I think he’s gone.”
I said, “I’m glad youdofinally believe in time travel.”
“Yeah, I know, I didn’t believe the unbelievable... I was skeptical and now freaking Lexi and Dude are missing. If I had listened, maybe I could have done something.”
I said, “Doubtful, what could you have done?”
“I don’t know, been ready for one. Jeez, we need to call the police. What are we going to say though, that a time traveler took Lexi?”
“Yeah, better sooner than later.” I walked into the house, but then turned around and came back out. “But, Coop, what are wetellingthem? There were eight armed men, horses, a giant storm, and now they’re gone?”
“That’s what I mean by getting the story straight. They’re going to haul me down to the station for questioning, forsure. None of this makes sense. I’ll be the number one suspect.”
I gulped. “They might thinkyoudid something?”
“Probably. Missing woman. A missing wealthy woman who I’m in a relationship with. Yeah, there’s no other plausible explanation.”
“The day after you didn’t get your investors!”
“What’s that got to do...oh.”
“Yeah, they might think that’s suspicious.”
He groaned.
I added, “But in your defense, most men who were planning to do something dire to a rich?—”
He groaned again, “Don’t say it, it’s too awful.”
I finished, not caring about his discomfort, “...wouldmarrythe rich woman first, to get her money.”
“Ugh, why are you saying that?”
“I’m just saying, you could have married Lexi for her money, but you wouldn’t. You never wanted to. That’s proof you’re not involved in her disappearance.”
