“What’s creepy?” Victor asks, leaning over the back of the couch.
Maya gestures to the screen of her laptop. “Dani’s ex, Gary, has been emailing her since they broke up in high school. We’ve only read the first two, but he sounds fucked in the head.”
“Open some of the later ones. If they still have the same tone, then this is something we can bring to the police.”
She nods, pressing the mouse a few times before opening another email that’s dated around the time Dani would’ve started college.
Danielle,
I love how you thought you could keep the college you’re attending a secret from me. You did for a little while, but now I know. Even though the first semester has barely started, I’ve already requested a transfer. Don’t worry, we’ll be together again soon.
Love always, Gary
“Yeah, fuck this shit.” Victor snatches the laptop out of Maya’s hands. “We’re not reading any more of these. Gary’s a fucking stalker. We need to get this to the police now.”
“Get what to the police?” Andrés asks as he joins us. “Dinner’s ready, by the way. Victor was supposed to be letting you all know.”
Maya laughs, but there’s no humor in the sound. “Yeah, dinner will have to wait. We’ll explain everything to you on the way to the police station.”
Andrés looks adorably confused as he glances between the three of us, but just shrugs and follows us out the door.
This has to be enough for them to look into Gary.
Surely, he has to be the one who has her, right? Because if he doesn’t, then that means she has two stalkers, and I don’t know how the hell to deal with that.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Victor
It’s been two days since we brought the emails to the police, and still nothing.
I’m not sure how much longer the four of us can hold it together. Jason is trying his hardest to mother hen us, but I can tell it’s wearing on him.
The night we showed up at the station, we were informed they’d found Dani’s rental on the opposite side of town from Gary’s place with her phone and purse still inside. The phone was dead, but they assured us they were trying to get records from her mobile provider, but that takes time. They also promised they would look into Gary and get eyes on him.
Then yesterday, Officer Ellsworth showed up to let us know Gary had an alibi for the night Dani went missing. Somethingabout a poker game at his neighbor’s. She also told us she’s not sure about Gary—that something seems off with him. The detectives on the case wanted to pull the men off Gary, but she went to the chief to voice her concerns. Somehow, she was able to convince him to keep eyes on the asshole.
But we haven’t heard a damn thing from anyone since then, and I’m going stir crazy.
I know I shouldn’t have, but I looked up Gary’s address online. I know where he lives. All I would need to do is slip out of the house quietly, and then I could go over there and find my girl.
No, that’s not right. She’s our girl.
And that’s the only reason I’m not in my car right now. I know all four of us want answers, that we’re all going crazy.
But I’m keeping it in my back pocket.
Although with the luck we’ve had over the last few days, she probably wouldn’t even be there. He could be keeping her anywhere.
“Fuck,” I curse, running my hand through my hair.
“What’s going on?” Jason asks, blinking open his eyes, and I curse myself internally.
I barely got the three of them to lie down an hour ago, and now Jason is awake and the other two are stirring.
“Why aren’t you asleep, Vic?” Jason asks with a yawn, rubbing a hand against his bleary eye. “Did something happen?”
I shake my head, urging him to be quiet as I watch Maya and Andrés, who are wrapped around each other as they sleep. “No. I just couldn’t sleep. I can’t seem to get my head to turn off.”
