Page 89 of The Other Side
“How much have you thought about what Davies said?” Chance asked out of the blue.
“I don’t know. I mean, he didn’t exactly tell us anything we didn’t already know.”
“Well, he said that the headmaster was his lead suspect,” Chance stated.
I nodded, agreeing with him.
Chance ran his hands over his face, sighing in frustration. He looked down at the floor as he continued. “The thing is, I know in my heart that Daniel is gone. However horrible that is to say, I feel it in my gut.”
He looked up at me, his blue-grey eyes glassy. “I still want to know what happened to him, but what if we push too hard and we get hurt like he did? I just don’t know if this is worth it anymore.”
I opened my mouth to argue that we needed to continue, but Chance’s phone rang out for the umpteenth time that day.
He scowled at the caller, silenced the phone, and shoved it back in his pocket.
I cocked my head at him, waiting for an explanation. I’d already been more than patient.
“What?” he snapped.
“You know what. Who’s been calling you nonstop all day?” I folded my arms over my chest, thinking it might make me look tougher than I felt.
Chance groaned, slumping back against the couch, running a nervous hand through his hair. “It’s Amanda.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, what does she want? Why aren’t you taking her call?”
I tried to reach into his pocket to grab his phone, but he caught my wrist before I got the chance.
“We said no secrets,” I pouted.
Chance rolled his eyes, annoyed that he’d been bested.
I grinned at him, waiting for him to spill.
“Every year my parents host a big New Year’s Eve party.”
I waited for him to continue, but he did not. “And?”
“And Amanda wants me to go.”
“Is it in Portland?” I asked, knowing that was where Chance’s family home was, after all the stalking Jolene and I had done on Thomas Roberts while we had been trying to figure out who Chance really was.
Chance nodded, his face grim.
“But you don’t want to go?” I inferred.
“I’d rather claw my eyes out,” he deadpanned.
“But Amanda wants you to go?” He was not making this easy for me.
“She has a new boyfriend she wants me to meet.” He shrugged. “I’ve been telling her I’m not going for weeks, but she won’t take no for an answer.”
“You should go. I thought you were on good terms with Amanda?” I was confused.
“I am. But she’ll be there with her boyfriend, and then I’ll be left on my own, surrounded by jackals.” Chance sneered. “I’m telling you, these parties areawful. Everyone makes polite chatter with backhanded undertones. It’s so fake—all pomp and circumstance. I hate it.”
