don’t need to confess, but I guess in my mind I was on a roll. One thing I am certain of, though: I’m totally effed.
He lets out a low growling sound. Huh, he’s never made that sound before. He raises his index finger and I see flames—yes, flames—spring up in his eyes as he points at me. I know he wants to yell, but then he just shakes his head and throws up his hands in what looks like frustration.
“I’m not even sure I can process all of this right now. Do you realize what you’ve done?” he asks, sounding so disappointed in me. There’s only one thing that’s worse than a parent being angry with you, and that’s one being disappointed with you.
“I’m so sorry, Dad. I was stupid, you’re right—”
“Samson!” my dad calls out, cutting me off. He waves over the deputy standing next to my car. “Dani, Samson will take you home, and you better believe we’ll be talking about your punishment later. And I want no more discussion about this. I’ve got work to do here.”
“Why are you here?” I ask, irritated that he interrupted me.
“It’s official business. You know I can’t discuss it with you,” he replies. “Samson, please drive my daughter home.”
Samson grabs for my arm to escort me, but I shake free of his grip. “Did something happen here other than the party?” I ask, more irked than before.
Samson tries to grab my arm again, but I dodge him. My father sends me a look I’ve never seen before, and it worries me. He usually tells me everything that happens, but for some reason, he doesn’t want to talk about this. I know it’s more than just him being upset with me.
“Sheriff, we found something,” I hear someone in the distance cry out.
“Samson, please,” he says, gesturing to me with tired eyes.
“Samson, if you touch me again, you’re going to pull back a nub, I swear,” I grind out, and he backs off.
“Dani, listen to me when I say that I have business to attend to. You shouldn’t be here right now, okay?”
“Dad, what happened?” I ask, and then notice the deputy who just called out to Dad approaching us with something in his hands. It’s my picnic basket. “Hey, that’s mine. Why didn’t Janice take it with her when she left?”
“Janice? Janice was here with you last night?” my dad asks. He sounds desperate. “This is very important, Dani. Was Janice here?”
“Did something happen to her?”
“Was she here?” he asks again, but more pointedly this time.
“Yeah…I brought her here. Why?”
My father releases a heavy breath. His eyes fix on me and his facial expression changes to one of apprehension.
“Her mom called the station last night, saying Janice didn’t come home after she went to the library.”
“She’s probably with Gunnar—” I stop suddenly, realizing I may have just messed up by saying his name.
“Gunnar. You mean the Benson boy?” he asks.
“Maybe,” I reply, feeling shitty for having such a big mouth.
“Samson, make a pass by the Benson place and check out my daughter’s story,” he orders. When Samson walks away, my dad turns back to me. “I want you to go home, Dani.”
“But—”
“Dani, I don’t want to hear it, all right? Just go home and stay there.”
“I have to be at work by four,” I argue, which lands me on the receiving end of one serious glare.
“I suggest you call your boss and let her know you’ll not be coming in today,” he replies and points to my car. “Now get going.”
Frustrated, I storm over to my car and slam the door as I get in it. Peeling out of the lot, I exit the forest and see that Parker’s gone.
“Typical,” I murmur while shaking my head.
The drive home seems like it takes forever. Thoughts of Parker keep irritatingly seeping into my brain. I should be pissed at him—again—but I find that he’s all I can think about at the moment. That’s what happens with guys like Parker—they intoxicate you. I mean, he did help me out last night and take care of me this morning. That’s got to count for something, right?
“Stop being stupid, Dani. Once a selfish jerk, always a selfish jerk,” I declare, and blast the radio to drown out any further Parker thoughts.
Turning onto my street, I lower the music’s volume when I see Janice’s mom standing out in front of her house, looking haggard. Her head rises to me as I get closer and she waves me down