Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

ERIKA

D inner is a very subdued affair.

Jason managed to make it home early tonight, which is something he doesn't get to do very often. Usually when he gets home early, I make a big deal of it and cook something special, but not tonight. Tonight, we're eating Kraft macaroni and cheese. And anybody who says a damn word about it will have their plate yanked away from them and hurled into the garbage.

Not that anyone will care. Both Hannah and Liam have barely eaten anything. Both of them are just pushing the little pieces of macaroni around their plates. Liam has barely said a word since he got home hours ago.

"I'm sorry about dinner," I feel compelled to say.

"What are you talking about?" Jason says. "I love macaroni and cheese. It tastes really Gouda."

Hannah comes alive long enough to groan. She can't resist complaining about Jason's puns. "It's not Gouda , dad. It's that powder stuff that comes out of a package."

"Yes, I realize that, Hannah. Geez, I'm just trying to lighten the mood."

"Well, it's not helping," she says.

Jason gives me a look, then he reaches out and grabs her wrist. "Hey. No phones at the dinner table. You know that."

Wow, Hannah is sneakier than I thought. I didn't even realize she had her phone under the table. She obligingly places it in Jason's outstretched hand. She leans back in her chair, pouting. "I just wanted to see if they found Olivia."

My heart leaps. "Did they?"

Hannah hesitates. "I don't think so."

I look over at Liam, who is staring down at his dinner plate. I haven't asked him about what I found in the GPS yet. I'm afraid to. Because it's hard to think of any explanation that won't make him look really bad. All I know is that he lied to my face this morning and I couldn't even tell.

"She was in your year, right, Liam?" Jason asks.

"I guess. I didn't really know her."

Then why were you going to her house last night? At two in the morning?

The doorbell rings, which is a relief, because I wasn't doing much better at eating my macaroni and cheese than the kids were. That relief lasts only until I look through the peephole and see the two uniformed police officers standing at our door.

Oh God. I think I'm going to have another panic attack.

I take two deep breaths before I unlock the door. I plaster a smile on my face that I feel looks very genuine. Maybe Liam is rubbing off on me.

One of the officers is a man in his late thirties with ruddy cheeks and a gut that's straining against his uniform. The other officer is a thin woman. She looks of Hispanic descent, with sharp black eyes, high cheekbones, and hair pulled back into a severe bun.

"Hello there," the male officer says in a thick Long Island accent. "Does Liam Cass live here?"

Oh no. No no no no…

"Yes…" I manage. "He's my son."

The female officer flashes a smile that doesn't touch her eyes. "My name is Detective Rivera and this is Detective Murphy. We were hoping to ask Liam a few questions. Is he home?"

"Yes?" I say, although I'm not sure why it comes out like a question. I clear my throat. "He's just eating dinner."

"Would you please interrupt him?" Rivera says. The phony smile has disappeared from her face.

"Um…" I glance in the direction of the dining room. Jason has come out to see what's going on, and his eyes fly open at the sight of the police officers. "Does he need a lawyer?"

Maybe I shouldn't have asked that. That sounds super guilty. And we don't know for sure Liam did anything. After all, he's a sixteen-year-old kid.

"No, that shouldn't be necessary," Rivera says. She seems to be the spokesperson. "We just have a few quick questions."

"What's this about?" Jason speaks up.

"We're just trying to get some information about the girl who disappeared this morning," Rivera says. "We're speaking with some of her classmates who might be able to help us. We just want to find Olivia."

"Well, Liam says he doesn't know her." Jason folds his arms across his chest. "So I think you might be wasting your time here."

Detective Murphy flashes Jason a disarming smile. "Then this will be real quick. We just want to make sure. A girl's life is at stake, Mr. Cass. We need to do everything we can to find her."

"I'll go get him," I say. I hurry out to the dining room, where Liam and Hannah haven't moved, but Hannah is straining to see what's going on. I put my hand on Liam's shoulder, and he flinches at my touch. "There are a couple of officers out there who want to ask you some questions."

Hannah's eyes darken. "Shouldn't he have a lawyer? Aren't you supposed to have a lawyer present if you're being questioned by the police?"

It disturbs me how quickly Hannah—Liam's sole confidante—came to that conclusion. I shake my head. "They say they have a few quick questions. Just tell them the truth, Liam."

"All right." Liam gets to his feet. "I'll talk to them."

Hannah's eyes widen but she doesn't say a word.

When I return to the living room, the two officers are sitting on our loveseat, while Jason is on the couch. He's talking to the officers, but he doesn't look nervous or anything. He doesn't look like he's going to throw up any second, which is the way I feel. He truly believes Liam has nothing to hide.

Liam sits down beside Jason on the couch, sitting up straight as he always does. He doesn't look nervous either. He doesn't fiddle with the hem of his shirt or the hole in his jeans—his hands are completely steady and he flashes the officers a brief, disarming smile. It almost makes me wonder if I'm worried over nothing. If Liam could look that calm around two cops, he must have nothing to hide.

"Liam?" Detective Rivera says .

Liam nods. "Yes."

"Would you mind answering a few questions for us about Olivia Mercer?" she asks.

"I already talked to a police officer at school," he says. "I told him everything I know."

"Yes, but we have a few more questions. Just routine stuff."

"Of course." Liam looks her straight in the eyes. "I'll do anything to help find Olivia. Please go ahead."

Rivera crosses her legs as she leans forward slightly. "Do you know Olivia Mercer?"

"Yes. She goes to my school."

"And are you friendly with her?"

He doesn't hesitate. "She's in my math class. I've spoken to her before."

His answers sound rehearsed. As if he knew what they were going to be asking him and had mentally prepared for it the same way he prepares for his debates. I wonder if they notice.

"Is Olivia your girlfriend?"

"No."

Rivera raises an eyebrow. "No?"

"I don't have a girlfriend."

Rivera lets out a laugh. "A good-looking boy like you? That's hard to believe."

"He's only sixteen, Detective," I say .

"When I was sixteen, I had two girlfriends!" Murphy says. His ruddy cheeks grow pinker.

Liam doesn't react to any of this. He flashes a brief smile but says nothing.

The smile vanishes from Rivera's face again. Her eyes are so sharp, it scares me. I want to tell Liam to be careful, that she isn't going to be taken in by his charm. "So Liam, when was the last time you saw Olivia?"

"Some of the people from track team were hanging out at Charlie's. She was there too."

"Was it a date?"

"No."

"I see." Rivera nods. "And that's the last time you saw Olivia?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any idea at all where she could be right now?"

"No," he says without hesitation. "I'm really sorry. I wish I did." And then, in an incredibly sincere voice, "I'm worried about her. I really hope she's okay."

"We do too," Rivera says.

And then it looks like they're about to get up. And maybe this is over. Maybe they have absolutely nothing on Liam, and he was telling the truth when he said he barely knew Olivia. Maybe they're just going around and questioning everyone in the school. Maybe this is nothing but routine.

But then just as she's about to get up, Rivera sits back down again like she thought of something she had forgotten. "One more thing, Liam," she says.

"Yes?"

"One of Olivia Mercer's neighbors saw her in her backyard at around two in the morning, talking to a teenage boy."

My stomach sinks. This isn't over after all.

"Do you know who that boy was, Liam?" Rivera asks.

He doesn't answer, but his body stiffens almost imperceptibly.

Rivera smiles grimly. "After some of your friends told us you had brought Olivia to that diner yesterday, we showed the neighbor a few of your school photographs. And guess what? She was able to correctly identify you. She also was able to identify the Toyota that is now out in your driveway."

Liam's fists grab handfuls of the fabric of his jeans, but he quickly regains his composure.

Rivera leans in and looks him straight in the eyes. "Would you like to revise your answer about when the last time you saw Olivia Mercer was?"

Liam opens his mouth like he's about to answer, but before he does, Jason jumps up from the sofa. "No! No more questions. Not without a lawyer."

"We're just trying to find the whereabouts of a sixteen-year-old girl, Mr. Cass," Rivera says flatly. She looks at Liam. "Liam, if you can tell us where she is—"

"Liam, don't answer them." Jason glares at Rivera, a vein standing out in his neck. "This is a sixteen-year-old boy. He's a great student and a great kid. He did not do this."

"With all due respect, Mr. Cass—"

"No, you listen to me." Jason points a finger at them. I'm not sure I've ever seen him this upset. Even during the times I was most freaked out about Liam, he always seemed so calm. If I wasn't so panicked myself, I would think it was a little bit sexy the way he's protecting Liam. "My son has told you everything he knows. If you want to speak to him again, it will be with our attorney present."

Rivera rises from the love seat and Murphy follows. "As you wish, Mr. Cass."

It isn't until the officers are gone that I feel like I can breathe normally again. Of course, this whole thing was a disaster. It is now confirmed. Liam was visiting Olivia Mercer last night. He was probably the last person to see her alive. And he lied about it to the police.

"What the hell, Liam?" Jason snaps at him.

Liam had been maintaining excellent eye contact while the officers were here, but he finally drops his eyes. The mask of affability he usually wears is gone, and he looks miserable. I almost feel sorry for him.

"Liam," I say quietly as I sit down beside my son. "Do you know where Olivia is?"

He shakes his head. Lying again. I wish Jason hadn't stopped the officers from questioning him. I wish they had done their police thing and wormed the answer out of him.

"But you were at her house last night…?" Jason prompts him.

Liam's Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. "Yes. I was there. Okay?"

"You took my car?" I ask.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

Jason runs a hand through his graying hair. I think he got ten new gray strands during the last twenty minutes. Of course, if not for my hairdresser, I'd be all gray now, thanks to my son. "What were you doing there?" he asks.

"I just…" Liam squirms on the sofa. "I like her, okay? I wanted to see her. And she came down and… you know…"

Jason frowns at him. "No. I don't know."

Liam's ears turn pink. "We made out a little. That's all."

"And then?"

"And then Mom called. So I came home. And that's it. "

Jason narrows his eyes at Liam, but I can tell he believes the story. He was genuine in what he told the police officers. He does not believe his teenage son could possibly be responsible for the disappearance of a young girl. He knows Liam is capable of lying, but he doesn't know what else our son is capable of. Only I know the truth.

"Go to your room," Jason says to Liam.

Liam doesn't need to be told twice. He jumps off the sofa and scrambles up the stairs. I wish we could keep questioning him, but it won't make a difference. Whatever else he knows, he's told us all he's going to.

Jason drops his head back against the sofa and lets out a long sigh. "We have to get him a lawyer, Erika. This doesn't look good for him."

"Yes…" I chew on my lip. "It's kind of a big coincidence though, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, he just happened to be around this girl's house on the night she disappeared? Do you really believe that?"

He frowns. "What are you saying?"

"You know what I'm saying."

"What? You're saying you think our son murdered this girl? Really, Erika?"

"Maybe not murdered… "

I wish I had a wife, so I could keep her deep in a hole . I can still hear Miss Williams's words in my ear. Liam said a lot of disturbing things, but that one was way up there. That was one of the ones I won't forget. Or his answer when I asked him about it later that night:

I'd just like to see what would happen to her, Mommy. If I put her in a hole and didn't feed her, what would happen? And if she were my wife, I could do what I wanted and no one would even look for her.

That was the day I made our first appointment with Dr. Hebert.

"You know the kind of comments Liam has made in the past," I remind Jason.

"You've always made too much of that. He's precocious. It's just words."

"It's not just words."

Jason blinks at me. "I can't… I can't have this conversation with you, Erika. This is our child we're talking about. He didn't do it. And I'm not going to let them pin it on him."

"Fine," I say. "Get him a lawyer."

Jason spends the rest of the night looking up criminal attorneys. He's convinced that a good lawyer can make this problem go away. But I know he's wrong. The only one who can make this go away is Liam.