Page 14 of Psycho

Funny wasn’t a word I’d use to describe this conversation at all.

“Ash and her friend went to a party last night, and some things happened and…”

“Explain it to me,” I told him, and he did. The whole shebang. The night of the party, how Ash was attacked—attacked, by some girl and a dude in a Batman costume—and then how she saw her friend, Kelsey, bent over in the bathroom with Sawyer.

Fucking Sawyer. Everything always came down to that prick, didn’t it? I hated him, I really did. Nothing Sawyer touched was good. A girl like Ash was too good for him. They were on different levels entirely.

Declan then said she got into a car with someone, and they hadn’t seen or heard from her since. She’d tossed her phone out of the window, so they didn’t have any way to reach her. She was, effectively, gone.

“That’s…” Declan’s voice grew quiet. “That’s not even the worst part, Will. The worst part is who she left with.”

As long as it wasn’t Sawyer, I’d be fine with it.

“She left with a guy named Ray Ruiz. He’s a serial killer that got off on a technicality or something.”

Okay, I took back my previous statement. I wasn’t fine with that, either.

Ray Ruiz? I vaguely recognized his name, though I’d have to look him up after this phone call. It was hard not to hear about serial killers these days, especially the ones that plastered the news.

“She left the party with a serial killer?” I echoed. “Did you call the cops?”

“No,” Declan said. “Travis thinks there’s a connection between them, and if we get the cops involved, it might be bad for Ash.”

“You know what’s bad for Ash? Being killed,” I spoke into the phone, raising my voice. “What if he hurt her?”

“That thought has crossed our minds—”

“And Travis? I thought you weren’t talking to that guy?” Last I knew, Travis and Sawyer had ganged up on him, which was not something I’d ever forget. Declan was my little brother, and by God, if no one else would protect him, I would.

Declan was quiet for a while. “I wasn’t, but when you were in the hospital and Ash was hit by that car, I…things just happened. We’re talking now, working together for Ash. We’re not friends again, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Him listening to Travis and not calling the cops sounded like a stupid move, but there was little I could do. What would I say to the station if I called in? Hello, I’d like to report a possible kidnapping—no, I wasn’t there, no, I didn’t see it happen. I just heard it through the grapevine and have no evidence of it even happening.

Yeah, somehow I didn’t think that would work out too well.

“Do you want me to come over?” I offered. I wasn’t a cripple; I could still drive.

“No. I’m, uh, I’m at Sawyer’s anyway.”

My blood pressure rose the instant he said that name, I swore. “Why are you at his place?”

“He’s messed-up. I’m keeping an eye on him while Travis—”

I cut in, “Let him fuck up his own life, Declan. He bullied you, got others to bully you. Whatever shit he’s in, leave him in it. Let him be. He doesn’t deserve your help.” I felt very strongly when it came to Sawyer. The bastard deserved no help; I would die on this hill.

“I’m not doing it for Sawyer,” Declan stated, pausing before he added, “I’m doing it for Ash.”

That sent my mind reeling. “For Ash?”

“Yes, for Ash. Will, I have to go. Just…just rest up, and call me if you need anything. I’ll keep you updated with what’s going on here, okay?”

What else could I say to that but “Fine”? I couldn’t argue with him, couldn’t tell him no. I was in no position to tell him what to do, especially when it came to Ash. Now Sawyer and Travis, they were two people I’d seen a lot, talked to a lot. They spent a lot of time growing up over our house. Going back to them was stupid. Stupid, stupid.

After hanging up, I sat there in silence, my jaw clenching. I thought about Travis and Sawyer, and I didn’t like them. I resented them, hated them with my whole being, for what they did to Declan. Tossing aside his friendship as if he meant nothing, blaming him for Sabrina when in fact the blame should’ve been pointed somewhere else.

Ugh. Whatever. There wasn’t anything I could do to change it right now. I could, however, do a little Googling of Ray. Going off with a serial killer was a stupid move, but if what Declan said was true, if Travis was right and there was a connection between her and Ray…maybe she knew what mess she was getting into.

Maybe Ash was a bit more complicated than I thought.

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