Page 77 of Easton

“Hey. Is everything okay?” Dusty asks.

“Is East with you? I don’t even know if you’re at the shop yet, but do you know if he’s there?”

“We’re closed today.” Damn it. I didn’t even think of that. “I’m not sure if he’s there. I can check the work cameras. What’s going on?”

I run a hand through my hair, heart beating so fast, I’m afraid it might implode. “I can’t… I’m coming over. Call Rhett and have him meet me at your place.”

I shove my phone into my pocket before he can ask me anything else, grab my keys, and head out. My stomach is a fucking mess, nausea swirling in my gut and burning its way up my throat. My hands are tight on the steering wheel the whole time I drive, as I try to piece together what the fuck happened. Did Gregory lie? It’s a really big fucking coincidence that his house got broken into the night I got into an argument with him about East. But Gregory is a lot of things, and dumb isn’t one of them. He wouldn’t be so stupid as to make up a burglary.

Rhett is already parked in front of Dusty’s house when I pull up. “Where the fuck is my brother? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. I’m trying to figure that out. Jesus, let’s go inside.” I push past him to the door, which pulls open, Morgan’s hair sleep-mussed and his eyes frantic.

“What happened, Archer? I’m freaking the fuck out here.”

We get into the house, Rhett closing the door behind him. I can’t keep still, pacing as I speak. “We went out to lunch yesterday, and it was fucking perfect…until we ran into your dad.”

“Shit,” Morgan curses.

Rhett stiffens, his face shutting down, not showing any emotions.

“He said some terrible things. East didn’t respond at all. It’s like…hell, it’s like he disconnected. I dealt with Gregory, and I thought everything was okay. But I woke up this morning and East was gone. I have no idea what time he left or where he is. He left his phone at home. Then two officers were at my door, tellingme Gregory’s house was broken into last night and he thinks it was East.” I eye them all, one after the other so they know how serious I am. “He didn’t fucking do it. I don’t care if I can’t say what time he left, he didn’t do it. I told the officers he was with me all night, but—”

“You lied to the cops for my brother?” Morgan asks, soft awe in his voice.

“I love him,” I admit. “There’s not a damn thing in this world I wouldn’t do for him.”

“I…thank you,” Morgan replies. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I just want to find him. That’s all that matters.”

“He didn’t do it,” Rhett interrupts, surprising me. I thought he would be a harder sell. He’s always been so by the book, but then, before East, I had been too. “It was me.”

“You broke into your dad’s house?” Dusty asks.

“Fuck him. He deserves it,” Morgan argues. “Still surprised you did it, though.”

“It’s our fucking house too. I just…didn’t want to see him, but there were some things of Mom’s I wanted. I didn’t even…fuck, I was so stupid. I should have known he would blame it on East.”

“Hey, you’re not stupid.” Morgan takes a step closer to Rhett.

“You hate me. Don’t pretend you don’t.” Rhett moves backward, and while I can see that it looks like a rejection, something in his eyes tells me he’s afraid of being rejected himself.

“I know you two have a lot to work through, but can we get back to East? I’m worried about him. He…he talks to her.” He talks to her, and I knew. Why hadn’t I talked to him about getting help before? “He has conversations with her.”

“Talks to who?” Dusty asks.

“Ella.”

I feel the blast of heat from Rhett. “My brother hallucinates our dead sister, and you didn’t think to tell us until now?”

“I didn’t want to betray his trust. And he said he knows she’s not real. I don’t think it’s true hallucinations, but…what the fuck do I know? I love him, Rhett, and I’m doing my damn best here. You don’t think I’m beating myself up enough? This is a waste of fucking time. I need to find East.”

I head for the door, but I’m stopped by Dusty’s calm, steady words. “Wait. Don’t go yet. We need to figure out a plan here. Rhett, you need to tell your dad it was you.”

“Fuck him. I’m not talking to him.”

“Not even to save your brother?”

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