Page 125 of Five Summers

“Tell me he’s with you?” he spits into the phone.

Glancing up at Neil, I’m unsure who Reg is referring to.

Neil and Kit's eyes are watching me.

"Wait, are you talking about Neil?" I ask to clarify.

"No, I'm not fucking talking about Neil. I'm talking about Xander."

I feel like hanging up on this asshole because of his aggressive tone, but I stay on the line because I have no idea what's happening with Xander.

“No, I haven’t seen Xander,” I tell him.

“Well, that’s just fantastic,” he says. “We hired you to deal with situations like this.” He vents his frustration before cutting off the call.

“God, what was that about?” Kit asks.

I place my phone face down on the table. “Apparently, Xander is missing,” I add, then finish the last of my soda.

Neil reaches into his pocket and grabs his phone.

“I should go look for him. Honestly, I have no clue where to look. Does he usually disappear like this?” I ask, not wanting to know if he’s off getting busy with a groupie.

“Sometimes,” Kit replies.

I turn my attention to Neil, who's messing around with Google Maps, and I'm curious about what he's doing. Just as I’m about to ask him if he knows where Xander is, my phone pings.

Ace: Hey Poppy, do you know where Xander is?

I quickly type out my reply, not sure why he assumes I know where he is.

Poppy: No. I’ll let you know if I see him.

I put my phone back in my pocket and watched Neil chug down his beer.

"Come on," he says, getting up and making his way through the crowd of people chatting and listening to the music.

I sneak a look at Kit.

“Go follow him,” she says.

I quickly go after Neil as he heads to the elevators.

“Do you have any idea where he went?” I inquire, trying to keep up with him.

“Perhaps,” he responds.

The elevator doors smoothly open, and we enter.

As we leave the motel, we weave through the busy sidewalks, skillfully maneuvering through the vibrant lights, traffic, and bustling crowds. The shops blast lively music, filling the airwith its rhythmic melodies. I pick up the pace to keep in step with Neil, staying right behind him as we maneuver through the crowd.

After strolling for four blocks, we arrive at a set of traffic lights, briefly stopping until the green light allows us to safely cross.

“Do you seriously think he'd be down here?” I ask, trying to catch my breath. “Xander's most likely just hanging with some groupie. That’s it. Once he's done, he'll make an appearance.”

Neil locks eyes with me, and as we find ourselves in a public setting once again, he seamlessly transitions back into his customary stoic and emotionless demeanor. I can’t help but ponder if this is the persona he presents to the world, his public facade.

When the traffic stops, the lights turn green and it’s time to cross the street. We then divert onto a slender pathway, which leads up to a beautiful park.

---