Page 10 of That's Not My Name

I stop and turn back. “Why would I be going to theriver?”

His eyes look like they’re about to burst from his face. “I meant Dairy Queen. And their…river of milkshakes.”

He knows I haven’t been back to the river since the night Lola disappeared, so why would I go there today? Unless there’s a reason to.

“What’s happening at the river today, Max?” I say through my teeth. “Or should I drive out there and see for myself?”

Panic explodes across his face. He must have been given instructions to keep me from doing exactly that. Was it my dads? His mom? Both?

“If I tell you, do you promise not to go?”

I glare at him.

“Fine,fine. Okay, so… There might have been another search today, and your parents wanted me to make sure you didn’t interfere with it. But they’re probably done by now, so there’s no point in going down there. Also, you didn’t hear any of this from me.”

My brain spins trying to understand. “But that doesn’t make sense. Why would they search by the river when they’ve been through those woods ten times already?Weeksago.”

“I have no idea.” He throws up his hands. “I don’t have any details. So let’s pretend we never talked about this and get some food at your place instead. I’m starving.”

Dozens of thoughts tumble through my mind all at once. Lola’s been gone for five weeks, almost to the day, and in that time I’ve watched the investigation shift from worry that she ran away to a full-blown Amber Alert–style missing person investigation. The police pulled out all the stops. They set up roadblocks throughout the county, shoved her photo into the hands of every local news station, and posted all over social media. They’ve searched everywhere, starting at the boat launch where she was last seen, growing their radius based on tips and possible sightings until, eventually, their leads dried up.

Why would they double back to ground zero with a search party? It didn’t make any sense. I mean, do they think Lola’s been foraging by the water’s edge, waiting to be found?Oh hey guys, thanks for coming, I was getting really sick of tree bark and algae water.

The only way she’d still be at the river is if—

I take a step back.

They’re not looking forLola.

They’re looking for her remains.

It feels like the fliers in my hands are about to burst into flames.

“…and it’s a great day for hilachas, amiright?”

I blink; Max has been talking this whole time. “What?”

He groans. “Surprise, surprise, you’re not paying attention. Just…come back to your house with me, okay? You’re not allowed to be down there anyway, and the alternative is food. Let’sgo.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Max’s hands flap around. “This is a monumentally bad idea.”

I make a beeline for my car and pretend I can’t hear him. I climbinto my dented white Isuzu Trooper and chuck the fliers onto the passenger seat. They don’t matter as much as they did ten minutes ago. I have a new mission.

I put the Trooper into gear as my passenger door flings open. Max’s tall, lanky self jumps in, rocking the entire SUV as he slams the door.

“Are you insane? I was about to hit the gas!” I yell at him.

“Good. I’m just in time then.” He buckles in and flips his curls from his forehead. “I’m not letting you do this alone. Somebody has to keep your ass from getting arrested.”

I wonder how hard it would be to kick him out of the vehicle, but the determined look on his face and the grip he has on the oh-shit handle tells me he’s prepared for a sneak attack.

“You’re stuck with me,” he says. “If you want to creep, I’m creeping too. Let’s do this.”

“You’re annoying. You know that?” I turn back to the road and take off before I punch him. My aunt will have my ass if I harm one hair on his precious little head, and he knows it.

It only takes a few minutes to get to the edge of town, where the boat launch is, but the drive feels like it drags. I haven’t been within a mile of the river since Lola went missing, and it feels like sinking into a black hole of awful memories and pain the closer I get.

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