Page 22 of Hunting Pretty

“That doesn’t mean she ran away,” I insisted.

“That’s enough, Ava.” The commissioner’s voice grew hard, as if he’d entertained my delirium for long enough.

He sank back into his chair and counted on his fingers as he listed out all the reasons why I was wrong.

“There were no signs of forced entry, no signs of struggle, her car was found abandoned near Heuston station.”

The commissioner let out a sigh, his plump chin wobbling. “I’m sorry you can’t accept that Miss Byrne ran away, but those are the facts. Case closed.”

I stewed in my chair, my skin feeling itchy, my hands tightened into fists by my sides.

Liath didn’t run away.

She was taken.

I was wound up so tight that I jumped when Ebony placed her hand on my shoulder.

She shot me a gentle smile and I forced myself to relax.

“Ava, darling, do you have any evidence that something happened to Liath other than her running away? Other than your gut feeling?”

Stupid, Ava, of course. Why didn’t I think of it before?

“Yes!” I snatched my carryall leather Hermès bag off the floor and rummaged through it.

Half-empty pill bottles and scrunched-up notes rattled around against the soft goatskin leather lining.

God, I needed to clean out this bag.

I pawed through a side pocket. There!

I pulled out my phone and set it on the dean’s desk. “Liath left me a voice message the day of her disappearance. And I have never heard her so terrified.”

The dean pushed aside his papers and sleek laptop and leaned forward on his elbows. Even the commissioner leaned forward in his chair.

Finally, I had their attention.

I opened up my saved voicemails and lined up her voicemail.

“Here, she was being… well, listen for yourself.”

I pressed play and sat back, folding my arms and glancing expectantly between the three faces all peering down at my glittery pink phone.

My speaker crackled.

But that’s all it did.

Just seconds of crackling.

I frowned and sat back up. “Hang on, maybe I didn’t line up the audio properly.”

I grabbed my phone, pressing buttons, refreshing and playing it again.

Again, the speaker just let out a long crackling noise.

“No!” I stabbed at the buttons now, my fingers mashing against the glass. “Her message… it was here. I swear it.”

“Ava…” Ebony’s hand fell upon my arm.

---