Page 22 of The Missing Half

“Sorry, I—” He lets out a ragged breath, runs a hand down his face. “I know Kasey was your family, but we loved her too. Me and Sandy.” It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve seen his cheerful façade drop. It’s the most I’ve liked him in years. “This is all just…unexpected. What’s the name again?”

“Steve McLean.”

“I…I don’t know. It doesn’t sound familiar.”

“The police knew about him.”

Brad’s chin juts back. “They did?”

I nod.

“They had his name?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t know,” he says. “Not that I would. Your dad was the one who kept me in the loop, so I only knew what he told me. But you talked to Wyler about it?”

“I got his voicemail. I’m going to.”

He frowns. “How’d you get McLean’s name, then?”

“I talked to Kasey’s friend from high school, Lauren Perkins. They worked together in the record store that summer. Apparently, she gave Wyler McLean’s name during the investigation.”

“She’s Joe and Bitsy’s kid?”

“Yeah.”

“Well,” he says, “if she gave them his name, they must’ve looked into him, right?”

“Then why wouldn’t they have told us about him?”

Brad shrugs. “Maybe it was a dead end?”

“But even if it was, shouldn’t they have told us about leads like that? I mean, they basically just kept us in the dark the whole time.”

“I know.” His voice is thick with pity. “Maybe they were trying to spare your family if they didn’t think it was a good lead? To be honest, Nic, I never got the feeling the police were hiding anything. I always thought their lack of updates was because they just had so little to go on. You know, they had her car a hundred and fifty miles away. They didn’t have prints or anything stolen. It was like she disappeared into thin air.”

That’s what people always say about my sister—hell, it’s what I always say—and for years it’s what I’ve let myself believe, because it’s easier to swallow than the truth. If the impossible happened, it would’ve been equally impossible to prevent. But though she may have gone missing without a trace, one thing I know for sure is that bodies don’t just disappear. Kasey is out in the world somewhere, waiting to be found.

There’s a knock behind me, and I jump, turning to see the door already opening.

“Brad?” I recognize the voice before I see its owner. “Oh, sorry to interrupt—” Sandy begins when she sees that Brad isn’t alone, but then her eyes land on me. “Nic!”

Her warm smile melts something inside my chest, the way it always does. When it was clear Kasey wasn’t coming home, my mom left, and Sandy slipped seamlessly into the role. Tonight, she’s wearing black leggings and a blue T-shirt, her honey-colored hair pulled back into a ponytail. In her hands is a Tupperware filled with what looks like brownies.

“Hey, Sandy.”

She walks over and pulls me into a hug.

“Hey, hon,” Brad says. “Am I late?” Then, to me: “My car’s in the shop so Sandy’s been driving me to and from work. I was supposed to be outside waiting.” He gives me an exaggerated look:oops.

“I figured you lost track of time,” Sandy says. “So I decided I’d come in and get you. I wanted to get rid of these anyway.” She lifts the Tupperware in her hands. “Thought I’d leave them here for the staff. I don’t know why I still make brownies when there’s just the two of us to eat them…What are you guys chatting about that has you both here late?”

I’m opening my mouth to tell her—I can ask her about McLean too—when Brad says, “Oh, just work stuff. Nothing exciting.”

Sandy looks from him to me. Over her shoulder, I catch his eye, and he gives me a pleading look that I understand. Kasey’s disappearance isn’t a topic that’s easy for any of us. “Yeah.” I nod. “Work stuff.”

“Well, I’m glad I’m seeing you, Nic. I’ve been meaning to have you over for dinner. It’s been too long.”

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