Dead of Summer - Page 127

All three kids visibly relax, and I look up as Shawn walks down the line of kids, brows knit together as he mouths numbers under his breath.

What a nice change to see one of them actually doing their damn job. Though as he gets closer and looks my way with knit-together brows and a grimace, I start to think that I’m not going to like whatever he has to say.

“Go back to the others, please?” I dismiss Melody, making sure to stay polite and casual. If Shawn’s going to tell me something I don’t want to hear, I’d prefer Mel isn’t around to hear my reply. She looks at Shawn, considering him, before nodding and speeding up to catch up with the rest of Redtail while I fall further behind.

It’s the smart move. Shawn frantically falls into step with me, running his hands through his dark hair. “Don’t freak out,” he tells me, his voice soft. “And don’t hurt me.”

“Did you tell another kid about a forbidden trail?” I ask sharply, unable to keep my disdain out of my voice. “Or, I don’t know, leave another knife out in your room for someone to find?” If this is my summer to nearly drown, it’s apparently Shawn’s to fuck up.

But the look of anguish on his face—like he’s a puppy I’ve punted across a field—makes me feel a little bad for him. I see Darcy glance back at us, indecision and turmoil warring on her face, but when her eyes fall on Shawn her shoulders stiffen and she picks up her pace as trail leader.

I would say it’s weird, but it’s Darcy. I expect nothing more from her and continually have to lower my expectations every time she shows back up at Crestview.

“I know this hasn’t been my best week, okay?” Shawn mumbles under his breath. “And I already feel like shit, Summer. You don’t have to rub it in.”

Oh, but I do. I absolutely want to rub it in when Emily is lying in a hospital bed and going to need surgery to fix her arm. And it’s all Shawn’s fault.

“But I need your help. So maybe save the judgment and self righteousness for a little later?” he requests, sounding nervous.

“What?” I can’t keep the withering, deadpan tone out of my voice, and my mouth quirks into a frown. “What could you possibly need my help with?”

“Carter is missing,” he murmurs, his voice dipping low. “He was here, now he’s not. I just counted, and re-checked. He’s missing, Summer. He was really torn up after yesterday. He talked about going to see the place Emily fell for some shit reason that I definitely should’ve listened to.” He rakes his fingers through his hair again as I come to a complete stop, eyes wide.

“One of the kids is missing?” I hiss. “And it’s taken you this long to spit that out?”

Shawn meets my eyes with his own wide, pleading gaze. “Help me find him? I don’t want him falling or getting hurt or…” he trails off, eyes closing. “I know I’ve messed up. But I want to find him before something happens. Darcy can take the others to the overlook while we search. That way, she has a good area to corral them in.”

His words make sense, and I glance at the line of kids getting further and further away from us and up the trail. Mel looks back at me, confused and wary, but I just twitch my fingers to make sure she stays with the group. While I’m sure Mel would be more helpful than Shawn, I don’t need to worry about another lost kid in the woods.

“Okay. Umm.” God, I don’t want to do this today. But adrenaline thrums in my veins as I look around, as if I’m expecting Carter to just pop out of the woods and declare that he was here all along. But, unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. “Where was the last place you saw him?”

“The river, I think?” Shawn replies, unsure. “I definitely saw him at the river, because he was helping one of my other campers on the rocks.” He bites his lip, glancing nervously around us.

But I hesitate, something in me unsure. “Tell me you aren’t lying,” I demand, unsure of where the words come from. “Tell me this isn’t some fucked up prank.”

“Prank?” Shawn’s brows shoot up and he looks around incredulously. “How could this be a prank? Do you think I have Carter hiding in the woods ready to jump out and scream ‘boo’ at you?” He sounds a little desperate. “If you’re not going to help me look for him, fine. I’ll get Darcy to help.” At that, Shawn turns, taking a few steps toward Darcy and the kids before I reach out and grab his arm.

“Wait. Wait, okay?” I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. I’m too tired for this. I want to just be done, go back to my cabin, and sleep. Or at least go get high with Kinsley and forget today and yesterday ever happened.

Well, most of it anyway. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to Kayde giving me the best kind of shivers in the tree last night, and then again when he’d carried me to my cabin and thrown me down onto my bed before falling down after me.

It really is criminal that he’s so good at everything, and somehow, I always end up getting less sleep than I want or need.

Leaving me cranky, tired, and sweaty in the woods.

“I’m sorry, Shawn.” The words grate in my throat, stinging like razor blades. “I’m just so tired, and so worn out from yesterday. I know you wouldn’t lie about this. That would be fucked up.” Even Shawn isn’t that bad.

I think.

“The river?” iIrepeat, barely considering his words except to map my way back to that part of the trail. “The last crossing of it?” The deeper one, naturally. Shawn nods and sets off at a fast walk with me beside him, both of us nearly jogging back to the river.

“I’m going to take the rocks.” Shawn gestures to an outcropping with tons of crevices and rocks that any kid could hide in. “Take the shore?”

I hesitate, but nod. The shore has brush and more rocks, and if Carter really wanted to, he could’ve ducked into one and lost us. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself, as I try to remember what Carter looks like or when the last time I saw him was.

Had I really not noticed a kid sneaking away from the others, or darting off into a hiding place, thinking he couldn’t be seen? I scan my memories of being here barely twenty minutes ago, a frown on my lips as Shawn breaks away to head to the rocks.

I must be off my game, and that makes this as much my fault as Shawn’s. I’m the one bringing up the rear, after all. How had I not noticed?