Page 35 of The Guilty One
Late Saturday night, police responded to reports from students that they believed their classmate was missing from his dorm. It is now confirmed police are looking for senior Matteo Acri. No word yet on what police believe to have happened or if they believe Acri may be in danger. This is a developing story. Anyone with any information is encouraged to call the Dublin County Police Department.
I read the article two more times, trying to make sense of it, then search Matteo Acri’s name on its own, hoping to discover a report that he was found alive and well, but the search turns up nothing. No updates were ever posted, which likely means he was never found.
I close my laptop with a heavy sigh.
Five friends. Two are dead. Two are missing. It can’t be a coincidence any longer…can it?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TATE
Day of Disappearance
I’m itching to check my phone, though it’s still at the office. This time I tucked it into my desk drawer, so Dustin won’t find it.
“We have to move the body,” Dakota says, drawing me out of my thoughts as he picks at the fries on his plate.
It’s the most ridiculous plan I’ve ever heard. “Are you kidding me?”
“If someone knows what we did, if Aaron snitches, if the cops come around asking questions, we have to be able to deny it. If he can point the police right to the body, how on earth are we going to do that?”
“It’s been more than twelve years. How much of a body would even be left?”
“Enough to send you to prison.” His voice is firm and matter-of-fact. It sends chills down my spine.
“How would we even get on to campus without anyone noticing? And then dig up a grave? It’s impossible. No. No way. It’s too risky.”
He dips a fry in ketchup and pops it into his mouth. “Leaving it where we left it, where other people know where it is, is too risky. Anything else is playing it safe.”
I scowl at him, my gaze searing into his. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you wanted me to get caught. That you’re trying to set me up.”
He laughs, rolling his eyes. “Dude, I’m literally offering to help you. I don’t know what else you want from me.”
“Why are you trying to help me?” I ask. “We both know it’s not out of the kindness of your heart.”
He has the decency not to look offended as he says, “I’ve moved on from everything that happened back then. I’ve tried to forget it and build a good life. From what I can tell, you have too. I’ve been the one trying to get us back together. We were friends, and maybe the rest of you don’t care, but I do. That night doesn’t ruin all the rest of it, does it?”
“Of course it does.” I drop my hands flat on the table. “Of course it does. I can’t just pretend it didn’t happen.”
“Fine.” He’s angry now, but so am I. We’re just too different. We always have been. “But either way, we’re in this together. And the only way we can be sure we can leave this behind is if we move the body and hide any last evidence. If whoever is behind all of this doesn’t know where the body is, they have no proof of anything. Just their word against ours.” I know he means Aaron, know he still thinks this is all his doing, but I don’t. I still can’t believe Aaron would do anything like this. I can’t believe he’d kill Bradley, that he’d follow and try to scare Dakota. He may be afraid, but he isn’t a monster. Once, we were his brothers. Even after all this time, that means something.
But either way, and regardless of how I feel, Dakota is right. The only way to know for sure we’re safe, is to get rid of any evidence that could be used against us.
“Okay, I have a plan.”
He leans forward. “Hit me with it.”
“We’re going to swap vehicles,” I tell him.
Apprehensively, he shakes his head. “What are you talking about? Why?”
“Because you’re being followed,” I remind him. “If we take your truck there, someone could follow us and see what we’re doing.”
A muscle in his jaw twitches. “So we’ll take your car and leave my truck in a parking lot somewhere.”
“No. It’s too risky. What if someone sees us both get into my car?”
He leans forward against the table, pinning me with a hard stare. “What if someone sees us swapping cars? It’s the same amount of risk.”