Hooked on You: An Annapolis Harbor Series Prequel, Lea Coll [love letters to the dead .txt] 📗

out of my mouth. “Why did you look guilty when I asked you about it?”

She looked resigned—like I probably did speaking to Ms. Glover. I’d determined Taylor was guilty before I’d walked in my office and I didn’t want to examine too closely why that was. “Because I do talk to family services for my job.”

“Did you tell them about Zach?”

She looked away.

“You did, didn’t you?” I should have felt a surge of happiness that I was right but all I felt was defeated.

“I asked for her advice, but I never mentioned any names.”

“I don’t want to hear any more. You don’t know anything about how I grew up, how it is for people like Zach. You don’t go to family services; you don’t report your business to them.” Why hadn’t she listened? “It makes everything worse.”

Both of us were quiet for a moment and then she asked, “What do you think happened? I talked to social services, named Zach as a person who needs assistance, and what, the family services lady talked to Lizzie, and—?”

“What if Lizzie told her I was a predator like she did when we confronted her? She felt backed into a corner and retaliated with the worse thing she could think of. The one thing the social worker would have to investigate.”

“Did she?” she asked quietly.

“I don’t know. Ms. Glover wouldn’t tell me. All I know, is I never should have trusted you.”

“We don’t even know what happened. I never mentioned Zach or Lizzie’s names so whatever happened, it wasn’t me.” When I remained silent, she added, “When you grow up, call me, okay?”

She turned to walk away but stopped at the door. “Actually, don’t call me. I don’t want to hear from you.” She opened the door and walked through without looking back.

I should have felt some relief that I now knew the truth, but I didn’t because I wasn’t sure what the truth was. I felt badly for how I had talked to her. How I’d accused her. How I’d barely let her get a word in. But the truth was she admitted talking to family services. Was I supposed to believe she hadn’t named Zach?

Why did I want to run after her? Why did I want to soothe her? I dropped down onto the couch and rested my head in my hands. Her words ricocheted through my head: I never mentioned Zach or Lizzie’s names… so who had?

Chapter Twenty-Six

TAYLOR

I walked out of Gabe’s office in a daze, weaving through the crowd of people, until I finally reached the hot and humid air outside. Every word out of Gabe’s mouth was a blow. I had a difficult time drawing a deep breath. My fingers shook as I tried to pull up the Uber app to summon a driver. All I could process was this need to escape—to get as far from Gabe as possible.

After a few minutes, the door behind me opened.

“He fucked up.” The gruff voice came from behind me. I turned to find Isaac leaning against the wall of the bar assessing me.

“You could say that.” I turned back to the street, my shoulders tense, as I waited for my ride. White-hot rage coursed through my body as I replayed his accusations. How could he believe I’d do such a thing? The fact that I talked to the social worker but only in generic terms made me feel guilty, but I hadn’t technically done anything wrong. I hadn’t named names, offered addresses, nothing. There’s no way this came back to me. But I still felt slightly ill for saying anything to Angela. Had I betrayed him? Gabe’s sense of right and wrong, loyalty and betrayal, was a solid black line which I’d likely crossed.

My phone buzzed with my mom’s name. Why was she calling so late at night? Unless— “Mom?” I asked in a panicked voice as I answered.

Her stricken voice carried through the phone so loud I had to hold it away from my ear. “It’s Caleb. He got out. We can’t find him.”

“How long ago?” I asked, desperate for the Uber driver to arrive.

“Since this morning.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” I knew I should stop. I shouldn’t be berating my mother when Caleb was still missing.

“I didn’t know if you had any ideas where he might go. Did you used to take him anywhere special?”

“I used to take him down to the harbor and we’d sit on one of the benches overlooking the water. He loved that but I can’t think of anywhere else. What can I do? Should I come home?” I wanted to search for the next flight home. Caleb needed me. My parents needed me. My first trial wasn’t for a few more weeks. No one would miss me. I could say it was a family emergency.

“No. You have that new job. I’ll let you know when we find him. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Is everything okay?” Isaac moved to stand in front of me.

I stiffened. I wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about what happened with Gabe. “Shouldn’t you be at the bar?”

“Gabe took over so I could take a break.”

I stiffened at Gabe’s name. I wasn’t far enough away from him. Not as far as I needed to be. “He’s not used to this—being in a relationship—trusting someone. There’s bound to be some hiccups,” Isaac said.

I snorted. “It’s more than a hiccup.” He’d accused me of my worst fear—leaving Caleb behind because I was selfish. He’d accused me of replacing Caleb with Zach and it wasn’t far from worries I’d had myself. Had I come here for freedom—for a break from the responsibility of caring for Caleb, only to replace it with caring for Zach? And if so, why was I here? Shouldn’t I be in Maryland with Caleb?

My phone buzzed with the notification that my Uber was here. Perfect timing. “I need to go.”

Isaac’s hand gently grabbed my elbow. “I hope everything’s okay with your brother.”

I stiffened even more. “What do