"Do you have any other security cameras?"
"One by the patio door," Brooklyn answered, drawing everyone's attention to her. "I'm pulling it up now. The camera doesn't pick her up. It doesn't show anyone coming near the back door."
"Well, at least we know she was at the front of the house," Ben said.
"We already knew that. I told you that," Gage said impatiently. "But where did she go?"
"That's what we have to figure out." Ben turned to Sean and Eileen. "I assume neither of you spoke to Kelsey after she was dropped off last night. Did anyone see Gage last night after eleven?"
"Why the hell are you asking them that?" Gage demanded.
"Just trying to get a timeline. Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick? Carter?" he added.
Sean's lips tightened. "Eileen and I were in bed."
"I heard Gage go into his room," Carter said. "But I didn't see him or speak to him."
"What time was that?"
"I wasn't looking at the clock," Carter replied.
"This is ridiculous, Ben," Gage interrupted. "We need to search for Kelsey."
Gage's words were another echo from the past, but there had been different people in our living room ten years ago. Drake and his parents and Sheriff Tom Ryan, Ben's father, had come to the house to see me, to find out what I knew, but I knew nothing.
Ben's father had failed to find Melanie. His son couldn't fail us now.
"We will look for Kelsey," Ben said with an air of calm that I appreciated, because panic was ripping through me. "She hasn't been missing very long. Is it possible she went to see a friend last night and just hasn't come home yet?"
"I called Trina, Dahlia, and Rachel," Carter said. "They haven't talked to her since the bonfire."
"I also called Jenny, Gabby, and Preston," Gage added. "They haven't heard from her, either. Nor have any of my friends."
"Maybe Kelsey wanted some space," I said. "She seemed tense about the wedding yesterday."
Everyone's gaze turned on me, some of their expressions accusatory, as if I'd said something damning.
"What are you talking about, Willow?" Brooklyn demanded. "Kelsey was happy about everything."
"I agree," my mother said. "She's been giddy since she got to the island. Did she say something to you, Willow?"
"Not specifically. It was just a feeling I had." I turned to Carter. "You and Kelsey had an argument on the ferry yesterday morning. What was that about?"
Carter stiffened with surprise. "We weren't arguing. We were just talking."
"About what?" Gage asked. "Was Kelsey upset about something, Carter?"
"Yeah, she was pissed off that you missed the morning ferry. I had to calm her down. Once you got here, that changed. She seemed fine to me at lunch and at the bonfire."
"She was fine," my mom said forcefully, as if she needed to believe that. "When she was dancing with Gage on the beach last night, she was glowing. You misread her, Willow."
"Maybe I did. Or maybe I'd rather believe that Kelsey just took a walk or went to stay at the hotel or something, because the alternative is too…frightening."
A hush descended over the room at my words. They'd suddenly realized my suggestion that Kelsey just needed a break was actually the best idea, not the worst.
"This isn't like before," Brooklyn said desperately. "It can't be."
"Let's take it one step at a time," Ben said. "We'll ping her phone. See if we can track down her movements. I'll have deputies check the beaches and trails around this property. We'll also check the ferry. A boat left the island this morning at eight a.m. It's possible Kelsey was on it."
"She didn't leave. She wouldn't run out on our wedding," Gage said. But there was an uncertainty in his eyes now.
"No, she wouldn't do that," Eileen Chadwick told her son. "She loves you, honey. There has to be an explanation. I think she must have a friend you haven't thought about yet. Someone she went to see last night or early this morning. Maybe one of the local girls she used to see when she was here in the summer."
I couldn't imagine who else Kelsey would have gone to see. I'd rather think she got on the morning ferry. If she had run out on the wedding, then maybe we could all get off this damn island.
"Are there any vehicles missing?" Ben asked.
"No," my father replied. "I already checked the garage."
"All right. If you hear from Kelsey or think of anything else, call me," Ben said.
Gage was shaking his head impatiently before Ben finished speaking. "Dammit, Ben. You're as slow talking and acting as your father. You need to move faster."
"We'll do everything we can to find her," Ben said evenly.
"What about a search party?"
"We'll get into that when I get back to the station. I'll be in touch."
As Ben and the other officer left the room, there was a chilling silence, and then everyone started talking at once. Carter and Gage were going to check the paths down to the nearest beaches themselves. My father and Sean would drive around town. My mom and Eileen would talk to the neighbors. Brooklyn would start making calls to form a volunteer search party, since no one wanted to wait for what was probably an understaffed sheriff's office to take charge of all that.
Within minutes, I was left alone in the living room, wondering what I should be doing. As usual, I'd been left out of the plans. I should join in some search. I should call someone. But I couldn't seem to move. I still wanted to believe I was dreaming. I pinched my arm as hard as I could, and the pain drove away that foolish idea. I wasn't asleep. I was awake, and my reality now was as bad as it had been ten years ago.
Back then, I hadn't known what to do, either. I'd spent most of my time crying and feeling helpless. That had done nothing to help Melanie. Nor had it helped me. Falling apart wouldn't get me anywhere. It certainly wouldn't save my sister.
I went back upstairs. Kelsey's bedroom door was open. I walked into her room. Her open suitcase was on a bench at the end of the bed. It was still at least semi-packed. I could see her wedding dress hanging in the closet in a white garment bag.
The bed was perfectly made, with a half-dozen pillows on it. She definitely had not slept in this bed. There was a box marked favors on the desk and the big wedding binder that my mom had made with all the wedding information in it. I'd seen them going through it yesterday afternoon.
But there was nothing in this room that gave me a clue where Kelsey might be or what state of mind she was in.
I had to do something else. What?
A lot of the bases were covered, except one, and it suddenly seemed to be the most obvious one—Drake Maddox.
Ben had asked if Kelsey would go to anyone else on the island.
Would she have gone to Drake? Had Drake taken Kelsey to get someone in our circle to talk about Melanie?
Remembering how friendly Kelsey had been to Drake, it wasn't difficult to believe she'd get in his car, that she'd accept an invitation to hang out or get a drink. Maybe Drake had picked Kelsey up after Gage had dropped her off in front of the house.