Julian''''''''scasewasswiftlycssifiedasasuicide.
Nosurprise,giventheevidence.
Thesurveigeclearlyshowedhimenteringthehauntedhousealohespotwherehe''''''''dfallenheldonlyhisfootprintsandthoseofafewmaintenanceworkers,allwithairtightalibis.
Noonemourheodd,quietmanthey''''''''dniamedQuasimodobehindhisback.Thefilewasclosedwithoutceremony.
YetoailgLulikeasplinterlodgeddeepbehhisskiimateenter"betweenJulianandReyarightbeforehisdeath.
Hecouldn''''''''t—wouldn''''''''t—believethegirlhe''''''''draisedwithsuchcarewouldeverlowerherselfto...that.Thethoughtalonemadehisstomaot.
AndReya?Gohoutatrace.
AsforLinisan,theerwhohadstumbledonthem—herterstatementsunraveledintowild,iramblingsabout"drainedbodies"and"monstersinbearsuits."Thepolicedismissedherasunstable,escherhomewithareferraltosocialservices.Afterall,apregnantwomaionneededsupport,notsuspi.
Caseclosed.
ButforLu,thequestioered.
SpecialAgentMa''''''''amLeehadsealedawayeverything—everyframee,everyscrapofdataontheSilverRingandCocases—boxed,stamped,andcartedoff.
Eventheofficersreviouslybeeouttovisitthefamiliesofthegirlsassaultedbythesetwomenwerequietlyrecalled.
Luwasn''''''''tsurprised.
Thefathersofthetwodeadboyshadclearlyweighedtheiroptions:pursuingjusticemeantexposure,andexposuremeantsdal.Notjusttheirsons''''''''reputatiedthroughthemud,buttheirownfailuresasfathersandguardiansidbare.Worseyet,thepoliticalfallout.Asinglewhiffofnegligencecouldtopplecareers.
Powerandmoneyhadawayofrecalibratinggrief.
Whatwasason,intheend?
Arepceablevariable.
Wivesmightscreamandweep,buttheywerejustasdisposable.Therewerealwaysyounger,prettierwomenwillingtobearfreshheirsforthem.
Thecasehadn''''''''tbeensolved.
Ithadbeenerased.
Junreceivedthecalljustashestoodoutsideoim''''''''shome.Theoutreachoperationwasceled.Hewastoreturntothestatioely.
Thetimingwasalmostmerciful.Thegirl''''''''sparentswereclearlywantedhimgone.
Hekhetruth:theirdaughter''''''''sinnocewasalreadyshattered,hertraumacarveddeep.Furtherquestioningwouldonlyreopenwoundsandsaltthemwithshame.
Theyhadn''''''''tevehimfinishspeaking.Ahandhadsnatchedthepamphletontraumaselors,eyesfligtothestate-fueatthebottom.Theirfacesweretight,pihangerandhumiliation.Thedoorhadsmmedbeforehecouldexpin.
Junlihehall,thedismissalpressingdownonhimlikeaweight.
Bythetimehesteppedoutoftheapartmeheexhaustionofthepastweekshadsettledintohisbones.
Hehadseentoomuch.
Someparentshadderightthattheirdaughterswerevictims,asthoughsilencecouldbleachawaythestain.Others—worse—hadaskedfirstaboutpensation,theireyessharpwithcalcutioninsteadofgrief.Asifsufferingcouldbetallied,priced,aledlikeabill.
Itwasabitterawakening.
Junhadgrownupprivileged—goldenspoonandall—surroundedbywealthandpolishedmanners.Evenincriminology,hehadstudiedmonstersintheory,notthequiet,everydaycrueltyofordinarypeople.
NowheuoodwhyveteranslikeLucarriedadifferentedge.They''''''''dlivedintheunderbelly,wheredesperationarippedhumanitybareandtwisteditintosomethingunreizable.
Forthefirsttime,Junwonderedifhetrulybelohislineofworkatall.
Junwashalfwaytohisparkedcarwhenafliovementfrozehiminpce—afamiliarsilhouette.
There,inadingyroadsideesediner,satReya.
Sheworeafloral-printdresspletelyunlikeherusualstyle,hunchedoverasteamingbowlofbeefnoodlesasifshehadeninweeks.
Theentirepolicedepartmenthadbeenteariyapartforher,psteringmissingpostersoneveryer,andhereshewas,slurpingnoodleslikeitwasanyordinaryafternoon.
Junshovedthedooropen.Theownerbarelylookedupfromwipingtables."Sitwherever."
JunwalkedstraightovertoReya''''''''stable.
"Reya,"hehissed,keepinghisvoicelow,"wherethehellhaveyoubeen?Doyouhaveanyideahowworriedyourdadis?He''''''''slosinghismind."
Theowner''''''''sheadlifted,gossippracticallywrittenacrosshisface,ragfrozenmid-wipe.
Reyadidn''''''''tevenpause.TheKFChadbeenajoke—barelyaizer—anddigestingtwomen''''''''sessencehadleftherravenous.Noodlesdangledfromherlipsasshegesturedzilyattheseatacrossfromher.
Jundraggedoutachairandsatacrossfromher.Theownershuffledover,tossedhimastickyminatedmenu.
HewasabouttowaveitawaywhenReyagncedup,cheeksbulgingwithnoodles.
"Anotherbowl,"Shemumbledaroundamouthful,brothdrippingdownher.
Junsighed."AndacupofHongKong-stylemilktea,"headded,passingthemenuback.
Hewatchedhertearthroughthefoodlikeananimalhalf-starved.Knowingshewouldn''''''''tailshewasdohistongueandwaited.
Onlyaftershepushedtheseptybowsideandwipedherlipskininmockrefididhetryagain.
"Wherethehellhaveyoubeenthesepastfewdays?Andhowdidyouenduplikethis—starving?"
Reya''''''''sgazelihegreasytabletop,sileretguntilhisskinprickled.
"Iwenttomeetsomeoonline."
Jun''''''''sbrowsshotup."Youdisappearedfordaystomeetsomestranger—withouttellingLu?Doyouevenrealizehowmanymissingpersonflyershesignedoffonforyou?"
Sheshrugged,idlywatacuticle."IfI''''''''dtoldhim,hewouldn''''''''thaveletmego."
"Becauseit''''''''sdangerous!"Hishandtwitchedtowardthecuffsathisbelt—nottoarresther,buttoshakeseoher."Yirl—whatifsomethinghadhappeoyou?Assault,traffig,orworse—"
"Butnothingdid."Shefshedasmilethatdidn''''''''treachhereyes."See?I''''''''mfine."
"Fine?"Junexhaledsharply,hisgazeshiftingtothetwoemptybowlsoable."Youcallthisfiarvingyourselflikethis?Whatthehellreallyhappened?"
Fortunately,Junwasalwaysoutonfieldassigsandhadn''''''''tbeeninvolvedinJulian''''''''scase.IfhehadlearhatJulianhadhookedupwithReyabeforehisdeath,hemight''''''''vestarteddoubtiyitself.
Reyahesitatedjustlongenoughtomakeitseemreal,thencarefullyrecitedtheexpnationthewomanhaddrilledintoher,wordforword:"Iwenttothehotelweagreedon,buthenevershowedup.Ispentallmycashontheroom,soIdidn''''''''thaveanythiforfood."
Junpihebridgeofhisnose,speechless.
"Thenwhythehelldidn''''''''tyoujustgohome?"
Aflickeroftritioncrossedherface—sobriefitcould''''''''vebeengenuine.Sheleanedforward,lhervoicetoaspiratorialwhisper.
"Jun...pleasedon''''''''ttellmydad."Herfingersshreddedthenapkinintoribbons,hereyeswidewithpitifulinnoce."He''''''''llskinmealiveifhefindsout.IknowImessedup.IswearIwon''''''''tdoitagain."
"Youreallythinkthisstayhidden?"Junscoffed,thoughhistonehadalreadysoftenedagainstherpleadinggaze."He''''''''sbeenaigatorhisentirelife.Youthinkyoufoolhim?"
Reya''''''''slipscurvedinthefaismile,almostinvisible.
"Idon''''''''tofoolhim.Just...don''''''''ttellhimIwenttomeetsomeonefromohat''''''''sall."
BeforeJuncouldretort,awailofsirenssplittheair.Firetrudsquadcarstorepastthediner''''''''sgreasywindows,theirlightsstrobingacrossReya''''''''sfaviolentfshesofredandblue.