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th the law, underage drinking… otten into, they had her fingerprints They kneho she was The only thing they had to do noas have fa after that, things about plane tickets and details regarding my dad’s trip lost on irl who couldn’t possibly be my sister They made a mistake Royal told me he’d heard from her

He told me she was okay

I refused to absorb any of it, currently on the cusp of a breakdown in my bed For the umpteenth time, I atte out, the truth He’d have all the answers, and I kneould He cared about my sister He cared aboutto find out

“I’ure this out…”

A knock on ure lingered outside on the second level Broad and solid, a suited Royal Prinze hovered a hand to me, and I instantly rose from my bed He didn’t have to pull out his pocketknife this time to let his anymore

Disheveled, Royal was down to his dress shirt and pants, his tux coat in his hand as he worked his way through my bedrooing froly wilted I’d done that, my body when he picked me up frouts out on that lawn, lost in a daze of emotions He let me finish, but after, took etto the sheriff’s office, and my dad would meet us there

So much of that was a blur,slowed down until this very moment Royal was here He was here with the truth and finally things would slow He pulled hty es would be right Finally, he’d give otten

“Dad’s going downstate,” I told hi until his dress shirt cao ID the body But this is crazy It’s not Paige You heard from her You said she was okay Did you show the cops? Show the mistake”

She told hi, she was going away Iflike he said, all this other stuff wasn’t true Who they found couldn’t have been her The news had ed south by a train, and there’d been whispers at the precinct that the train came from this area but that couldn’t possibly be true It couldn’t be Paige She was leaving town

A finger rough and thick wiped away nored the red in his eyes, the visible presence of anything but hope, because this was all a big mistake

I talked again

“You told theed hi about Paige” This all was crazy and my dad would see that the irl they had wasn’t my sister After that, he’d probably sue the fuck out of soot on my sister’s social media accounts, found her pictures The ones the news had been showing all night caht fro to pay for this My sister isn’t dead, and they’re playing with my family”

Royal’s hand ca It appeared

“Royal…”

His gaze veered, eyes blinking He da ofe”

“Stop it”

He held ripped es, Dece Talked to the sheriff until I was blue in the face They told me she sent them before They told me…”

I shook, Royal bringing me close

“They found alcohol in her syste town They think she wandered there via the tracks They’re saying it was an accident—”

“No No No!” I s with my hands “You told me you heard from her You told me she was fine!”

“She was, December I swear to God She was fine, and she had not one lick of alcohol that night I know because…”

“Because what?”