Page 119 of I Will Ruin You

“Okay, okay,” Trent said. “Let’s go see if they know anything more.”

Together they went back outside, where Marta and officers in uniform were busily asking people for details of anything they might have seen. When Marta saw Bonnie, she ran over to her.

“We’ve got everyone looking for the truck,” she said. “We’re going to find him.”

“Why would someone take him?”

Marta shook her head. “I don’t know any more than you right now. Go home. The second I know anything, I’ll call you. I can find an officer to take you back—”

“I can take her,” Trent said.

“Great,” Marta said. She brought her sister in for a fast hug, then looked her in the eye and said, “I’m on this.”

Bonnie nodded tearfully, then accompanied Trent to his car. He opened the door for her, ran around and got behind the wheel.

“Your sister’s got everyone working this,” he told her, trying to find something reassuring to say.

“We’re not going home,” Bonnie said.

“Where—”

“We’re going to drive around. We might see them. We might see the truck.”

“Bonnie, we don’t even know what kind of truck it is, or the plate number, or—”

“Then take me home and I’ll drive around myself.”

Trent waited a moment, sighed, and said, “Okay.” He keyed the ignition and drove out of the school lot. “Where do you want to go first?”

“I have no idea. Just drive.”

“Got it.”

Trent said he’d already called his wife to let her know he was okay. News spread quickly and he needed to let her know right away that nothing had happened to him. But now that he was going to be roaming Milford with Bonnie for an undetermined amount of time, he wanted to give her another heads-up.

“Of course,” Melanie said, her voice coming out of the car’s speaker through the Bluetooth feature. “Bonnie, you’re there?”

“I’m here, Melanie.”

“I’m so sorry. This is so awful. Let me know when you find Richard.”

“Sure,” Bonnie said, her voice close to breaking.

Trent, glancing at Bonnie, said, “Gotta go, Mel. We’ll be in touch.”

They drove in silence for a moment, Bonnie’s eyes searching for pickup trucks, trying to make out who was behind the wheel when one passed. “Why don’t we take a spin through the downtown,” Trent said.

They explored Milford’s business district, then drove along Bridgeport Avenue, past the various car dealerships and the Taco Bell and the McDonald’s.

Neither of them had spoken for at least five minutes when Bonnie said, “I know what you’re thinking.”

Trent waited.

“You’re thinking this is a waste of time. They could be anywhere.”

“I wasn’t thinking that,” he said. “I’m prepared to keep driving around as long as you want, Bonnie. And if you hear from Marta, we’re already on the road, we can be wherever we have to be even sooner.”

Bonnie’s chin quivered. “Thank you.” She paused, then said, “Rachel.”