The Key Chased the Blade

For the next week, Simon and I researched the list of people Tyler and Alex gave us. We profiled the kids based on what they did in school and any other information we could harbor from the net and their Facebooks. We also, however, kept a sharp eye on Bryce Hensley. The more we focused on him, though, the more worried I got.

It turned out after laborious cyber-stalking and real-life stalking, Bryce lived on a farm. He had about ten chickens and sheep and stuff like that. Not only did this information bug the hell outta me, it made Simon paranoid. He'd get all jittery sometimes and I'd have to wait and give him coffee until he settled down. It still didn't stop him from being stressed out, though.

John didn't return either. Rico would update me on the status at home and he said I could probably come back. Dad wasn't so sure and said to stay another day or two. None of my family knew where John was and I didn't tell them that I'd seen him. The police could find no trace of him at all.

I was worried. I was more worried than I had ever been in my entire life. Suddenly I wasn't worried about being able to find the murderer, I was worried about catching him. I was worried about how we were going to go about that. How did people do that? In movies they just tackled the guy to the ground and the scene switched over to the bad guy in prison. But that didn't happen in real life.

But Friday came and Alex came over to get me.

Simon wouldn't stop bugging the hell outta me.

"Someone's going on a daaaaate!" Simon sang.

"Shut up!" I shoved him. He just eyeballed me. I'd kind of dressed up for this; I actually wore the dress Mrs. O'Neill bought me. "You're never going to let me live this down, aren't you!?"

"Nope. And I won't forget about it in a week either."

"I will do horrible things to you. I know when you are at your weakest."

"Sure, sure." Simon cackled. "You couldn't hurt a fly, and much less me."

"Shove it. Are you going to be alright with me gone? If there's any sign of a new clue, you'll call me, right?"

"Of course. But for now, forget it. You're going to be a normal person and go on a normal date with a normal boy, okay? You're not going to worry about psychotic killers."

"Easier said than done-"

Then the doorbell rang.

Simon gave me his stupid dorky grin.

"I will destroy you. I will kill you in your sleep." But Simon was already pushing me to the door. I felt my face flame and turned the handle. Simon booked it. Alex appeared in front of me.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."

I was ready for the world to end. He was dressed a little different than he usually did. He was wearing normal clothes rather than a track outfit, but he still had his douchey baseball cap though. He shifted it to the side. That shy smile was on his face. "You look nice," he said.

My face turned even hotter. "Thanks."

"Shall we go?" he asked. He offered me his arm like one of those freaking Prince Charmings and I was a fairytale princess.

"Yeah. Let's go." I took his arm, which was surprisingly strong, and he led me away.

Simon was right, though. I wouldn't even have time to worry about psychotic killers with this boy.