And with that, I turn around and leave Brooklyn alone to take in what I just proclaimed. I take out my phone from my pocket and dial Rob’s number.
After three rings he picks up, “Hey, man, what’s up?”
“I need to see Craig. Do you know where he is?”
I hear him choke a little, “Wait, what? Craig…Raya’s step-father?”
“Yes, the bastard who killed her mother. Do you know where he is?”
“Duke, listen to me, why are you doing this? Isn’t it time to let go? It’s over, man.”
I growl through the phone, “No, it’s never over until I know she’s safe! Now, stop being an ass. Do you know where Craig is being held?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“I need to talk to him about something.”
“What?! Listen, Duke, the authorities already got their statements from him. Besides, what good will it do?”
“I realized today that Craig was hiding something. I don’t know what, but I’m going to find out. I need to get in there and talk to him. Now, will you help me or not?”
Rob sighs, “Okay, I’ll make a few calls. I might have my boss get in touch with the prosecutor and find out where he’s located. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.”
“Okay, thanks, bro.”
“I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“Trust me, she’s worth it.”
Duke
I groggily turn on the water in the shower and step in, bringing my sleepy body to life. I lather my hair with shampoo and prepare myself for the day. It’s going to be a rough day but I need to strive through it. My goal is to find her and I won’t ever stop.
As I soap my body, I imagine her laughter echoing in the bathroom. Just hearing it makes me smile. No matter what I’m doing, she finds a way to creep into my thoughts. She absolutely haunts me, in and out of my dreams. Her brilliant and dazzling smile melts my heart as I image holding her in my arms. She fits perfectly in my grasp—absolutely fucking perfect.
I remember our time at prom, dancing along to the music. She was so happy, happier than I’d ever seen her before. I would do anything to give her that happiness again. Her sparkly, purple dress flows along her stunning body and sways along to the beats of the music. As I caress her arms, I feel goose bumps crawl over her skin. She giggles softly and rests her head on my shoulder as we sway to the song.
Stepping into the water, I wash the soap from my body. I close my eyes and all I see are hers, staring right back at me. No matter how many times I remember them, they always capture my attention. They are completely and utterly breathtaking.
Thinking about her causes unwanted feelings of anger and regret to fill my mind. I shake them away, shut off the water, and step out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around my mid-section, I head into my bedroom to get changed. I lay out a nice pair of jeans with a nice white short-sleeve polo.
As I pull the shirt on, my phone starts to ring. I walk toward my dresser to see who’s calling me and see Rob’s name illuminate the screen.
I quickly press the green button, “Hello?”
“Hey, I know where he is.”
“Well, that only took a day. Where is he?”
“He’s at Auburn.”
“Auburn? What’s that…about a five hour drive?”
“Give or take. You’ll need to call ahead to confirm visiting hours and all you need is your photo ID.”
“Okay, let me grab a pen, hold on.”
I rush downstairs to grab a pen and paper and jot down the number. Rob offers to come with me but I tell him I’d rather go alone. He wishes me luck and hangs up the phone.