I Still Hate You

Chapter 24

Ethan's POV

"What do you mean you can't do anything about it?" I shouted at the police officer even though I knew I shouldn't have.

"Sir, please, lower your voice," the officer said grimly. "As we said, we can't declare someone is missing until 48 hours had passed, especially when that someone is an adult male. He could be gone somewhere of his own accord and simply didn't tell you."

"I'm telling you. All of his stuff was left back at the hotel. I found his keys on the bathroom floor. Something must've happened to him. He had been kidnapped!" I declared.

"Let's not be rash," the officer tried to calm me down, but I wasn't going to listen.

It was the next day, and there was no sign of Corey. I tried to call his phone, but it went straight to voicemail. His coat was still at the hotel, which he never came back to collect. I contacted Ally, who hadn't heard from him either. She was now sitting next to me, worried sick while I'm trying to file a report.

"Look, I'm sorry for yelling. But this is serious. He didn't show up for work, and he wouldn't answer his phone," I said impatiently.

"He is right. Corey would never disappear on us like this," Ally said.

The officer sighed. "Alright. The detective assigned to your case will talk to you soon. We will see if we can find any evidence at the hotel so just sit tight."

There was no way I'd sit and wait. I had to find Corey. Who knows what kind of trouble he was in.

A thought came across my mind. What if that shithead Brian had something to do with Corey's disappearance? He never liked him, and he was angry about Corey being at the reunion.

After I finished, I headed to Brian's house. He got married to some girl in our school but was still living in this area, so finding where he lived wasn't too difficult. I hurried to his front door and knocked loudly. A blonde woman with an infant on her hip opened the door. She had a surprised expression on her face. She must be his wife. I tried to remember her name, but nothing came to my mind. I was too busy stressing over Corey.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Where is Brian?" I asked.

"He is not home," she said irritably, but the scowl on her face suddenly disappeared and was replaced with amazement. "Wait...aren't you Ethan Miller?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Yea...do I know you?" I asked.

"It's me! Millie Richard. Don't you remember me? I was in the cheerleading team," she said excitedly.

I looked at her closely. This was Millie? I remembered her looking less...tired. "Sorry, I didn't recognize you," I said.

"I get it. I'm not as young and thin as I used to look. I had a couple of kids, you see. But you look the same!" she looked me up and down.

I didn't have the patience to make small talks. I had to see Brian and ask him what he did to Corey. "I'm sorry, Millie. I want to stay and chat, but I need to see Brian. It's an emergency."

"Why don't you come inside and wait. He'll be home soon," she let me in and started to fuss with the baby. "I'll go feed the baby upstairs. You can wait here." She left me alone in the living room.

I looked around the house. Nothing seems amiss. It looked like an ordinary family home. Besides, I don't think Brian would kidnap Corey and bring him where his wife and kids lived. It'd be too dangerous for his family. Stupid too.

The door suddenly open and Brian walked in. "I'm ho-..." his words caught in his throat when he saw me standing in front of him. "What the hell are you doing here?" he barked.

I didn't say anything. Instead, I jumped on him and grabbed his collar. "Where the fuck is he?" I cried and pushed him against the wall.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" he squirmed in my hands.

"What did you do to my Corey?" I asked again.

"I didn't do anything to your buttbuddy. Jesus Christ! What the hell is wrong with you?" He pushed me off of him.

"He had been missing since the reunion last night. You did something to him, didn't you? Did you beat him up and throw him somewhere? Answer me!" I roared.

I heard footsteps coming from upstairs. Millie came downstairs with her eyes wide. "What is going on?" she asked.

"Nothing, sweetheart. Go upstairs and lock the door. Ethan and I had something to discuss," Brian ordered his wife.

"Should I call the cops?" Millie looked at me suspiciously.

"No. It's fine. Just shut your trap and go upstairs, goddammit!" Brian barked.

Millie didn't argue and headed upstairs. I guess Brian never stopped being a douchebag.

"Look, man. I don't like Corey, but I didn't do anything to him. I don't know where he is," Brian said.

I narrowed my eyes. "Why should I believe you?"

"I got family, alright? I got little kids. I can't afford to go to prison, so I didn't do anything bad to Corey. Just take my word for it," Brian said.

"What about your other buddies?"

"They have a family too. And they are not kidnappers. Are you sure he didn't leave by himself?" Brian asked. I didn't say anything and walked out of the house, feeling defeated. Brian looked like he was telling the truth.

My phone rang all of a sudden. I picked it up immediately after seeing who it was.

"Not now, Melissa," I barked.

"You might want to talk to me, Ethan. I think your friend Corey is in danger," Melissa said. Huh? How did she know Corey was missing?

"How did you..." I started to say, but she interrupted me.

"Ethan, I know who took Corey," she said in a hoarse whisper.

"You do! Where is he? Is he okay? Tell me now!" I screamed into the phone.

"I can't tell you like this. Please come back to the city, and I'll tell you all about it," she said frantically and hung up the phone.

Now, this was really starting to piss me off.