"Aaron, have you heard from Violet recently?" Amelia had called me to ask and I had no idea. I genuinely thought she was just avoiding me after what happened with Stacy. She'd gotten upset that I didn't want to pick up her friend from the hospital. I couldn't understand why, and when we did, she got upset that I had been rude to Stacy the entire time. It's not my fault that Stacy screwed you over... and you decided to forgive her?

I genuinely could have never done that.

And then I leave her for one day, just one day so I can visit Tyler like I had promised. And Violet was gone. Disappeared, gone from existence.

I tried calling her, checking any security footage, anything at all. I couldn't find her, and her mom didn't even know where she was. And then I decided that perhaps she needed some space from me.

Maybe she wasn't happy that I had figured out it was Joseph and this was her way of punishing me. She had said it was fine though.

It just didn't click. Violet was too mature to ignore people as a way of punishing them; that's child's play. She was always very blatant about what made her upset and wouldn't hesitate to call me annoying.

"No, I haven't. I've been trying to call, but she hasn't been at school and I don't know if she's okay." I said. That last line struck something deep within me because a roaring anger soaked my entire being. Was she okay? Was she alive? Did somebody hurt her?

I wondered if somebody had taken her. My only options were:

Amy, but I doubt she cared to kidnap Violet when she was dealing with so much. Speaking of, I would need to see how she was doing today. Also she has nothing against Violet as far as I knew so that rules her out completely.

Stacy, but I don't think she would hurt somebody who helped her in her time of need. Knowing Stacy's thoughts she was devastated by Jared's death and that's all that had been circling around in her mind since I last saw her and anytime I bumped into her at school. Automatically ruled out too; she couldn't do anything malicious enough.

Tyler and Trina were ruled out because I was with them the day Violet went missing.

Amelia wouldn't hurt her own daughter.

That left just two people: Joseph and Violet's father. I wondered if they had conspired together. I didn't know what Dooley would have against his own daughter; I hardly saw them together anyway.

So that narrowed it down to one person: Joseph.

"Okay Aaron, if you find her, let me know; I'm going to report her as a missing person to the police right now." Amelia said, she sounded distressed. I could only imagine the pain a mother feels when she loses her child because while I'm not Violet's mother, I was hurting too.

"Will do Mrs. V." I said, hanging up the phone and knowing exactly what I had to do.

I hopped in my car, memories of all the times Violet and I had stupidly hung out in here and laughed until our lungs couldn't hold air anymore. Three days was the longest we had been apart for months and I was worried exponentially. It wasn't like I was dependent on her presence, it was just the fact that we had grown so comfortable with each other. I would easily consider her my best friend.

I tried calling her again just to have the answering machine respond.

"The number you're trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message at the beep." And then a long beep played and I shut the phone off, running a hand through my hair.

Violet! Please be okay! I just want to know that you're okay!

Her phone clearly wasn't dead since it was still ringing for a while before sending me to voicemail. I was frustrated, worried, and scared shitless. This was the person I trusted and cared for deeper than anyone else on the planet; I was so afraid for her.

I pressed the dial number once again, surprised that she actually picked up.

"Violet! Thank God, I've been trying to reach you for three days! I checked your house and asked your mom and nothing! Where are you? Are you okay?" I asked, my voice panicky and nervous. I wanted to hear her voice and for her to tell me she was okay.

"Yeah, I'm fine. No worries." She whispered, her voice was quiet and shaky, it sounded dry and hoarse all at once; like she hadn't been drinking water. I could only imagine what she was going through and my mind went to the worst possible places.

"Woah there? Are you sure? Why does your voice sound like that? Can I stop by your house later? Everyone has been worried sick about you." I asked, wishing she would give me more than one sentence answers.

"No, I'm okay. Thanks for checking up on me." She whispered, her voice sounded like she was crying and it pulled at my heartstrings to know something was going on and I couldn't help her.

"You sound so tired... have you been sleeping lately?" I asked, hearing a loud machine rumbling in the background. I was so confused when she hung up, refusing to answer my question.

I backed out of my driveway and drove to Joseph's apartment. Perhaps he knew where my Violet was.

***

"What do you want?" His voice sounded cold from the other side of the door. I assumed he'd learned from last time when he didn't open the door wide open to strangers. My fist was itching to hit something.

"Where's Violet?" I asked, glaring at the peephole that I knew he was staring at me through.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" He asked. I groaned; because the last time I heard your thoughts, you said you were going to get revenge you fool. She did nothing; if you want revenge, take it up with the man who one-sidedly fought you: me.

"Look, buddy," I spat, "I don't have time to talk to you. Open to the door and tell me where she is." I said impatiently.

It's not like like this bulldozer can tear my door down anyway. He thought, I contemplated it for a second.

"I will, in fact, tear your door down if you don't let me in." I said as he froze.

What the hell? Did I say that out loud?

I decided to just push the door slightly so he would open it before breaking it down and having him sleep without a door for a few weeks, although, that certainly sounded appealing.

"No.... no wait! Stop! Just please don't hit me. I don't know what she told you! I didn't do anything." He said as he unlocked the door.

This was news to me, what had he done to her this time? I knew Violet hated playing the victim, yet here this man-child was trying to take the position that was rightfully hers. He was a monster.

"What are you talking about?" I asked as he unlocked the door. I stood at the doorway as his face changed.

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I asked, crossing my arms as I stared at him. I grew angrier by the second.

I got flashes from his mind. His anger was bursting at the seams as he appeared at Violet's house and as soon as she opened the door...

"I don't know where she is." He spoke, cutting off whatever thoughts had gone through his mind.

"You were at her house three days ago, right?" I crossed my arms as I stood in his doorway.

What the hell? How did he even know? She did tell him!

"So you were then?" I glared at him, "why were you there?"

He doesn't look as angry as he was last time. Maybe she didn't tell him. I didn't exactly plan to do anything to hurt her, I was angry.

"You hurt her?" Aaron could've had smoke puffing out of his ears and it wouldn't even be the half of how angry he looked.

"Dude, look, we were friends right. There's no reason to get mad. I didn't do anything." Joseph said as I glared at him.

"So why were you at her house?" I asked, hoping his thoughts would wander over to what actually happened and tell me, but he somehow managed to avoid thinking about it.

"Look. You came here asking for Violet. I don't know where she is and if she isn't telling you where she is, then maybe she doesn't want you to know." Joseph reached for the door to close it, but I stuck a hand between it. He didn't deserve a civil conversation. He was still walking around and no in prison where he belonged and I would ensure that it was where he ended up.

I decided to take another approach and walked into his apartment.

"You walking in here is trespassing. I can have you arrested for that." I ignored him and instead sat on his couch, my eyes glued to him like a lion to its prey.

"So, how are your parents. And the camping trip you all went on. I'm sorry to hear about what happened with the bear." I said.

He looked at me with the most misshapen look. And suddenly he fell to the floor, staring at me with the blankest look in his eye.

There was never a bear because Joseph was the bear. I eyed him cautiously.

"Please don't bring them up again. It's too painful to think about. Look, if you need help tracking Violet, I have a friend who is good at doing that. Let me just give her a call."

For whatever reason, I was suddenly extremely uncomfortable where I sat. I hoped my mouth wasn't hanging open at the new revelation. He was a rapist and a murderer. At least he was remorseful about his mother. I waited as he pulled out his phone and dialed Trina.

All good things come to those who wait. And I would patiently wait to put Joseph behind bars for life.

♥️

♥️

In case you're interested in getting the totally edited/revised/changed paperback version of this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Read-Minds-ebook/dp/B08RYV11F2/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=veronica+Soliman&qid=1609863783&sr=8-3

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)