Midnight’s harsh cry echoed through the cavernous room as she re-read the note. Her legs trembled, and she sank down to the floor. Reading the message from Junebug again, she thought she was going to be sick.
I want you to live the fairy tale. If anyone deserves it, you do. I’m off to find mine. Bet Jam-man will be surprised when I show up! Wish me luck.
Love, Junebug
“Of all the stupid, crazy, asinine things to do, Junie! How can you just take off in search of some hacker you don’t even know?” she yelled. “God, what if he's a pervert. Double God! What if he is living in his mother’s basement and she's a mean old hag?”
Midnight slammed her palms on the tiled floor and leaned forward with a groan. Pushing up off the floor, she growled curses under her breath as she tried to figure out what she should do.
She had already tried calling and texting. Her sister had her phone off. Everything went to voicemail. She bit her lip, her eyes flashing to Junebug's dark screens. They were never off. That had been her first clue when she woke up that something was dreadfully wrong.
Rubbing her hands along her arms to ward off the chill that was threatening to send her into shakes, Midnight scowled at the computer. She knew next to nothing about technology. She could use her phone and that was about it. Junebug did everything else—or told her what she should do.
“Did she even remember to take a charging cord?" she worried. "She's always plugged in, she's never had to remember something like that,” Midnight fretted.
A whole list of worries filled her head. Did Junebug take enough money? Did she remember to takeanymoney? What if she took money and someone mugged her? What if she walked in front of a car because she was too busy focusing on something else?
“Stop. Breathe. You find missing people all the time. You can find your sister. No one knows her better than you do!”
Would she have stopped by the club to say goodbye to Buddy? No, probably not. She could have just texted or planned to keep in contact while she was gone so there was no need for goodbyes. It was rare that they met in person anyway. Also, Buddy didn’t work mornings and Junebug had left in the morning.
“Daylight!” she groaned.
Midnight almost hissed at the idea of going outside when the sun was up.
“I have to find Jam-man,” she decided.
With one last glance at the dark screens of Junie's computer, she reached for her phone. She was going to need help. Someone who knew computers almost as well as her sister. Idella would know. Midnight stopped and frowned.
Junayd knew Jam-man. There was no denying that. Jam-man had been searching for her for Junayd.
They were in contact so much that Jam-man had been seriously annoyed—like a brother might be annoyed. Didn’t Junebug say one of Junayd’s brothers was good with computers?
Lifting her phone, she dialed Idella. She didn’t know why she hadn’t asked her sister for Junayd's number before! Idella picked up on the second ring.
“Hi, Midnight. Is everything okay?” Idella greeted.
“Is Tarek there? I need Junayd’s number,” she said, biting her fingernail.
“Yes, just a second. I’ll get him,” Idella replied.
Idella didn’t know Junebug was the ghost who had been helping her. Midnight didn’t want anyone to know. One person could accidentally say something that could cause a chain reaction. She hated that she was going to have to ask Junayd who would then point her to his brother who might or might not be able to help her. She needed to think up some excuse that sounded plausible but not desperate.
“This is Tarek.”
“I need Junayd’s phone number,” she stated.
“Is everything alright?” Tarek asked.
Irritation flared inside her. “Yes, sort of. I just need his number. Will you give it to me or do I need to go ask Issa or whoever in the hell is stalking me for the number?” she demanded.
“No, I’ll be happy to give it to you,” Tarek replied.
Midnight breathed a sigh of relief as she scribbled down the number. She knew she could have asked Tarek about his techie brother, but she felt more comfortable dealing with Junayd. She stared at the number, committing it to her memory.
“Midnight, you know if you need help, Tarek and I are there for you,” Idella said, coming back on the line.
“I know. I… may need it if things don’t go well,” she said before hanging up.