Claire's POV
It had been two hours. Two hours since Shane and I had gotten back to the empty car, with the door still open and the engine still running, and the radio still on. Two hours since we'd called Detective Hess, who had driven us home after the rest of his team had arrived at the store. Two hours since we'd returned home, where I'd gone straight to Eve's room. Two hours since my life had fallen apart.
There was a gentle knock on the door, and a few seconds later, Shane's head appeared. He nudged the door open, and I noticed a bowl of Chilli in his hands. I was still sitting on Eve's bed, taking in everything in her room. Shane came in and sat next to me, placing the bowl bowl of chilli in my shaking hands.
"They found Jason's fingerprints on Eve's car door." He told me, softly. I tried not to be shocked, I'd kind of figured Jason would be behind Eve's disappearance, but my body wouldn't obey my mind. A single tear trickles down my cheek, and I leant into Shane's body. He slid his arm around me, and pressed his face to my head, kissing my hair softly.
"It's going to be okay." He mumbled.
"How?" I asked, hoping for an answer that I knew wouldn't come. Instead, he just pulled me into him, and rocked me gently while I cried silently into his shirt.
"Claire, you need to eat." He told me after a while, gesturing to the untouched chilli in my hands.
I spooned some into my mouth. It was like Shane always made it; hot and spicy, heavy on the garlic. Which I normally loved. But the very thought of what Jason could be doing to Eve, made my stomach turn, and after a few mouthfuls, I just couldn't eat any more. I put the bowl down on Eve's bedside table, and turned to my boy. His eyes seemed a little lost, but everything else inside them was anger, determination and love.
"We have to do something." I whispered.
His brown hair fell unevenly, yet somehow perfectly, over his face. And he nodded, only slightly. But nothing had ever seemed so sure as that slight nod, to me. He slipped his hand in mine, and together we stood up and made our way out of Eve's bedroom, and down the solid oak stairs.
Michael was in the living room, sitting on the sofa. He looked, well... He looked... The only words to describe my friend at that point, would be, honestly broken. His careless mop of golden blonde hair was unkept, falling over his red-rimmed eyes. He was holding one of Eve's dog-collar studded necklaces, staring at it, absently. Shane and I let go of each others hands, and went to sit either side of him.
"It's all my fault." His voice was croaking, barely a whisper. I leant my head on his shoulder, and slipped my arm around his waist.
"No, man. It's no-one's fault. It's normal for you to feel guilty." Shane patted his shoulder, comfortingly.
"No, Shane, you don't understand!" His voice was louder this time, more powerful. "I should have been there. She counts on me to look after her, and when she needed me, I wasn't there to protect her!"
He shouted the last words with such force, that I wanted to turn and flee from the very room. But I kept my head fixed firmly on his shoulder. After a few minutes, Michael got up and fetched his guitar. Shane scooted over on the sofa so he was next to me, and wrapped his arms around me. Michael sat on the other side of me, and began to play. The melody was beautiful, and by the time he was done, we were all in tears.
I closed my eyes and leant in to Shane's body. Then I made a silent plea, though I wasn't sure who to.
Please bring Eve back soon. It's tearing us apart.