May was staring at her phone in shock. She read the message over again, but still couldn't glean anymore meaning from it than the first time. It was infuriatingly vague. For a moment May considered the possibility that it wasn't from Holly at all, and that someone else had sent it from her phone. But the wording, the style, the tone; it all indicated Holly. The only people who could possibly imitate her so well were her parents and Wolfric. Her parents had no reason to send something like this. In fact, May wasn't even sure Holly's parents knew how to use a cell phone. That left Wolfric, and him sending it held just about the same meaning as Holly sending it.
Why, then, was it so vague? It said that she and Wolfric were going abroad for a little while, but it didn't say where. It said there was something important they had to do, but it didn't say what. It said to tell Jason not to let his personal feelings get in the way of the investigation, but it wouldn't say why. Holly and Wolfric knew Jason. Personal feelings wouldn't get in the way, they'd increase his focus and determination. So why were they saying all this? Could they know something May and Jason didn't? If so, did that mean they didn't trust them?
No, said a firm voice in May's head. Of course they trust us. There's another reason for them not telling us anything. If they didn't trust us, they wouldn't have bothered to send the text in the first place.
At this moment May heard the front door open. Jason walked into the living room, looking exhausted and, oddly, frustrated. May got up and hugged him. After a long moment of silence, they separated, and May told him about the text.
When she got to the point about them leaving the country, Jason's eyes widened.
"Did they say where they were going?" he asked urgently.
"No."
"We have to text them back," Jason said, patting himself down in search of his phone.
"I got it," said May, preparing to type. "What should I say?"
"Ask them if they're going to Mexico. They don't need to tell us where they are, so long as it's NOT Mexico."
May finished sending the text, then looked up at Jason, confused.
"The guy in charge of the Sally Tilbert case came to my office today. He said he found extra footage from before she disappeared, earlier than any that I had looked at. A man was walking around the apartment complex, checking the locations of the cameras. A man with violet eyes."
The stunned silence that followed was broken by May's phone dinging. She quickly read the response from Holly.
"It's not Mexico." She and Jason both gave a sigh of relief. Then May stiffened.
"You don't think she's lying, do you?"
Jason shook his head. "If they were going to Mexico, they'd want to find out how we knew. I think they're telling the truth."
May nodded in agreement. The two of them collapsed on the couch, worn out. After a few minutes, May spoke again.
"Why do you think they told you to... you know, ignore your personal feelings?"
Jason thought about it, staring at the ceiling. "I'm not sure."
