Taylor's POV
Nick and I guessed what time it was and decided to go to sleep. I can hear him snoring softly, but I can't sleep. I miss Joe. I've been used to sleeping with his arm around me for the last couple of days. I'm scared without him. I know Nick is trying to make me feel better, but I can't help it. Maybe I'll fall asleep once exhaustion sets in and… Snore!
Emily's POV the next day
I miss Taylor so much, especially our late night talks. I feel bad because I'm kind of ignoring Juliet and Aly, but I just can't help it. We only have today and technically tomorrow before we have to pay the ransom. We got a letter the other day saying I had to drop it off. Jake is not going to let me go alone, so I agreed to take him. All we need now is one thousand dollars and we'll be at a million. I can tell Juliet wants to tell me something about Taylor, but whenever I ask her, she says Taylor has to tell me. I heard her telling Mom that Taylor has Joe to protect her yesterday. Maybe that has something to do with it. But what if they get separated? Who will protect Taylor? Argh! I collapsed onto my bed and heard the door open and close again. I already knew it was Jake, Miley, and Mitchel, so I didn't even bother to look up.
"Em?" Miley says gently. I feel the bed move as she sits down.
"Are you OK?" Mitchel also sits down as he asks me that. I feel Jake sit down, then I feel his hand on my shoulder. I allow him to pull me into a sitting position. I know I'm a mess and reach up to fix my hair. Jake gently pulls my hand down and shakes his head. I look at Miley. She shakes her head. Mitchel opens his mouth, bu Miley slaps him and he just shakes his head as well. I smile a little at this. He's only good at cheering Miley up. He usually makes other people feel worse.
"Emily, they are going to find her." Jake tells me. I see Miley look at me with a glint in her eyes.
"So, what does Juliet know that we don't" She grinned.
"I don't know. I can tell she wants to tell me something about Taylor." I answer. We fall silent for a minute before Miley snaps her fingers and says
"I have an idea. Emily, come here." She grabs my arm before I can say anything and pulls me over to my desk. She points to a chair and I sit down. She pulls a notebook, a pen, some markers, a sketch pad, and some Hershey kisses out of my desk. "Let's play charade hang man. Mitchel, come over here please." She is about o call Jake, but his cell phone rings. Miley hands me the Hershey kisses. She knows how to cheer me up. I love this game. She starts acting something out.
"A monkey riding a unicycle! No, an otter playing a trumpet!" Mitchel is guessing crazy things and I laugh for the first time in days. Then, Miley starts doing the worm.
"Emily, guess what!" Jake just hung up and he sounds super excited. "Grab your purse and let's go. They already called your parents at the mall." Miley seemed to know what was going on as she grabbed both my bag and hers in one hand and Mitchel's hand in the other. I don't even have time to react as Jake grabs me and pulls me down the steps. We all pile into Jakes' car. He is letting Mitchel drive while he sits in the back with me. Miley whispers something to Mitchel and starts following another car that is following a police car.
"Jake? Miley? Somebody tell me what is going on!" I am getting impatient now. The police car and the car in front of us turns onto a dirt road and we follow. I open my mouth to yell again, but I feel Jake's lips on mine.
"Emily, quiet." Jake says as he pulls away. "They found the hide out." He kisses me again to stop me from screaming with joy. "We're going there now. The person who did it is Fiona Skye."
"Who's she?" I ask, confused. I think I vaguely remember her, but it's one in the morning. I'm too tired to think right now.
"She guest-starred on JONAS." Mitchel answered.
"She also played Sarah on our show." Miley says. All of a sudden the cars jerk to a stop. An officer walks over to the car.
"We have to go on foot now. You guys can come. I know you'll be careful. Juleit, Aly, Mrs. Osment, and the Jonases have to stay here with an officer though." He says. We quickly get out and begin walking. I'm full of hope as Jake takes my hand. Through the trees ahead, I see a mansion-like building.