Page 100 of Her Brother's Billionaire Best Friend

What do I know? But I think you made my mom happy.

My mom doesn’t know this but I know my dad’s name. My dad’s name is Conor. I can tell because when we used to live in San Fran, she would say it in her sleep sometimes.

My mom really loves me, but I guess my dad didn’t care or whatever.

Anyway, the truth is Lucien, I wish you were my dad x not Conor. Whoever he is.

Because you make my mom happy.

Yours,

Kyle

I looked up, and realized that a single tear was stinging my eye. I wiped it abruptly, and looked out through the window at Caluga Falls when my phone rang.

“Good evening, is that Mr. Lucien Barnes?”

“Yep,” I said.

“This is Officer Parks,” he said.

“Sherriff,” I said, relieved to hear that my true identity wasn’t out yet.

“Am I to understand you’re a friend of the Solomons?”

“Why,” I said.

“Their son’s gone missing. I wanted to ask if you might be able to lend a hand.”

“Better than that,” I said. “How about a helicopter?”

Chapter 35

Laura

All your fault. All your fault. Those were the only words I could hear myself saying as David’s car whipped down the narrow lanes. It had begun to rain half an hour ago, and the windscreen was dotted with tiny beads of water that refracted the car headlamps.

We’d gone to the lake, trying to see if Kyle had come here. Before that, we’d tried the trail, tried an old barn a few miles up the road. He couldn’t have gone far. But we were beginning to realize that Kyle wasn’t coming back. And it was only making me more and more frantic.

As we drew closer to the shore of the lake, I saw the lights were on in the harbormaster’s office. He was the guy who did all the travel and boating licenses in the surrounding area. David pulled up. I ran out of his car and knocked, three times, my hands pounding on the wood until they were sore.

Eventually the door opened, and an old man looked out from the crack suspiciously. “Who’s that,” I said.

“Jack?” I said. “This is Laura. Laura Solomon.”

“Oh,” he said, “Laura? Tracey’s Laura?”

“Yeah. We’re trying to find Kyle, my son. Have you seen him around?”

“Ain’t seen no one around here, Laura. I mean, it’s practically deserted at this time of year anyway. I’d have heard him if he was running round making trouble.”

“Okay, Jack,” I said, and reached into my pocket. “If you do see him, can you call him on this number?”

“Will do,” said Jack, but promptly shut his door.

I returned to the car.

“Anything?” said David.