Sarah's breathing had turned uneven, as if she was trying not to cry or shout. She stood in the doorway, her eyes darting from Jude to the inside of the house, searching for something she couldn't yet see but feared was there.
"I want to come in," she said, her voice shaking a little.
Daniel spoke quickly, stepping in front of Jude. "That's not a good idea right now."
Sarah's voice became sharp. "My cousin is missing. I think I have every right to come in."
Jude didn't know what to say. He felt small and scared, his mind full of dark thought
Then she stopped in front of an armchair. One of the cushions was pushed out of place, sticking out just a little bit. There was something dark and shiny peeking from behind it.
Sarah stared at it for a moment. She looked like she had stopped breathing.
Slowly, she walked to the chair. Each step was heavy, as if the air in the room had turned thick. Jude's heart pounded in his chest. He could almost feel the panic rising off Sarah like heat.
"Sarah" Daniel began, but she cut him off with a look.
She pulled the cushion aside.
A handbag was wedged tightly behind it.
Jude's stomach dropped. He had never seen it there before. How long had it been there? Why hadn't he noticed?
Sarah picked up the bag with shaking hands. It was small and black, the corners worn from use. On the zipper was a thin silver charm, two small circles linked together.
Sarah's breath broke. "This is hers," she whispered, her voice breaking.
She turned to Jude, hugging the bag to her chest like it was the last piece of her cousin she had left. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but her eyes were full of anger.
"You said you didn't know her," she said. "You said she wasn't here."
Jude's mouth felt dry. His voice was barely a whisper. "I… I didn't see that bag."
"It was in your house," Sarah cried, louder now. "Her watch is on your wrist. Her bag is in your living room. And you're telling me you don't know her?"
Jude's hands shook. "I don't remember," he said, his voice cracking. "I met someone last night, but I didn't know her name. I woke up and—"
"And what?" Sarah shouted. "She just vanished? She left her watch, her bag, and simply disappeared?"
Daniel tried to calm her. "Miss, please, let's talk about this—"
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Sarah yelled. "Where is she? What did you do?"
Jude felt like he couldn't breathe. He wanted to tell her the truth, but the words wouldn't come. He couldn't say "river." He couldn't say "dead." He couldn't say anything that would make it real.
"I don't know," he finally whispered, looking at the floor.
Sarah stared at him, her face a mix of fear and rage. Then she pulled out her phone, her hands shaking so hard she almost dropped it.
"I'm calling the police," she said in a trembling but determined voice.
Daniel didn't try to stop her this time. He just stood there, shoulders tense, jaw tight.
Jude felt the world shrinking around him, each word Sarah spoke making it harder to breathe.
The sirens came sooner than he expected. Two police cars pulled up outside. The noise was loud doors slamming, boots crunching on the driveway. Then the officers were at the door.
Sarah opened it before they could knock. Her face was streaked with tears, but her voice was strong. "Thank God you are here," she said at once, pointing at Jude. "My cousin was here last night. Her things are here. He says he doesn't know where she is."
The officers stepped inside, tall and serious, their uniforms making the room feel even smaller. One looked at Jude. "Sir, we need you to explain what happened here."
Jude's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Daniel tried to help. "Officer, there's been a misunderstanding. My friend"
"Step back, sir," the officer said firmly, holding up a hand.
Sarah held up the handbag. "This is hers. And that watch
he's wearing it. I bought both. I have proof."
The officer looked at Jude's wrist. "Sir, remove the watch, please."
Jude's fingers felt numb as he unclasped the watch. He handed it over, feeling like a piece of himself was being taken. The officer looked at it, then nodded at his partner.
"This is the guy we are looking for, you harras police officer and stopped the checkpoint process."
"Jude Harris," the officer began, "you are being detained on suspicion of involvement in the disappearance of."
"No," Jude said, stepping back. "I didn't do anything."
"Turn around, sir," the officer ordered.
Jude felt the cold metal of the handcuffs snap around his wrists. The sound echoed in the quiet room. Everything felt unreal, like a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. His whole body shook.
And then a new voice came from the hallway.
"Jude?" It was soft, full of worry.
Everyone turned.
Standing in the doorway was his fiancée. She wore a half-finished wedding dress, her hair only half done, curls still clipped up, her face pale and confused. She had come here herself, too worried to wait any longer.
She looked at Jude, then at the police, then at Sarah, then at Daniel. She tried to understand what was happening, but it was too much.
"What is going on?" she asked, her voice breaking.
No one answered right away.
Her eyes moved from Jude's face to the officers, to Sarah holding the bag, and back again.
"Jude," she said quietly, almost begging, "tell me this isn't real."
Jude lowered his head. He couldn't look at her.
Sarah stepped forward, her voice shaking with anger and grief. "You're marrying him?"
The fiancée turned, stunned. "Who are you?"
Sarah wiped her face. "I'm the cousin of the woman who was here last night. The one who's missing. The one whose watch he was wearing and whose bag I found here."
A heavy silence filled the room.
The fiancée turned back to Jude, searching his face for the truth. "You were with someone else?" she whispered.
Jude's voice was desperate. "It's not what you think. I don't remember what happened. I woke up and she was"
He stopped, realizing what he was about to say.
"She was what?" his fiancée pressed.
Jude's mouth moved, but no words came out. The truth dangled between them, too awful to say.
Her face changed, shock turning to heartbreak. She blinked rapidly, trying not to cry. "On our wedding day," she whispered. "You were with another woman on our wedding day."
"I didn't mean," Jude tried.
"Don't," she said, her voice sharp and final. "Don't explain."
Sarah shook her head. "You're going to marry someone like this?"
The fiancée looked back at Jude, her eyes full of pain. "I don't even know who you are anymore."
Those words hurt more than the handcuffs.
The officers began guiding Jude toward the door. He felt numb, his mind spinning. He saw his whole future in a flash prison, shame, losing everything.
He couldn't let it end like this.
As they reached the doorway, something inside Jude snapped. He twisted suddenly, bumping into the officer beside him. The man stumbled, his grip loosening.
Jude lunged for the officer's holster. There were shouts and a struggle. Jude's cuffed hands grabbed the gun. He turned, pressing the barrel against Daniel's head.
"Don't move!" Jude yelled, his voice wild.
Everyone froze.
Daniel's eyes were wide but calm. "Jude, think about what you're doing."
"Tell them to back off," Jude said. "Now."
The officers raised their hands, moving slowly.
"Easy," one of them said. "No one has to get hurt."
"Back up," Jude said again.
They did.
Jude grabbed Daniel's arm and dragged him outside. Sarah and his fiancée stood in the doorway, shocked, unable to move.
On the street, a car was just pulling up a taxi or rideshare. Jude yanked the back door open and shoved Daniel inside, climbing in after him.
"Drive!" Jude ordered the driver, showing the gun.
The driver stared for a moment, then hit the gas. The car screeched away, police chasing after them.
Inside, Jude shook all over. Daniel stared at him, horror and disappointment on his face.
"What have you done?" Daniel whispered.
Jude couldn't answer. He stared out the window, knowing that everything was ruined now.
There was no way back from this.