Truth or Dare (5 page)

I
awoke to the sound of someone banging on my hotel room door. Kennedi and Sheridan were in the other bedrooms in the suite. All three of us got up and walked into the living area at the same time.

“What the . . . ?” Kennedi said, rubbing her eyes as she stumbled out of her room. Both she and Sheridan looked like they had been run over by eighteen-wheelers. I guess they were hung over. Yet another reason I didn't drink.

Sheridan yawned. “It's six in the morning. Somebody has lost their mind,” she groaned.

“If this is housekeeping, they are going to get a piece of my mind,” I said, stomping toward the door. “Who is it?” I snapped.

“It's Shay! Open the door!” she screamed.

“Shay?” I looked out the peephole and Shay was on the other side, looking frantic. “What?” I said, swinging the door open.

“Have you all heard from Evian?” she said.

“Why would we have heard from Evian?” Sheridan asked, appearing beside me.

“She still hasn't come back to the room.”

“What?” I replied.

“Maybe it's like Carson said,” Kennedi replied. “Maybe she's somewhere getting her freak on.”

“Not with a total stranger,” Shay said, brushing past us and into the room. “Evian doesn't get down like that. I'm worried and then you know the chaperones are going to come looking for her at breakfast.”

“Please,” I said. I wasn't about to stress over the chaperones. “They're trying to have a good time themselves. They aren't the least bit worried about us.”

Shay started pacing back and forth across the living room. “This is serious, Maya. I'm worried that something has really happened to Evian. If she didn't come back to the room, that means she still has on the same clothes, she hasn't brushed her teeth or anything.”

That actually made me pause because Evian was obsessive about her hygiene.

“Maybe she found a convenience store,” Sheridan said. Even she was starting to look a little nervous.

“How could she when I have her purse?” Shay replied. She was shaking as she kept pacing. “You guys need to help me find her.”

I looked at Shay like she was crazy. “It's six in the morning.”

“I don't care what time it is,” Shay said. “You guys need to come help me look.”

“Why do we need to help you do anything?” I asked. It's not like Shay or Evian even liked me anyway, so I don't know why she thought I would drop everything to help.

Shay glared at me. “Because you were the one pushing her to play this stupid truth-or-dare game.”

I blinked in shock. I hoped she wasn't about to try and blame Evian's disappearance on me. I hadn't put a gun to that girl's head and made her participate.

“Tell me this, Miss Superstar,” Shay said, stepping toward me. “Have you ever heard of Natalee Holloway?”

That shut me up. Because I knew all about the girl who had gone missing in Aruba during her senior trip.

“Who is Natalee Holloway?” Sheridan asked.

Shay rolled her eyes like Sheridan was some kind of doofus. “The chick that went on her senior trip in Acapulco and was never seen again.”

“It was Aruba,” I said, correcting her.

“Whatever,” Shay said, side-eying me. “My point is she came up missing!”

“Oh yeah, I remember that,” Kennedi said. “Didn't they find her body or something? Some local dudes killed her?”

“Exactly,” Shay said, turning back to me. “What if something happened to Evian? Do you want that on your conscience? You want your stupid show sued behind this?”

Of course I didn't, and I dang sure didn't want
Rumor Central
tied to any of this.

“I'm sure Evian is fine,” I said.

“And you know this how?” Shay snapped. She seemed really agitated, like she'd been up all night worrying about Evian.

“What do you expect us to do?” Kennedi said.

“I don't know, go find your little boyfriend that hooked this stupid game up and make him help us,” Shay responded.

“He's not my boyfriend. Matter of fact, I have nothing to say to him,” I replied.

“Well, you'd better find something to say. We need to talk to him, or just go ask around to see if anybody has seen Evian. We need to go to the cops.”

“Whoa,” Kennedi said. “I don't do five-o, especially foreign five-o.”

“I don't do my best friend getting killed, either,” Shay said bluntly.

“Wh-who said anything about killed?” Sheridan stammered.

Shay inhaled deeply. “Okay, maybe I'm going a little overboard. I hope she's safe, but I'm not going to sit around and do nothing, and neither are you,” she said, glaring at me.

“Look, I'm not in that,” I protested.

Shay turned up her lip like she wasn't trying to hear me. “Yes, you are, and you're going to go in there and change out of your little silk pajamas or whatever else you need to do for your morning routine and let's go.”

“Maya Morgan doesn't take orders,” I said defiantly.

“You ain't the only one that can shine on TV,” Shay said, stepping toward me. “Because I will be all on
The Today Show
,
Good Morning America
, and anybody else with a camera telling them how you pushed Evian into playing that stupid truth-or-dare game and how her disappearance is all on you. And then, after I finish my round of media interviews, I'm going to her mob family and letting them know that, too.”

If Shay didn't have my attention before, she definitely had it now.

I looked over to Sheridan. Kennedi didn't know Evian like we did. But the look on Sheridan's face told me I didn't have a choice. I'd better get dressed and help Shay get to searching for Evian. Because if Evian didn't turn up . . . it wasn't going to be a pretty sight.

“W
hat are you doing?” Sheridan stood over me, her hands plastered on her hips.

I didn't budge as I replied. “What does it look like? I'm relaxing by the pool.”

“I have been looking everywhere for you,” Sheridan said. “I just went back up to the room to see if you were there.”

“Okay, well now you found me.” I turned over on my stomach, letting the rays hit my face. “What's up?”

“Maya, why are you out here chillin'?”

I was lying in one of the lounge chairs by the pool, and finally getting a chance to just relax, so I couldn't appreciate having that relaxation interrupted. I blew a frustrated breath, then sat up on the lounge chair. “Um, isn't that what we came to Cancun for?” I asked her.

“You told Shay you were going to go look for Evian some more.”

I was too through. We'd looked everywhere this morning. We even missed our senior breakfast as we traipsed all over the place trying to track her down. Not to mention the fact that Shay had even stuffed pillows under the covers so when the chaperones checked on them this morning, they'd think Evian was still asleep. Finally, by noon, I was done. I went back to the room, ordered room service, ate, then changed. Now, I was spending the rest of the day taking my cue from Kennedi and just chilling.

“And I did look for her some more. And I didn't find her.” Granted, I'd looked on my way down the elevator from the penthouse floor, and then, on my way to the pool. But I'd still looked. Besides, earlier, I'd left a message for Carson, walked down to the beach, looked around, and still saw no sign of Evian so I had done my part. “Evian is not about to ruin my trip.”

It was at that moment that Kennedi strolled over as well. She had been lying out with me and had gone to get something to drink. She didn't say a word as she pulled her lounge chair out and laid back down in it. I actually was under a shaded umbrella because while I was enjoying the heat, I wasn't trying to tan. Kennedi who was light as all get out, welcomed the sun. But my perfectly chocolaty skin was fine just as it was.

“We went and looked for her, what else are we supposed to do? Ruin our whole trip behind that girl?” I asked. “She's probably off laid up with dude somewhere.”

“Maya, do I need to remind you of how serious this could be?” Sheridan was starting to sound like somebody's mama. A total drag.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, the whole Natalee Holloway thing.” I sat up. “But that's not what this is. Evian tries to fool everybody into thinking she's some kind of Goody Two-shoes, but remember, she was the one behind the whole little prostitution ring at Miami High. So she's not as innocent as everyone thinks. She's probably off somewhere just like Carson said, enjoying herself and getting her freak on. She'll turn up today.”

“You'd better hope so,” Sheridan said, shaking her head doubtfully. “Because I was thinking about what Shay said, and I think she's right. You could be held liable for her disappearance.”

That made me sit up all the way and remove my glasses. “Me? I wish you guys would quit saying that. Why would I be responsible? I didn't do anything to her.”

Sheridan shook her head like I wasn't getting it. “Yeah, but you're the one that pushed her to go off with that guy and tons of people saw it.”

“So? I didn't make her go.” I turned up my nose. I had no idea why everyone kept trying to drag me into this.

“And whose side are you on anyway, Sheridan?” Kennedi finally spoke up.

“Maya's, of course.” She turned back to me and pointed a warning finger. “You remember that case in Arizona? The girls were charged and sent to prison because they taunted one of their classmates until she jumped off a bridge. They didn't push her. They didn't force her to jump. They just teased her and taunted her until she jumped. They were charged and are now in jail.”

“First of all,” I replied, pointing a finger right back. “My dad would have attorneys all over that, so I'm not the least bit worried about jail.” I didn't know if she was trying to scare me or what, but Sheridan, of all people, should know I'm not the one.

“Well, you should be worried because even if your dad gets you off, do you really want to go through a trial? And do you really want to be all up in the news with Evian's family blaming you? Evian's
mafia
family?”

Now here Sheridan went talking about that mafia mess. But she had a point. I needed to be reminded that Evian's family was bona fide crazy.

“You really think they would blame me?” I asked.

“Let something happen to their little princess, of course I do,” she replied.

I threw up my hands. This whole thing made me wish that I had never met Evian Javid. “I don't' know what I'm supposed to do.”

“You need to do like Shay said and go do some digging. That's what you do, right? Go talk to Carson. Find out if he knows anything about that guy. Go to the hotel they were last seen at. You can't just walk around here”—she motioned wildly around the pool area—“calling Evian's name and then say ‘oh, well, I couldn't find her.' If something has happened to Evian, you could be held liable and you don't need the drama.”

Sheridan knew me well because that was exactly what I had done.

“Ugh,” I groaned as I sat up. I couldn't believe my vacation was being ruined by this foolishness. “Fine.”

Kennedi sat up. “Where are you going?”

I wrapped my skirt around my bottom. “I think Carson told me where he was staying so I'm gonna go talk to him.”

“Well, good luck with that,” Kennedi said, lying back down.

“Thanks a lot,
friend
,” I told her.

Kennedi gave me a back-handed wave. “Anytime,” she said as she flipped over.

“Come on,” I told Sheridan. “I'm going to go change and then we can go look for this girl. And when I find her, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind for messing up my vacation like this.”

“
If
we find her,” Sheridan said.

“Will you stop being so negative? We're going to find her, and
when
we find her, I'm going to cuss her little slutty behind out.”

I put my shades on and sashayed toward the elevator, hoping that this didn't take too long so I could come back and relax by the pool.

T
his was not the way I had planned to spend my day.

“Which one is it?” Sheridan said.

I could tell she was irritated, but shoot, so was I. “I don't know,” I said, looking at the two hotels. “I just remember it's one of these. I can't remember the name, but he said he was staying at the hotel on the corner of Eldorado and Caprica. So we'll just check both hotels.”

“Like they're really going to give you information on a hotel guest,” she said, jumping out of the way just as a bicyclist almost ran her over.

“Girl, this is Cancun, they don't have the same kind of regulations.”

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered.

“You're the one that insisted we do this, so come on!” I said, pulling her toward the first hotel. We went inside and I marched straight up to the front desk. “Hi, I'm looking for a Carson Wells.”

“Do you know what room he's in?” the clerk asked, as she began tapping some keys on her computer.

“No, I don't,” I said. “Can you just look and see if you have a guest by that name?”

The front desk clerk continued tapping away on the computer, and I gave Sheridan the eye to say,
See, I told you.

“I'm sorry, we don't have a guest here by that name,” the clerk said.

I frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I'm positive.”

I hesitated, thinking, then said, “Okay, are the kids from Fulton County in Atlanta here?”

“No, we don't have any of the spring breakers here,” the woman said. “We were booked for a technology conference.”

“Okay. Thank you,” I said, grabbing Sheridan's hand and making my way back out. “Let's go across the street and check out the other hotel. It has to be that one.”

Sheridan reluctantly followed me and we repeated the scenario. I stood at the desk as the clerk tapped away. “Sorry, we don't have a Carson Wells here.”

“What?” I said. “No, but he has to be here. This has to be the hotel.” I looked around. “The one where he said he was staying. Is this where Fulton County students are, the kids from Atlanta?”

The woman clicked again. “Yep.”

“Well, then, there.” I tapped her computer. “Carson Wells, check again.”

“I'm sorry, but we don't have anybody here by that name.” She pointed to a tall, lanky man standing at the end of the counter. “Talk to that guy. He's one of the chaperones for the trip for students from Fulton County.”

“Thank you,” I said, quickly making my way down to the edge of the counter.

I tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me, sir.”

“Yes, ma'am, how may I help you?” the man said, turning toward me.

“Yeah, I'm trying to find one of your students. You
are
from Fulton County, aren't you?”

The man nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, I need to get in touch with one of your students.”

He let out a loud sigh. You could tell the students had been working his nerves. “Who is it, and what did they do now?”

“Oh, no. It's not that at all,” I said. “I just need to talk to him. It's very important.”

“Well, who is it?” he repeated.

“Carson Wells,” I said.

The man stopped and frowned. “Carson Wells? We don't have a student named Carson Wells.”

Both Sheridan and I stood frozen. Finally I said, “Excuse me? Yes, you do.”

“No,” he said slowly, his eyes going up in his head like he was thinking. “I'm sure we don't have any student by the name of Carson Wells.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “He said that he was part of the Atlanta Fulton County High group.”

The man said, “I'm the lead chaperone and we brought a small group. I can assure you we don't have a Carson Wells.”

Now that was strange. Maybe I had gotten his school mixed up. Or maybe even his name. Maybe it was Larson or something like that. No, I wasn't crazy. He'd said his name was Carson.

“Sheridan, do you have that picture you took of us at the beach yesterday?”

Sheridan fumbled in her purse, which was strapped around her body. “Yeah.” She took her phone out and began thumbing through her pictures.

“Here,” she said, handing me the picture that Carson and I had taken last night.

“Yeah, right here,” I said, showing the picture to the man. “That's Carson. He's a student at Fulton County High.”

The man leaned in and peered at the screen. “Mmm, nope.”

“What do you mean, nope?”

“Just what I said. That's not one of our kids.” He actually seemed relieved.

I stood with my mouth gaped open. “Are you freaking kidding me?”

“Nope. I know all our kids and that's not one of them.”

“Then who is this?” I said.

He shrugged like he couldn't be of any assistance to me.

I turned to Sheridan, who was standing there, just as shocked. “They don't have a Carson. And now, I'm starting to think maybe Carson Wells doesn't even exist.”

Carson wasn't who he'd said he was. Evian was missing. If I wasn't worried before, I definitely was now. And I had no idea what kind of game Carson was running, but my gut told me it wasn't good. And now, I not only wanted to find Evian, I felt like I
had to
find her!