MAX

I pulled Nelly away from me as I ran upstairs, searching each of the rooms and wondering where she could possibly be.

The rooms were empty, the same as the hallway. Moreover, I never saw her go through the front door.

An instinct warned that she hadn't; the party had hardly started. She wouldn’t leave when the fun was still underway.

I went downstairs; that was where the games party was taking place—actually all of the party, the snooker, the drinking challenge with shots of ...