Samantha Sanderson Without a Trace by Robin Caroll Page A

little angry.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Sam blinked to read the time on the clock on her bedside table. Midnight? “Is it Tam?” Had they found him? God, please let him be okay. She couldn’t think of a single good reason to be woken up just hours after they’d gone to bed.
    â€œJust hurry. Both of you.” Mom snapped her fingersand pointed at Chewy. “Stay,” she commanded the dog before she shut the door behind her, plunging Sam’s bedroom into darkness once again.
    Sam jumped out of bed and woke Makayla, who resisted being awakened just as much, if not more, than Sam. In minutes, they were pulling fluffy robes over their pajamas and squirming into socks.
    â€œYour mom didn’t say what it was about?” Makayla whispered.
    â€œNo, but it has to be about Tam, right?” Sam whispered back, not sure why she was whispering when it was just the two of them in her room.
    Makayla froze as she stood. “What if it’s about my parents and sister?”
    Sam’s heart stuttered. Some friend she was—that it could be Makayla’s family hadn’t even occurred to her.
    â€œHurry up,” Makayla rushed her.
    The sock rolled again as Sam tried to jam her foot into it. Forget it! “Come on, let’s go.” Sam grabbed Mac’s hand and they headed into the living room.
    All three lamps were on. Mom and Dad sat side-by-side on the couch, both wearing their sweats and looks of irritation. Deputy Jameson sat in the chair across from the couch. He looked as grumpy as BabyKitty when it was time for her flea and tick treatment. Standing behind him, hovering like a creepy butler in a popular anime show, was Deputy Malone.
    Everyone turned to look at them as they walked intothe room. Sam felt like she’d just stepped under a giant microscope. Makayla squeezed her hand.
    â€œGirls, sit down.” Dad motioned to the couch beside him.
    Sam sat next to him, Makayla on her other side.
    â€œThe deputy here has some interesting information about Tam.” No mistaking the hint of sarcasm in her father’s voice. That wasn’t good. Dad wasn’t the sarcastic type. So when he resorted to it . . .
    Makayla let out a long breath. Sam squeezed her hand. Her family was fine.
    â€œWe’ve been monitoring Tam Lee’s email and texts and his social media sites,” Deputy Jameson said.
    Sam’s heart went freefalling to her toes. She felt Makayla go rigid beside her.
    The deputy nodded. “By your expressions, I believe you’ve answered my question. Did one of you hack into Tam Lee’s Facebook account tonight?”
    Makayla gasped quietly under her breath. No way could Sam let her take the heat for this. Not when Sam had pushed her.
    â€œYes, sir.” Sam held up her chin, meeting the deputy’s cold stare. She didn’t exactly say she’d done the hacking, she just answered the question. That wasn’t lying. Wasn’t even really misleading. If they assumed she’d done the actual hacking, that was okay. She had a feeling they didn’t care so much who actually did the deed.
    â€œWhy would you do that?” Dad interrupted to ask.
    Sam glanced at her father, then her mother. “Because I was hoping there’d be some sort of private message exchange with someone that would give me a clue to where he is.” Her mom’s lips were nothing more than a thin line under her nose.
    â€œOh, Sam.” No mistaking the disappointment in Dad’s voice. A grounding was sure to come soon, but she couldn’t worry about that right now.
    â€œAnyone in particular?” Deputy Malone stepped out of the shadows and stared down at Sam.
    â€œI, um, actually hoped to find a conversation between Tam and Jason Turner.” Sam could sense Makayla deflating beside her with every passing second.
    The two deputies looked at each other, then back at her. “Why Jason Turner?” Deputy Jameson