Chapter Two The blood drained out of Arianna's face so fast, even the most seasoned psychologist would worry. "As a matter of fact, that never even occured to us. I think we were all too grief stricken and shocked that Jaden was gone." A faint spark came back to her eyes. "Do you really think there might be a chance?" At exactly that moment, A.J. McLean, friend and bandmate to Nick, decided to make his grand entrance, eight thousand pieces of luggage and all. His sultry voice wrapping sensuously around his words, he looked at Nick holding Arianna on the living room couch and said "I'm sorry, am I interrupting anything?" "No dude, this is an everyday occurrence, me cradling Arianna after she's just flown God only knows how far just to cry on my shoulder. Yes, you idiot! You're interrupting!" Nick screamed in frustration. "Babe, it's ok. I'm glad Al is here. I kinda want the support," Arianna said softly. "Ari, you know I hate it when you call me Al. It makes me sound like some old, fat forty year old used car salesman with a toupee that would put the carpet on this floor to shame. And what do you need support for, sweetcheeks?" he said, dropping literally everything to run and hug her. "And you know I hate it when you call me Ari. It makes me feel like a pair of boxer shorts with one too many holes in them. Anyways, you remember that my brother disappeared, and that his memorial service was yesterday?" "Yeah, that's why Nick was moping around all day. Cuz security wouldn't let him go to the service, him being a risk and all. He was bummed that he couldn't be there for you." "Well, Nick just opened me up to the possibility that Jaden might not be dead. Yes, he's been missing for over 2 months, and with no note, no indication that he just up and took off, and the mess in the apartment, we all figured he was dead, taken and murdered or something. But there's also the good possiblity that he's alive. And that's why I need your support. I also need your help." Arianna smiled somewhat conspiritorially as she grasped AJ's hand. "My help? What kind of help," he asked warily as her smile became more prominent. "I need the name of a good private investigator. I figured you may be able to help me, since your current lady friend is daughter of the police chief and all. It's really important to me," she pleaded. "Hey, doll, I'll do anything I can. Just be ready to accept what the PI might say. Jaden might really be gone," AJ warned reluctantly. "I know. I've already made my peace with his disappearance. I just want to check out all possibilities. I'd never forgive myself if here were alive somewhere, and I didn't do everything I could to bring him home." "Alright then, my brain is yours to be picked. I'll do whatever I can to help you find a good one." The next night Arianna, Nick, and AJ reconvened at a local restaurant to meet with a private investiator AJ had found. "Guys, this is Josh Barnes. He comes highly reccommended," AJ said as Josh and Nick shook hands, then Josh and Arianna. "Please, have a seat." "Thanks Alex," Josh said, setting his briefcase on the floor next to his chair. "Arianna, Alex has told me all the details. I have to let you know that the chance of finding anything out about your brothers' disappearance is slim to none, and slim just left town. This is the kind of case that rarely, if ever, gets solved. I will do everything I can to help you, I just want to be positive you're aware of the chance for many possible outcomes." "Believe me, I'm aware. I just need to be sure. Jaden was my only brother, and I just want to know all the details," Arianna stated. "Okay then, we'll get on with it. First off, tell me about your brother's life, who he was friends with, where he worked, what he did during his free time. Every little thing, because something might be in all that information that could be a lead on what happened to him." He brought his briefcase to the table, opened it, and took out a yellow legal pad, a micro cassette recorder, and a pen. Placing his briefcase back on the floor, he set the pad on the table, and pushed record on the cassette player. "Tell me everything you can think of, no matter how banal. Even the most boring details could be instrumental later in finding out what happened to Jaden. Remember everything you can, and leave nothing out," Josh counseled as Arianna took a deep breath and began relating her brother's entire existence, to the best of her recollection

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