Total pages in book: 206
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
“Mornin’,” he finally said, gruffly. He looked like he hadn’t slept much either.
“Morning,” I replied and then looked back out to the forest. I didn’t want to ask as it was obvious that Tommy was missing.
That day felt like a long one; my gut was raw all day. I’d sat outside a while and then went into the kitchen and forced myself to swallow down a piece of buttered toast. I wandered back upstairs and looked around at the bedrooms, which all looked sort of the same, like hotel rooms. I found my way back to the master bedroom and tried to take a nap, but I didn’t sleep. I felt that sick almost over-caffeinated feeling you feel when your body is tired but your brain is in overdrive.
I wondered how Rose was doing, how everyone was faring while wondering if I was okay. I wanted to reach out to them but there wasn’t a phone in this bedroom. The cordless phone base still sat empty. Dario’s words about not making calls rang in my ears, but as it got later in the day, I decided that I just had to make that call and at least tell her not to stress, that I was fine. I found a cordless in the family room and tucked it into the back of my shorts and pulled my sweater over it and then went back up to the master bedroom. I’d managed this feat without drawing any attention as Dario wasn’t in sight, Tommy’s office door was closed, and all the guards seemed to be outside. Sarah was busy cooking something in the kitchen.
I dialed Rose’s cell phone and got her voicemail. I was relieved to get her voicemail on one hand because that’d mean that I wouldn’t have to answer questions, but on the other hand it made me sad because it wouldn’t tell me if she was okay or not.
I left a message. “Rose, it’s Tia. I just want you to know I’m fine. Everything is okay. I hope everyone is okay there. Please know I love all of you and I’ll be in touch again soon. Please don’t worry and please just leave things be – I don’t want anyone at risk. Don’t worry about me, okay? Things are actually somewhat better so don’t stress. Love you guys. Bye.”
I hung up and then I hit the redial button and then the erase key. I then went down to return the smuggled phone to the family room. I got caught red-handed by Dario who walked into the family room just as I deposited the phone into the cradle.
“Tia, what the hell?”
I felt the color drain from my face. “I just left a voicemail for my foster mom to tell her I was fine. I don’t want them meddling and putting themselves in danger and thought if I just left a message to tell her I’m fine she would back off.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking so much like his brother that I felt a stab of fear in my gut.
He shook his head. “No more, okay? I can’t deal right now.” He left the room. I followed him into Tommy’s office.
“What’s going on?”
He shook his head and reached for a phone charger plugged into a power bar under Tommy’s desk and plugged his cell in. “Don’t worry about anything. It’s all good.”
“I call bullshit,” I said, folding my arms across my chest.
He rolled his eyes. “All right, we can’t find him. We’re looking. I’m torn between going myself and staying. He wants you safe so I’m staying like he wants and trying to organize things from here is frustrating.”
“What about Earl and Juan Carlos?”
“He dealt with both of them; we know that for a fact,” Dario said.
I tried to ignore the cold pit in my gut. “Then where could he be?”
“Exactly.”
I sat down behind the big desk. I saw a photo in a frame of him, his father, and his siblings, their kids, and spouses, all around a Christmas tree. There was a small wedding photo of who must’ve been his Mom with his father, by the looks of it, and beside that photo was the engagement ring he’d given me. I’d left it in Tessa’s car, so she must’ve returned it to him.
I leaned over and picked it up and looked at it sparkling in the light.
Dario was in the doorway now. “I’ve gotta go outside and talk to someone. Stay out of trouble, please?”
“I will,” I told him as I put the ring back down. I stared at the picture of Tommy and his family around the Christmas tree. They were all smiling and looking happy, except him. He looked like he was forcing a smile for the camera, his eyes dark and broody. He looked like Gangster Tommy in the photo, not Ice Cream Parlor Tommy.