Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Smart,” I said, stomach twisting, making bile rise up my throat. “What then?”
“Then he… left,” she told me. “I waited for a while to make sure, then I grabbed a knife and moved out back to try to wake up my neighbor and have him let me in since my phone was gone.”
“That didn’t work?” I asked.
“He’s old and was probably asleep. And then… then I looked around the house. And I saw a body on the ground. I don’t know if it was Stan or the cop. Or what happened to the other one of them,” she said, words tripping over each other now. “Then I heard footsteps. And I just… ran. Stan’s car was on the street. I had grabbed the fob. So I just got in it and sped out of there.”
“Good. That was smart. And then?”
“I drove around looking for my dad and my other uncles. But no one was home or at the station. And I just… I didn’t know where else to go,” she said, looking up at me with big doe eyes that seemed to immediately make that black hole inside my chest close up and disappear.
“No, of course you should come here,” I said, reaching out to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. “Come on,” I said, reaching to take her hand, and leading her over to sit. “The question now is what do you want to do?” I asked.
“I… I need to find my father,” she said, nodding at that decision. “I don’t know why he’s not answering. What if something—“
“Let’s not go to the dark place just yet, okay?” I suggested. “Maybe he’s busy knocking down doors or knocking heads together,” I said. “Especially if he is with one or more of your uncles. Do you know their numbers by heart?”
“No,” I admitted. “We haven’t really been very close. I only ever saw them when I was with my father. I only saw him two weekends a month, and saw them maybe every three or four months when I was visiting. Then when I grew up, even less. They stopped into the shop more when it first opened, but not so much since my dad and I had a falling out.”
“Baby, you don’t have to explain it to me. I don’t know anyone but my mother’s number by heart,” I admitted. “And my siblings, but only because our numbers are all just a digit apart,” I added.
“What are we supposed to do?” she asked.
We.
Fuck.
I liked the sound of that way more than I could have realized.
“I would like to call a cousin of mine to see if she can look at you,” I told her.
“I’m fine.”
“I know you feel fine right now, but a lot of that could be adrenaline and shock,” I reasoned. “It won’t take long. She can come here. Please,” I added, watching her defenses slip a bit. “We can’t help your father and uncles, if they need our help, if your shock wears off, and you collapse or something, right?” I asked.
To that, she exhaled hard.
“Okay. But only if it’s quick,” she said. “It’s an hour back there again,” she added.
“I need to get Aurelio too,” I reminded her.
“Right. Okay. Alright,” she agreed, nodding.
“Hey,” I said, reaching to put my hands over hers again. “We are going to figure this out. We just need to give it forty minutes, an hour. Then we will be on our way.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, swallowing, then wincing.
“How about I get you something to drink while I make the calls?” I asked. “You want cold or warm?” I asked.
I’d never been strangled. I had no idea what would feel better for that.
“Warm,” she said.
“Coffee work? I don’t think I have tea.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, pulling her legs up onto the couch, and wrapping her arms around them.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, patting her knee before I made my way out of the room.
“Aren’t you sick of me yet?” Aurelio answered.
“Get over here,” I barked as I brewed a fresh pot of coffee.
“What’s going on?” he asked, all the humor gone.
“Traveler is here. She was attacked. I need to call Lettie. Then we need to go back to her town to see what the fuck is going on.”
He didn’t ask a million questions.
“Do you want me to get Milo to come with us?” Aurelio asked.
I heard sniffling coming from the front of the house.
“Yes,” I decided.
We were going to end this.
Once and fucking for all.
Traveler had been through enough already.
I had to get her safe.
“We’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said.
I hung up and called Lettie who, thankfully, wasn’t busy, and would likely roll up around the same time as Aurelio and Milo.
Grabbing the coffee, I moved into the living room to sit and wait with Traveler.
As she moved in at my side, stealing comfort from me, I thought the most insane thing.