Tick-Tock
Georgie. Sweet Georgie. I knew the moment I met her we would be friends. She was the bubbles in champagne. Laughter followed her everywhere she went.
I didn’t see her approach, but Monique was standing beside me, staring at the girl who was still grinning maniacally even as blood spilled from her throat, even as she collapsed to the ground.
“She’s here,” I whispered.
Monique dragged her eyes back to me and scowled. “Who?”
“Sarah.” The truth sent shivers crawling over my skin.
Monique jerked my arm and dragged me toward the door. She pulled her phone out of her jacket and pressed it to her ear. I couldn’t hear what she was saying over the yelling and screaming and crying as the crowd bustled to get out.
The cold night air hit my skin as we stepped onto the sidewalk. Monique sniffed and threw up her arms in frustration. “I can’t smell her with all the rain we’ve had.”
“Go,” I said, white-hot panic roiling through me. “Go look for her.”
Her eyes scanned the building tops. “No, I won’t leave you, someone might be watching.”
“We need to find her.” I raised my voice. “I can take care of myself.”
“Calm down, Sarah may not have her. Did you check her bag for her phone?”
“No, I …”
Why didn’t I check? I just assumed Sarah took her … My fingers shook as I unzipped her bag and rifled through it. I jerked my head up. “It’s not there.”
Monique pressed “redial” on her phone.
“Did you track it?”
She nodded and hung up. “Her phone is around the corner.” She started striding up the street. Hope flared, while in the distance sirens wailed.
“What … how do you …?” Then it clicked. I jogged after her. “He can track our phones, can’t he?”
“Of course.”
I sucked in a tight breath as I opened the purse and checked for credit cards. There were two in there, but I had no idea how many she had.
“Wait here.” Monique stopped as we reached the corner. “It could be a trap.”
“No way, I’m coming with you.” I didn’t give her a chance to argue, I walked around the corner. The street was dimly lit, windows in buildings were black, leering out like soulless eyes. I couldn’t see anyone, but Monique’s eyesight was far better.
“Can you see her?”
“Stay.” Monique ordered and she flashed ahead, scanning the darkest shadows and alleyways.
The wailing sirens drew closer. I folded my arms as a shiver ran through me. Why would Georgie’s phone be here if she wasn’t? Monique stopped at a bin and took something out. A phone.
Oh God, Sarah must have tossed out her phone. What would she do to her? She could have used her to do what she made the other girl do, but instead she’d taken her. There was only one reason for that. Whatever she had planned for her was worse, much worse.
I stumbled to a tree, my hand groping to find purchase. Light washed over me and grew to a blinding ball. A car was coming, flying down the road.
It slammed to a stop. Karson jumped out, worried and angry. He ran his gaze over me briefly and I looked away, anger joining the panic storming through me.
“Anything?” he asked Monique as she scrolled through Georgie’s phone while walking back.
“There’s not much on here, a couple of messages to Jodie, BJ, and the boyfriend, no pictures.”
