“Good work, Piper. We may need to have you work comms with us on a few jobs,” Carter says jokingly. I grunt in the negative. She is NOT going to be doing anything of the sort. Internally I am losing it about this.
Jordan T. Willis: Okay
Jordan T. Willis: Don’t fuck this up, Piper. I mean it. You will regret it.
Piper:I wont. Where can we meet. You choose the place—and when.
“Still nothing, Carter,” I say tersely. Hoping that we won’t have to go through with this shit plan. Carter shakes his head.Fuck.
Jordan T. Willis: Village Park. 11 PM. Trail marker 13. If you fuck me over— it will be the end.
Piper: I won’t—I promise. See you tonight.
“Jesus Christ,” I pinch the bridge of my nose feeling the headache come. This is a fucking nightmare.
“Well, I guess we have 5 hours to come up with a plan,” Sterling says. Looking at his watch.
Chapter 43
Piper
I’m shivering as I walk over the boardwalk with my flashlight. I may have slightly oversold my confidence in being able to carry out this plan. It is dark and the hoodie and denim jacket that I have on is doing nothing to warm me up. Honestly, my nerves are shot.
I know the plan. Holt made me go over it with him so many times, I was almost annoyed. Now I understand why. I know this trail. Meg and I have walked it so many times an iced coffee in hand, chatting about such mundane things. It feels dangerous and dark now. My mind is playing tricks on me. I keep thinking I’m hearing things. I know that Holt and Sterling are all set up strategically near the meeting space. Meg had to take me to my house to grab my car. We needed to make it look like I was arriving alone. Carter rode with us, and now everyone is at their stations.
Technically, I know I’m not alone— but it feels like it. I think I may have a heart attack before this night is over.. I approach the trail marker and look at my watch. It is 10:57, but it feels like its so much later.
No one is there yet. So I sit down on the rickety bench that has been there for far too long and take a deep breath.This is fine. Everything is fine. I’m fine.
“Keep it together, Piper. You are a strong independent woman. You can handle this,” I mutter to myself. My personal pep talk does nothing to ease my stress. My watch says it is 11:03. He is late.Maybe he decided not to show.Relief and disappointment war inside me at the idea that we may need to do something else. Then I hear something.
All of a sudden, a figure comes out from the shadows. They are tall— but not as tall as Holt.
“Piper,” the figure greets me. I don’t recognize his voice and his face is still obscured by shadows. I stand quickly. My voice suddenly caught in my throat.
“I’m so glad that you came,” he says and takes another step closer to me. Swallowing, I force a response.
“I said I would,” was all I could manage. I am still trying to place him, and I’m waiting for Holt to come out of his hiding place with Sterling. I know they are there. Before anything happens the stranger is right in front of me.
“ I missed you,” I take a step back and look up. Finally, recognizing him. He came into the cafe a lot a few months ago. He used to order a coffee and a muffin and sit in the corner for hours on his laptop. Then he stopped coming in. The only time we spoke was for him to place his order and pay.
“Well, aren’t you going to say you missed me,” he says. I can hear the desperation and anger in his voice. I start to back away a bit more. I need more space.Where the fuck is Holt?
“Piper, Piper, you have been a naughty girl,” the stranger sings. My skin crawls. I can’t wait for him to get pummeled. I can tell just by his quick mood change, he is definitely crazy. I see Holt step silently from behind. He puts a finger over his mouth and shakes his head. I manage to pretend like he isn’t there. Holt begins recording on his phone, and I start to talk.
“I remember you,” I say, trying to distract him. I’m backing up a little bit, but he keeps advancing. “What is your name,” I ask him. Trying to sound like I am interested.
“You always were a bit selfish, but don’t worry we will work on that. Nothing a little training won’t help,” he says. I swallow the nausea. I have no interest in hearing about his idea of ‘training’. Holt is inching closer.
“Anyway, Johnathan is the name. It took you long enough to ask. I have been watching you for years. I was going to make my move months ago, but then Holt showed up,” he snarls. His hands go to his head and he tugs at the short hair that is there. It is barely long enough for him to do.
“When I saw that you were starting to look at him the way you looked at me, I decided it was time to teach you a lesson,” he says quietly. I know I need to get him to own up to some of the shit he did, so I ask.
“Are you the one that has been vandalizing my store and my home,” I ask quietly. I need him to admit it so that the sheriff has something to use.
“Yes, you always were a bit slow. It’s okay, once we go away together there will be time to work on this,” he says casually.
“Go away together, go where,” I say slowly. My brain is trying to catch up to the fact that he has a plan.
