“Annabelle, is everything okay?” His voice was thick with sleep and she imagined that large, naked body pressed next to hers.
“No, I’m fine… really. Just listen, okay?” He agreed, so she continued. “Tonight I had a long talk with Cooper and he apologized for the way he spoke to you and the way he’s been treating me. We really talked, Ethan, about everything that had been going on with him, and I think it’s a time of change for both of us.”
“I’m happy for you, baby.”
“I’m sorry about getting into it with you about Brad too.”
He was silent for a few seconds before he said, “I called him, and said a few things, and he texted me back later. I’ll tell you about it when I see you, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered, feeling so full of love it almost hurt. “Anyways, it’s late, but I just wanted to say… Well, I just wanted to say that I never meant to hurt you, and that I love you and it’s okay if you don’t love me back, but I needed to tell you that because… well, I just needed to.”
There was absolute silence on the other end, so Annabelle said, “Goodnight, Ethan,” and hung up feeling nervous and terrified because he hadn’t said he loved her back. Had Cooper and Branna been wrong? Was the love all on her side?
He called back two seconds later. She thought about not answering but then decided she was too old for those kinds of games.
He said,“I love you, Annabelle, so fucking much it hurts, and I want to fly back to Howling now to show you just how much,” which made her cry. “Don’t cry, baby,” he told her.
“They’re happy tears, I promise,” Annabelle said. “Come home tomorrow. We’ll talk and then you can kiss me and tell me how perfect I am.”
“I don’t remember saying that, sweetheart.”
“Sure you did. Right before ‘I worship you,’” she teased, now that she could breathe again. “And now we have to go because you need your beauty sleep so you can rise with the sun and hurry back here. Fly safe, my love.”
“I love you, baby,” he said before she disconnected the call.
She slept then, a deep sleep that featured Ethan and Cooper and the other people she loved. When she woke early, she was still smiling. It didn’t fade as she pulled on leggings, a sweatshirt, and her sneakers.
“I’m just going for a quick walk, Coop, and then I’ll make breakfast when I get back,” she said, poking her head into her brother’s room. He was an early riser too.
“Okay. Maybe I’ll help you,” he said, swinging his legs out of bed.
“And maybe I’ll accept.”
She let herself out of the house. Striding off down the road, she pumped her arms to warm up. It was early, before six a.m., so she had the road to herself. Titling back her head, she inhaled the scent of the redwoods that stood behind her as she strode along the road beside the lake.
She’d been walking awhile when a blue sedan pulled up beside her. Smiling, she turned to face the driver. The man smiled back. He had on a Lakers cap and a sweatshirt and was resting his elbow on the window ledge. She’d seen him yesterday, only then he’d been driving a camper van.
“Morning. You decided to stay?” Annabelle said.
“Morning. Yes, I was reluctant to leave this lovely place,” he said, looking behind her as if he was searching for something.
“No place like Howling, that’s for sure,” Annabelle said.
“I was wondering if Cooper Smith was your brother, Ms. Smith?”
Annabelle felt a trickle of unease as she remembered what Cooper had said to her last night about owing someone else money. “Cooper Smith?” She pretended to think about that for a few seconds. “Can’t say the name is familiar, but I’d head back into town again, and ask around there. They may be able to help you. Ask for Cubby. He’s pretty knowledgeable about who lives where in the area.” Lifting a hand, Annabelle turned and began to jog back down the road away from her house.
She heard the car start up again and come up behind her. Moving to the side, she lifted her hand again, but the car stopped.
“I thought you’d just take us straight to him, Ms. Smith, but seems like you’re not going to oblige.”
She saw the gun he was holding, and then the back door opened and someone grabbed her. She struggled, fought hard, kicked and punched, but there were two men in the back and they had her subdued quickly. Her hands and feet were bound, her mouth taped in seconds.
“A car’s coming! Keep her down!”
Annabelle’s head was pushed between her knees as she heard the driver turn the music up so her sounds were muffled. Then they were moving.
“Check her for a cell phone.”
