I grabbed my wallet and placed it next to me and dug out Ally’s clutch. Once I found what I needed there, I stuffed it into my wallet and placed her purse next to mine. I grabbed Sam’s tiny purse and sat it out next. Next came my keys. I faltered at the last item my hand landed on. Cole’s hairbrush. I didn’t need it, but I couldn’t leave it behind. Even if I never saw them again at least I would have this.
I jumped up and scattered the rest of my purse all over the inside of the dumpster then the bag itself behind me, ignoring the scurrying rats that rushed past my feet. I grabbed my wallet, Ally’s and Sam’s purses, keys, and hairbrush and rushed out into the streets again, running for all I was worth. A few streets down I threw Ally’s and Sam’s purses into another dumpster. If they had found my purse and seen the bloody finger prints, Ally could have told them what I had taken, so this way they would think someone had just stolen their purses from mine. If they had known what I’d had taken they could have someone waiting for me and try to contain me before I got away. And that just wasn’t in the cards to keeping them safe.
I ran for five more minutes until I found a gas station. I stopped there, keeping my head down. I was breathless and my whole body was trembling, but I was far from done. I grabbed quarters out of my wallet and dug out the white business card that had been gifted to me.
I dialed the number that had been scribbled on the back.
It rang three times before he answered, sounding hurried and frantic, “Mark Fresby here.”
“It’s Ember, but don’t say my name out loud,” I said quickly. I heard his quick intake of breath and I continued rapidly, “I need that help you offered, but you can’t tell Brent or Cole. They will get dead in a hurry if you mention any of this to them. Ineed to protect them.” I paused and when I spoke again, I know I sounded desperate. “Please don’t tell them.”
He was silent for a few moments before I heard him say, “I’m sorry. I have to take this in another room. It’s my brother and his wife has taken ill. Excuse me.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief. He was going to do as I asked.
Silence for a few moments, and then he stated, “Where are you? What do you need? I had a man try to follow you, but he couldn’t keep up in the traffic. And what do you mean Brent’s and Cole’s lives depend on not telling them? Ember, I’ll come to you right now. Just tell me what you need.”
So Mr. Fresby had sent someone after us. I had wondered what he would do.
“I need to be picked up,” I rattled off a pick-up point. “I’ll tell you the rest when you get here. But, please…don’t tell them where you’re really going. It’s…deeper than what you think.” I hesitated. “In fact, you might not want to help me. This could be dangerous for you if the wrong people find out.”
“I’m on my way,” his voice was firm, rebuking any arguments. “But you’re going to tell me what the hell’s going on especially if I’m about to go back in that room and lie to those two men that are going ballistic with worry.”
My heart clenched, but I pushed it away so I could lie and make it sound truthful. “Okay. Please hurry. I’m going to start attracting attention soon.”
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” He hung up.
I moved away from the gas station to the location I had told him to pick me up a few streets down in another darkened alley. My left eye was completely swelled shut and my body wanted to give out, but I couldn’t yet. I couldn’t until I was gone from Brent and Cole completely.My home.I had to burn the bridges to keep the forces from entering, though. My heart blackened a little more.
Seventeen minutes later a black Benz pulled up in front of my hiding spot. The window rolled down, and I saw Mr. Fresby in the driver’s seat still wearing his pristine tux. It seemed so long ago that I had been at the party, even though it had been less than an hour.
I immediately scuttled out from the damp shadowy hole I’d knelt inside. I ran on the balls of my feet, keeping silent so no one would glance my way and take notice of the obviously rich occupant offering a blood covered woman a ride. It wasn’t something most would forget. I was going to try to keep him as safe as I could while he helped me.
When I got inside the passenger seat, his eyes were wide in shock as he gawked at my face, but Mr. Fresby is one tough man, because he only stared a moment longer before he questioned, “Where to?”
He stepped on the gas and started driving north. I wasn’t oblivious to where he was heading. I knew he would do this at first. I needed to stop his train of thought quickly. I couldn’t go back to Brent and Cole.
I needed to make my intentions clear. “I need a way to get to New York without having to get on a commercial flight. It needs to be fast, but someway I don’t have to give my name out.” I hesitated, but decided he needed to know this much. “The people who are wanting me have access to flight itineraries. It needs to look legit or they could come down on you like you wouldn’t imagine.”
He was silent as he stole more glimpses of my person, taking it all in. I hadn’t looked at my reflection in any of the stores windows and I hadn’t wanted to, but I could see the dried blood that I had tried to rub off covering my hands and arms. It coated my dress and splattered all over my legs. I wore more blood than dress right now.
“Let me think on that a moment,” he stated finally, and then asked softly, “So, did you kill the bastard?”
I laughed bitterly. “I can only hope, but somehow I doubt it. He’s like a bad penny.”
Mr. Fresby hummed softly in his throat, tapping the wheel with his thumbs, deep in thought. He turned left, bringing us closer to the Expo. I had to make him understand or I didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t really want to hurt the man, but he could absolutely not take me back to them.
“I know where you’re headed. So please stop the car,” I murmured quietly, but the steel was evident in my voice.
He tensed, but didn’t pull over.
I hissed out a breath and tried again. “They will die. Do you understand that? The level that this goes to is far too darn deep. I look like your everyday gal, but myskillsare very interesting to certain…people. They want me and will do anything to get me. I know for a fact that Brent and Cole already had the green light to get dead tonight. I saw the shooters. If I go back to them, these…people will take them out. They are more ruthless and brutal than you can comprehend.” I paused, and then shouted when he didn’t stop. “SO STOP THIS DARN CAR!”
Mr. Fresby jumped in his seat at my scream and swerved over a lane and parked on an abandoned road. He put it in Park and turned in his seat to stare at me. I stared right back, my gaze hard and hand on the door handle, ready to bolt if I needed to. I hadn’t put my seatbelt on for this particular reason as it was.
Finally, he whispered softly, “I don’t think you’re giving them enough credit. Have you ever seen their military record? It boggles the mind to know what those two have done, never mind all four of them.”
I shook my head rapidly, not wanting to be talked into killing them. Because that’s what I would be doing if I returned to them. Impressive military record or not, it justwasn’t enough. Not enough to risk their lives, anyway. I, also, ignored the itching curiosity to know how he knew about their records. Those should have been locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Evidently, he had some leverage in the armed forces. Not really surprising, though. A lot of the older financially wealthy good-‘ol-boys had that insight.
