When I get to the police station, I’m glad to see that the one cop Trevor is close to is on shift today. I march right up to him and launch into an explanation of what has happened. Then I tell him about my suspicion and describe the features of the woman from the party, whose name I can’t quite remember from her introduction. The cop is able to piece together who the woman is from my description and as soon as he says her name—Bridget—I remember it. He offers to give me a ride to her farmhouse and tells me that’s about all that he can do since there’s nothing else that he can do legally without proof that Bridget has done anything wrong. I refuse the offer and just get the address from him instead. I’m not sure why I don’t take him up on the offer to drive me there; if Bridget did do something that constitutes as foul play, then it would be good to have a cop there to back me up. But there’s a small nagging feeling in the back of my brain that I can’t shake.
What if Trevor went with Bridget on purpose?
I try to quickly dismiss the thought because I know that it couldn’t possibly be true. But even though it is just a thin and tiny shred of a worry, I don’t want to bring the police along on the rare chance that Trevor actuallywantedto go with Bridget. The thought of it makes me a little sick to my stomach, so I push it back into the recesses of my mind and thank the officer before taking the piece of paper that he wrote the address on and walking out of the police station to get back into my car. At least I have his personal cell number too, so if I do end up needing to call for help I can.
I am feeling so furious, though, that I don’t think I will be needing any help putting Bridget in her place if need be. The address is several miles away, and I am upset throughout the entire drive. When I finally get there and step out of the car on the long, dirt-filled driveway, I walk up to the front door of the massive farmhouse and suck in a deep breath before I reach the front porch to steady my nerves. Either my fiancé is here with his ex-girlfriend willingly, or he was pulled from his own home and brough here against his will. Either of those two options are not good and I need to brace myself for what to expect when the door opens.
But when I knock on the door and am met with Bridget’s smiling face opening it and welcoming me in to join them for breakfast, I am not prepared for that type of greeting.
“Where is Trevor?” I ask. “Is he here?”
“Yep,” she says pleasantly. “Come on in, we were just finishing up breakfast and there is plenty for you too. Do you like cream in your coffee?”
For a minute, I just stand there looking at her and trying to figure out what kind of response I should give. This woman is acting as if everything is fine and we are all friends. That makes the tiny worry grow and blossom into a larger and more viable fear that maybe Trevor really did want to leave the party last night and come here with her. I don’t say anything at all; I just walk inside the house and follow her into the kitchen where I see a table spread with breakfast and Trevor sitting at one side.
As soon as I see his face, that particular nagging worry completely dissolves. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he is every bit as confused and alarmed as I am to be here. He looks surprised to see me, butveryglad that I am here. He jumps up to hug me as I rush toward him. When we sit down, he tilts his head toward me as he whispers in my ear.
“Pleasetell me that you brought the car,” he says.
“Of course I did. How else would I have gotten here?”
“Just making sure we have a way home,” he says with relief.
“Oh please,” Bridget says as she rolls her eyes at the both of us. “Do you really think that if you were prisoners here that I would have made you such a lovely breakfast?”
Again I find myself not knowing what to say in response to her. This woman is either very crazy or very much still in love with Trevor.
3
Trevor
Iamsohappy to see Ava walk in that I jump up from the table and hug her. I’m a little surprised to see her here. But then again, we’ve been through so much with Max already that I should have known she’d be able to take matters into her own hands and figure out how to track me down. I’m also surprised to see that Bridget seemshappyto see Ava here, almost like she was hoping that she would come. I still have no idea what’s going on, but at least now I know that we have a car to leave in and get off of this farm.
Bridget fills a plate of food for Ava and sets it down on the table in front of her, then pours her a cup of coffee.
“I’m surprised that you’re eating and drinking any of this,” Ava says under her breath to me. “Being that you’ve already been poisoned once.”
Bridget chuckles and then makes a small noise like she is somewhat offended.
“He wasnotpoisoned. It was just a mild drug to get him here,” she says. “I knew once I got him here,youwould come too.”
“Me? Why in the world would you want me to come here to your house?” Ava asks. “And how the hell do you think it’s acceptable that youdruggedsomeone and kidnapped them?”
I can see that Ava is outraged, and rightly so. The whole scenario is ludicrous.
“We’re leaving,” Ava says as she pushes her chair out with her legs and stands up from the table.
I follow suit. I am more than ready to get out of here, and now that Ava has brought the car, there’s nothing stopping us. We both walk to the door as Bridget stands up and scurries after us, protesting down the hallway as we go.
“No, please don’t leave yet. Just hear me out. Neither of you would have just come here if I had asked you to. You have to admit that.”
“Of course we wouldn’t have,” Ava says as she turns her head over her shoulder without slowing her pace toward the door. “Can you honestly blame us though? You’re crazy.”
“I amnotcrazy,” she says. “I just wanted to propose an offer to the two of you.”
“An offer?” I ask as I stop to turn and look at her. “What kind of offer.”
Ava grabs my hand and pulls me alongside of her.
