The phone slaps against my palm, and I move, racing back down the steps and hightailing it to the blue house on the left.
“Add your number in before you bring it back!” the guy yells after me.
My icy fingers stumble over the number keys, and in a moment of conflict I press ten numbers instead of three. Alex’s voice answers while I make a quick stop in the driveway, searching for the can of dog food in the car before running back to the house.
“Yeah?”
“Alex! Thank God. It’s me.”
A short pause. “Annalise? Where the hell are you? You were supposed to be home by now.”
“Just listen,” I rush out. “I need you. 112 Silverleaf Avenue. I’m only a mile from the condo. Please. Get here fast.”
“The fuck?”
“I’ll explain everything, I promise. I need your help. It’s urgent.”
He barks a laugh that’s tinged with confusion. “Wait, are you in trouble?”
“Yes.” I push through the open door, finding Chase and his dog right where I left them. “I mean, no. It’s not me, it’s…”Shit—how do I explain this? My brain stumbles over a story, a little white lie. “He’s Tag’s friend. He was shot in the leg, and he’s bleeding out. I just need—”
“Call a goddamn ambulance. Jesus. It’s like Armageddon outside.”
“I’m callingyou. Please, just get here.”
“This is batshit. Where’s Tag?”
“He’s…not here.” I rip the lid off the can of dog food. “Dammit, Alex, we’re running out of time. Please.”
“Fuck this.” He growls out a series of curses, the jingle of car keys resonating through the speaker. “You better have a damn good explanation when I get there.”
Click.
My cheeks burn, eyes stinging with more tears. Toaster’s tail wags as he lifts off the couch, attention aimed at the can of food. Whimpers escape. The dog’s. Mine.
“Here you go, buddy. Eat up.” I place the can on the floor, watching as the animal hops down and devours the meal.
Next, I call my brother.
Deep breath.
Somehow I need to convince him not to press charges against the guy who just kidnapped me from a random gas station.
I punch in the number. It rings twice. And then—
“Please tell me this is my fucking sister.”
My breath falls out in a plume of relief. “It’s me, Tag.”
“Jesus Christ, where are you?”
“That guy from the gas station. He was shot, then he took the car and was trying to—”
“Yeah, I know what happened. Caught the tail end of it as I was coming out of the bathroom.” His long sigh filters through the speaker. “I’m at thepolice station. They brought me in for questioning as the only witness. It’s a goddamn mess.”
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“No, but I’ve been freaked out of my mind, thinking that asshole tossed you in the woods and got the hell out of Dodge. Or worse.”
