“You just missed her. She’s taking the trash out back,” Millie replies, glancing toward the hallway that leads to the kitchen.
I follow her gaze. The back door is slightly open. So I nod, angling my body to face the area. I’ll see her the moment she enters. “You two almost done?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she says, flipping a page in the ledger. “Just finishing up the numbers.”
I nod again, settling into a quiet wait. The diner hums softly around us. The low buzz of the fridge. The faint ticking of the wall clock. The distant sound of a car passing outside.
But under it all, something feels off. Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen Cammi, or I’m just being overly cautious.
Millie looks up. “Noah, can you keep an eye on the diner? I need to check through some receipts in Pete’s office.”
I jerk my gaze off the back door and toward Millie. “Sure.”
“Thank you. I won’t be long.” She hurries away from the counter to the back office.
I look around the diner for any threat. Nothing, but at the back of my mind, I’m wondering how long it takes to take out the trash. I decide to ask Millie when she gets back. Another minute passes. Maybe two.
Then, Millie runs out from the back, her expression filled with panic and fear. “Noah,” she whispers.
I freeze. “What is it?” I ask quietly.
She leans in, her eyes wide. “Cammi’s in trouble.”
Everything inside me goes cold. “What do you mean?” I demand.
“It’s Rick,” she says quickly, her voice shaking. “I heard his voice. He’s out there with her.” A harsh whisper coated in fear.
She inhales and continues, “The door is propped open. I heard everything. He’s trying to force her to go with him. He said he’s taking her back home.”
Something inside me snaps. For a split second, I see red. But I don’t let it take over. I can’t. Because panic gets people killed. I learned that early on in the army. And I’m not losing her. Not like this.
I grab Millie’s shoulders, grounding her. “Listen to me.” Her breathing is uneven, her hands trembling. “You stay here,” I say firmly.
“What? No, I can’t just stay…”
“Millie.” My voice cuts through her panic.
“You’re going to help her,” I continue, steady and controlled. “But you need to do exactly what I say.”
She swallows hard. “O-okay.”
“Call the cops,” I say. “Right now.”
Her grip tightens around her phone.
“And then you stay hidden,” I add. “You don’t come out. Don’t try to help. Understand me?”
“But…”
“Millie.” She stops.
“Trust me,” I say.
A beat passes. Then she nods. “Okay.”
I release her. Then I’m on the move. I use the front door to keep the element of surprise. The night air hits me instantly, cool and sharp, but my mind is already locked in. Focused. I’d already canvassed the diner’s surroundings—after Rick threatened Cammi the last time. I knew I couldn’t take any chances.
Now, I think back to my survey. Back alley. Narrow space. Limited exits. One unpredictable threat. With that thought, I move along the side of the building, keeping close to the wall. Every step deliberate. Every breath controlled.
