by Sophia Sharp
“I’m pretty attentive,” he says as he closes the door and sits on the bed. The delicious aroma of mozzarella cheese wafts from the bag. I sit beside him as he dumps out the contents. There’s a large pizza box, along with some unfamiliar-looking candy bars.
I reach for the pizza, but he stops my hand with his. “Have one of these first,” he says, handing me the candy bar. I give him a funny look, and he explains, “They’re protein bars. I know they don’t taste great, but they’re the quickest way to get some good nutrition in you.”
“Thanks,” I say, unwrapping the bar. His concern for my diet is kind of sweet. A strong chemical scent assaults my nose. My stomach grumbles at the thought of the nearby pizza.
I take a bite of the bar to appease Rich. It’s hard and sticks to my teeth. But overall, it’s not that bad. Well, not revolting, in any case.
Rich smiles and seems to relax at my first bite. I give him a look. “I didn’t think you’d care about what type of food I eat.”
He shrugs. “I pay attention to those things.” He unwraps a bar and starts chewing it.
“So?” I ask. “What did you figure out while you were gone?”
Rich grunts. “Not a lot. I haven’t had much time yet. But, I found a safe place for you to stay.”
I perk an inquisitive eyebrow. He continues quickly, “I know you only agreed to stay today, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that it won’t be enough time. I wouldn’t feel right sending you back on your own, knowing you might be in danger because of me. So, look. It’s Thursday now. Give me tomorrow, and then the weekend, to sort things through. I don’t know if I can settle all my issues by then, but at least I hope I can convince the people who are after me that you’re not involved.” He pauses. “Please.”
I look at him. His eyes are sincere. “Okay,” I agree. “You have until Monday.”
Relief washes over his face like a tidal wave. He exhales a huge sigh. “Great. You don’t know how much that simplifies things, Penny.”
“You mentioned a safe place for me?”
“Yeah. It’s with a friend of mine, on the other side of the state. It’ll take us a few hours to drive there, but that way, I don’t have to worry about anybody finding you while I’m back here sorting things out.”
“And I just wait there?”
“That’s right. My first worry is getting you untangled from all this. Hopefully, by Monday, you’ll never need to deal with me again.”
“You’re sweet,” I smile. I don’t know if it’s the comfort of a full belly, or the feeling of being looked after that makes me do what I do next. I lean over, and give Rich a kiss on the cheek. He blinks, surprised, then clears his throat and looks away.
“Don’t do that,” he chides gently, “or I might start getting attached.”
I laugh and knuckle him in the arm. “You? Playboy extraordinaire? The man who says he doesn’t do relationships? Come on.”
Rich gives me a weak grin. “You don’t know me half as well as you might think.” He clears his throat again, and the levity fades from his voice. “I think we should agree not to let things get personal between us. I know we’re going to be spending some time together, and I know that we… shared… something special last night. But, I don’t think you want to jump into my world right now. There’s too much trouble there as it is. I know you have your own things to deal with without being overwhelmed with any of my shit…” He trails off, then looks at me, his eyes pleading.
“Right,” I nod. I feel a pang of regret. I’m starting to like Rich. The thought of not hearing from him again after Monday fills me with some sadness.
But, I know it’s for the best. He’s having a tough time right now. And even though I want to help, I know I’d be next to useless.
I hold out my hand for him to shake. He looks at it, puzzled, then looks back at me.
“What?” I say. “It’s a handshake. To make a deal!”
Rich barks a laugh. “I see.” He grips my hand and shakes it. “Deal,” he agrees.
--
We’re back in Rich’s truck, driving toward his apartment again. He told me he wanted to pick up some cash he’d hidden in his bathroom to last us through the weekend. I didn’t have my wallet, so there was no danger of me using my credit card, but he said he didn’t want to use his own, either, on the drive to his friend’s. That way, we wouldn’t leave a trail.
The precautions he’s taking are reasonable. But, they make me worry about just what kind of people Rich is in trouble with. If they can track cell phones, credit cards, and even have cops working for them… well, they definitely aren’t your average criminals. If their henchmen were the type to leave carved warnings on walls and break down front doors, it makes them even more dangerous.
Suddenly, the rational part of my brain becomes a little happier about the deal I’ve struck with Rich.
“Hold on,” I say. “Do you think it’s safe for us to go back to your apartment again? I mean, isn’t that exactly where they’d expect to find you?”
Rich nods slowly. “Well… yes and no. It’s daytime now, so there are going to be people around. I don’t think anybody’s going to try kidnapping me with an audience. Also, you remember the message they left? They want me to come back to my apartment and find it. Frighten me a bit. I think last night, if they’d found me inside, all they’d have done is rough me up some.” He shrugs. “They wouldn’t have hurt me too badly. They need me alive and somewhat lucid to come up with the money they think I still owe them.”
“Do you?” I ask.
Rich looks at me. “Do I what?”
“Do you still owe them money? You don’t have to lie to me, Rich. I’m already here with you. But I want to know the truth.”
Rich considers it for a moment. Then he shakes his head. “No. The debt was paid. Everything is accounted for.”
“Okay,” I nod. “I believe you.”
“The only other reason it might not be safe for us to go back,” Rich continues, “is if they know we’ve already been there. But in that case,” he laughs, “I don’t think they’d think me stupid enough to return again.”
I grin back at him. “If only they knew the truth.”
“If only,” Rich agrees. “But still, you’re probably right. It pays to be cautious. We’ll keep a lookout.”
--
Less than a block away from the apartment, Rich curses softly. “Shit,” he says. “They’re here.”
“What? Where?” I spin in my seat, trying to look everywhere at once. The street is full of people—students, mostly. Nobody stands out.
“Don’t panic. It just means we can’t go back in. We’ll keep driving. We’ll be fine.” He shuffles through the center console and shoves a pair of dark aviator sunglasses at me. “Here. Put these on.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want them to recognize you.”
“But they already have my ID—”
“Just do it!”
“Fine.” I take the glasses and settle them over my eyes. Everything becomes darker. “Now what?”
“Now, I can point them out to you without worrying.” He nods casually ahead and to the right, on my side of the street. “See that parked car?”
“The black one?”
“Yeah. The black Lincoln. It’s theirs. But I can’t tell if there’s anybody inside…” He grunts. “The windows are tinted.”
“What does it matter if they’re inside the car or not? They’re here, which means we can’t go into your apartment. Right?”
“Right,” Rich agrees. “No point risking it. I would have loved to have that money for the trip, though. It just means we’ll need to be more frugal.”
“Well, how much cash do we need?”
“At a bare minimum? Just enough for gas. But I think I’ve got enough in my wallet for that.”
We’re closing in on the parked car. I feel my eyes being tugged toward it. I look, trying to peer through the double layer of dark gl
ass to see if there’s anyone inside. It’s hard to tell. Rich steers forward. As our car passes the Lincoln, time slows for me.
I turn my head slowly to the right. At the same moment, the driver’s side window of the black car rolls down. A stab of fear hits me right in the gut as a bald, skinny man in a beige suit turns his head to look at me. He doesn’t have the bulk to match either of the silhouettes I’d seen breaking down the door. His eyes seem to pierce right through the glasses and reach down to my very core. Danger emanates from him.
I bristle and look away, heart racing.
“Did you get a good look?” Rich asks.
It takes me a moment to remember myself. Then I turn on him in a fury. “Why did you do that?” I demand.
“Do what?”
“Slow down as we passed! The man in the car rolled his window down and looked right at me!”
“Sorry. I wanted to see who it was.”
“But now he’s seen me!” I twist back in my seat, my heart still pounding in my chest. “The car’s not following. Rich, they’re not following us.” I’m on the verge of hysteria. “Is that a good thing? Why aren’t they following us? Rich? Rich!”
“Penny.” Rich reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Relax.” His hand moves up to lower the overhead visor. He taps the mirror on the flipside. “Look here.”
I do. Relief floods over me when I see how much of my face the aviators hide. I can hardly recognize myself under the enormous lenses. I doubt even Abby would know it’s me if I show up in front of her wearing them.
“Thanks,” I mumble. “Sorry for freaking out. I feel like a dork.” I look back, and see the black car still standing on the street. “Why aren’t they following us, though?”
“I don’t think they know my truck,” Rich says. “I’ve driven it maybe twice in the past year. I prefer my own feet, and everything is close by, anyway, on campus.”
“Oh. So you’re a student here too, then?” I can’t believe I don’t even know that about him.
“Kind of.” Rich shrugs. “I was supposed to graduate a few years ago, but I took some time off. I have only a few credits left to complete. But I never seem to find the time.”
“So being chased by mobsters is a regular occurrence for you, then?” I smile. “At least I’m glad I’m with a pro.”
He gives me a level look. “That’s not funny.” But then he breaks into a wide grin, betraying the words.
I laugh. It seems the only thing left to do in the situation. “So, what next?”
“Next,” Rich says, “I get you somewhere safe.”
--
Some time later, Rich’s Ford eases to a stop. I hear the engine turn off. I open my eyes groggily. I must have dozed off without realizing it as he drove.
I look around, expecting to see his friend’s place outside. But, no. We’re at some tiny, rural gas station. Tall evergreens surround us on all sides.
I yawn and stretch my arms. “How long have I been out?”
“Almost an hour and a half,” Rich answers.
“Are we close, then?”
“About halfway there. Maybe less. This is the last gas station I know of on the way, though.”
“Just how far from the reaches of civilization are you taking me, Rich?”
He chuckles. “Far enough to keep you safe. It’s a small town, no more than five hundred people.”
“Good. I was worried you’d leave me in the woods,” I joke, peering at the trees around us.
He laughs again. “I’m not that cruel. I’m going to fill up and take a look inside. You want anything?”
“What I want,” I say, taking off my seatbelt, “is to stretch my legs.” I put my hand on the handle to open the door when I hear a sharp intake of breath. I look back at Rich. There’s a tense expression on his face. “Is something wrong?”
He blinks once… and then forces a smile. “No.” He shakes his head. “Of course not. Go ahead.”
“Weirdo,” I mutter as I open the door and step outside. The fresh air hits me like an avalanche after the stuffy warmth of the car. I stretch my arms and breathe in deeply, loving the scent of old trees in the air. The air in California never seemed that bad, but I didn’t know how good a lungful of pure, unpolluted air felt until I moved north.
I turn back to find Rich with the nozzle stuck into the car. He pauses. “Damn! I forgot. I have to pay first. Watch this for me, will you?”
Without waiting for my reply, he rushes off into the building, leaving the car hooked up to the gas pump. “Watch this for me, will you,” I mimic under my breath. As if somebody’s going to run up and steal the hose!
I lean against the side of his car and look around. A curving dirt road runs one way into the woods. On the other side of the gas station is the paved road I assume Rich used to get us here.
The gas station attendant inside is the only other person present. It’s quiet, serene. The wind rustling the branches above me is the only sound to break the stillness. I can imagine this station as lost somewhere in the wilds of Alaska, serving lone truckers on their long routes through the unpopulated state.
The wind picks up, and I shiver. My sweater doesn’t offer much protection. I decide to hop back into the car.
My hand is on the handle when suddenly I see a dark reflection on the glass. Just for a sliver of a second, I imagine that I see the black Lincoln driving on that curving dirt road. I whirl around, heart racing, and see… nothing. The road is empty.
I give a nervous chuckle. Just my mind playing tricks on me, I think as I step through the door. Not enough sleep and too much uncertainty will do that to a girl. Just in case, though, I lock the doors.
A few minutes later, I’m startled by a knock on the window. I’d been so caught up in looking at the road to prove the black Lincoln had just been a figment of my imagination that I didn’t notice Rich approaching. I give a bashful grin and unlock the doors, letting him inside.
“Here,” he says. “I got you something to drink.” He hands me a lidded, plastic fountain cup.
I take a sip, and make a face. “Pepsi? It’s so sweet.”
“Sorry,” he says. “That’s all they had. We’re outside of Coke country here.”
I start to set it down, but he urges me, “Drink up. The caffeine’s good for you. I wouldn’t want you crashing when we get to my friend’s place.” There’s an odd, focused look on his face that accompanies the request. I don’t understand why it’s so important to him. But I don’t want to cause a fuss over a little drink.
I position the straw between my lips and take a longer sip. I feel a yawn coming on. Maybe he’s is right, I think. Maybe the caffeine will help me wake up. I draw on the straw again, feeling the bubbles trail down my throat. I frown. The Pepsi does taste awfully sweet.
I can’t stop the next yawn from escaping my mouth. I feel my eyes getting heavy. Rich is still leaning halfway into the car, looking at me intently.
“What…” I try to say. But, the word comes out mushy. It’s like my tongue doesn’t want to respond. My mouth feels like it’s full of cotton.
I blink, feeling dazed. I try to open my mouth to speak again, but a heavy languor washes over me. I try to focus, but my thoughts are sluggish. I can see Rich, still looking at me. Watching. Waiting. Like a hawk. Like a…
My eyes drift shut. My limbs go numb. I feel the drink fall from my fingers, but I don’t feel it hit my legs.
From some deep corner of my mind, I think I hear the words, “I’m sorry.”
All goes black.
Chapter Five
The first thing I know is the cold. Icy cold, seeping into every living cell of my body. It surrounds me, pressing down against my skin in its harsh embrace. My body feels weak and confused. My thoughts are… sluggish.
I try to remember where I am, but the memory won’t come. I know it’s there, hiding somewhere in the depths of my mind. Reaching it feels like groping about in a bucket of thick, viscous slop for the tiny pearl you know is
at the bottom. Even if your fingers brush against it, the vile liquid is too thick for you to sense it.
A shiver runs down my spine. I draw a breath, and feel a sharp pain in my throat. It’s from the cold. Why is it so cold?
It’s also dark. So, so dark. Are my eyes closed? It’s hard for me to tell.
That’s when I know something is very wrong. I can feel something pressing against my eyes. I try to blink them open, but it doesn’t help with the dark. Wait. I’m blindfolded!
Suddenly, the memory I’ve been trying to reach comes crashing back. Rich. The gas station. The Pepsi, and the Lincoln, and… oh God, I’ve been drugged!
Panic flares in my chest. I try to move my arms, but they’re locked in place behind my back. Tied to something. I kick my legs. They fare no better. I squirm and twist, jerking around. Nothing helps. I’m tied up. Bound. And blindfolded.
Nothing makes sense. Where am I? The panic builds, threatening to transform into full-blown hysteria. I thrash against my bonds, forcing my frozen body to fight against the restraints.
I might as well be trying to walk through a wall.
Nothing works. My breaths quicken, turning into sharp little gasps. I feel a tightness settle over my chest. I’m dizzy. I’m falling. I’m flailing—
Calm.
The thought comes out of nowhere and startles me.
Stay calm, Penelope. Think things through, you idiot!
I stop struggling. The thought seems to carry great gravitas. I take a steadying, deep breath through my mouth. The cold air stings my lips, burns my throat, but it’s not as bad as before.
Calm. That state of mind seems as far away as the sun right now. Still, I force myself into it. It takes a few minutes. But when it comes, the panic slips away. It’s replaced by a steely determination. I have to understand what the hell is going on.
One by one, I check on all my limbs. My arms are definitely behind my back. I feel something tight cutting into my wrists. My fingers are numb, but I can move them. I start making fists over and over to get the blood flow back.
My legs are beneath me at a sharp ninety-degree angle. I can wiggle my toes, but when I try to move a leg forward, it’s held in place by something wrapped around my shin. I am completely incapacitated. For a second, I feel that panic trying to break free. I stuff it down with a harsh vengeance.
