Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
HANNAH GRACE
I really want a shower, but that will have to wait as I rush to the front of the school. I expect to find Laura Leigh lounging on one of the benches just outside the entrance, but she’s not there.
Her car is parked next to mine, and I walk up to it, smiling as I look for her. But no sign of her. A duffel bag is in the back along with a backpack and several already wrapped packages. The passenger seat is a wreck of snack food trash, an empty diet soda can, and a sweatshirt tossed on the floor.
“Jesus, Laura Leigh,” I mutter.
How can she stand the mess?
“She better not think I’m riding with her,” I tell myself as I drop my bags in my much-cleaner car and pull my phone free.
Hey, sorry, I just saw your text and came out front.
Where are you?
With no immediate response in the form of the three bouncing dots, I head back toward the school and meet Cole at the entrance.
“Where’s Laura Leigh?” he asks, tossing his arm around my shoulders.
“I’m not sure. When I got here she wasn’t here but her car is. I just texted her. Do you think someone let her in the school and she’s waiting inside?”
“We can check.”
“Ohhh. Maybe she’s with Zach,” I say, excited for my sister after her admission.
Damn girl , way to already put your plan in place .
Cole’s lips flatten.
“I’m still not sure how I feel about a seven-year age difference.”
“Stop. You act like he’s not my best friend.” I push at his chest, giggling at his overprotective big brother nature.
But he doesn’t have anything to worry about since there’s no sign of Zach even though the gym is still lit up and his office door is still open. We’re almost to the office to check for Laura Leigh when my phone buzzes with a text.
LL
Sorry! I ran into Zach and he and I went to grab lunch.
Wish me luck.
Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
LL
What exactly does that entail?
Laura Leigh!
LL
J/K. I’ll have Zach drop me off at my car after lunch and meet you at your place?
K. See you later.
I show the text exchange to Cole who grunts.
“Maybe I should have a talk with Zach,” he says.
“No, no, no. You don’t need to have a talk with Zach. He’s fine. And if he and Laura Leigh hit it off, even better.”
“You’re pretty cute when you play matchmaker,” he says and squeezes my shoulders.
“I know.”
His fingers graze my side and I squeal, the sound echoing off the empty hallways of the school.
“Jeez, that’s almost louder than?—”
My hands cover Cole’s mouth, stopping the words, and my attention fixes on the red mark below my thumb where I had to bite my hand earlier to avoid crying out with my orgasm.
“You’re terrible,” I tell him and roll my eyes.
He waggles his eyebrows at me and I release his mouth.
“That’s not what you said earlier,” he murmurs for my ears only.
“Cole!” I stop and rather than letting my lack of movement stop him, he lifts me with one arm and carries me toward the entrance.
“I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not,” he tells me and steps through the entrance, moving to the car with me still in tow.
“I can walk.”
His grip doesn’t lessen.
“I know that.” He’s not even breathing heavily despite carrying me.
“Are you going to put me down?” I ask.
And he does, but not until we’re next to the passenger door of my car.
“Here you go,” he says.
“Show-off.”
“You love it,” he teases and smacks a kiss to my cheek.
I giggle.
“I love you ,” I correct.
“Let’s go home.” He closes the door softly and walks around, sliding into the driver seat.
“Hoping for a round two?” I ask, my thighs already tingling.
He groans. “Think we have time?”
“We may have to combine round two with a shower.”
“You naked and wet? Say less.”
My phone buzzes again when we pull into the driveway.
LL
Still hanging out with Zach. We’re going to his place.
Ok. ::smile emoji::
LL
He’s super sweet, Hannah Grace. And sexy as hell.
I’ll vouch for the sweetness.
LL
You’re not mad are you?
No. Have fun!
“Looks like we have more time than I anticipated. Laura Leigh is going to go hang at Zach’s place for a little while.”
Cole’s nostrils flare, and I’m concerned for the state of the garage door as he presses on the gas, accelerating and parking the car as fast as possible before closing the garage door. In a blur, he’s at my door, lifting me out of the car and over his shoulder.
“Cole!”
His hand comes up and slaps my ass.
“Hang on tight, Honey Girl.”
Since it’s exactly what I want to do, I don’t argue.
Not only do Cole and I have time for round two and round three in the shower, but we also spend the afternoon watching holiday movies. Between movies, Cole catches me up on what Detective O’Connell had to say when he came to look at the car.
“Have you heard from him since?” I ask, wiggling my feet in his lap while I lean against the side of the couch.
“Nothing yet.”
“I’m glad the car was gone by the time we got home,” I say and fight the shiver that wants to slide down my spine.
“Me too. It looked like they even cleaned up the broken glass in the street. I had planned on doing that when we got home.”
I really like how he refers to my house as “home.” A smile curls my lips, and he lifts a finger to trace the line.
“You’re happy.”
“I am. I love that you call this home. Would you—do you think you’d ever move back to Tennessee?”
“I’m thinking that’s a definite possibility. Are you saying you want to stay here?”
“My family is here. And Zach. My job.”
“There are teaching jobs in California too. Sawyer’s brother-in-law is a teacher in LA. If you wanted another option.”
“Maybe. I’ve never considered living anywhere else. This has always been home.”
“I understand that. And my home is wherever you are, Hannah Grace. If you want to stay here, I’ll figure it out with Sawyer.”
“You will?”
He nods and I lean up, throwing my arms around his neck in a tight hug.
The doorbell rings and I release him reluctantly.
“It’s probably Laura Leigh. Finally.”
I bounce up and open the door to find Detective O’Connell on the other side of the door.
“Evening, Ms. Whittaker. Is Cole here?”
Cole comes up behind me, his warmth a welcome sensation.
“Murphy, what’s going on? I figured you’d call me when you had something.”
“I figured this type of news warranted an in-person conversation.”
“What news?” Cole asks and we step aside and allow Murphy inside.
“Can we sit?”
Nerves swamp my belly as I grip Cole’s hand where we sit on the couch while Murphy takes the chair.
“After our last canvas of your neighbors, seems like everyone decided to turn on the recording feature at night. When officers spoke to your neighbor diagonal from you, they had also increased their distance that would turn on the camera. They found this.”
Murphy presses a few things on his phone and hands Cole the camera.
“This was taken at around three this morning,” Murphy explains.
There’s nothing on the screen, until it flashes on, the porch illuminated brightly by the light. But on the sidewalk, just outside the light, is a shadow figure dressed in a black hoodie and black pants carrying a silver baseball bat and a dark backpack.
The figure approaches Cole’s car and drops the backpack, lifting the bat overhead and bringing it down twice on the windshield before moving to the lights. They then move to each window, shattering them with sickening intensity.
“W-what’s he using on the door?” I ask, watching the shadowy figure walk the length of the car, a deep gouge appearing behind him.
“Too much shadow to confirm,” Detective O’Connell says.
“Screwdriver?” Cole suggests.
Murphy shrugs. “Could be. Our forensics guys were, and I quote, ‘excited’ to figure out what did it.”
“Does he ever show his face?” Cole asks, eyes still on the video where now the shadowy figure dips back into the backpack and pulls something out to hold it in his hand.
Based on how he positions over the hood and on the side of the car, it’s not hard to figure out it’s the can of red spray paint. A few more minutes and he tosses the can back into the backpack and shoulders it before grabbing the bat, walking back by the camera calmly. Like he didn’t just destroy a car.
“No.”
“Goddammit.”
“But in case you didn’t realize, about halfway through the video, he makes a mistake. He touches the side of the car when he leans down to slash the tire. My guys are pulling prints now, and if they’re in the system, I’ll know soon.”
“How soon?” Cole asks.
“Couple hours.” Murphy meets Cole’s eyes in some sort of nonverbal communication.
I wish I spoke whatever language they’re using.
“But only if he’s in the system,” I add and both men look at me. “If the person has fingerprints in the system. If they don’t…”
We’re back to square one.
Again.
“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it. Something tells me with the violence he exhibits that he’s in the system.”
I shudder. Because he’s right. Whoever did that to Cole’s car was incredibly violent. And he’s been close enough to me to be in my house.
Cole rubs his thumb over my knuckles in a soothing gesture.
“Can I get a copy of that to send to Sawyer?” Cole asks.
“Yeah, of course.” With a few swipes of his phone, he looks back up at Cole. “Sent. I’m heading back to the lab to see if I can help with anything, but I’ll call as soon as I learn more.”
Murphy stands and heads for the door.
“Thanks, Murphy,” Cole says, standing and shaking hands with the detective before he leaves.
After he leaves, Cole relocks the front door.
“I’m going to use our room to call Sawyer in case Laura Leigh gets here while I’m on the phone.”
“Okay.”
He squats in front of me, his hands skimming my thighs.
“Are you going to be okay?”
“I…yeah. I hope so. That video was…”
Cole nods. “It was.”
“What if?—”
“No ‘what-ifs,’ Honey Girl. The bastard screwed up. We are going to find him. And you’re going to be safe. I’ll just be down the hall.” He stands, pressing a kiss against my forehead.
Alone with my thoughts, I turn on the TV to try to distract myself, leaving the channel on the Hallmark movie that’s on while I pick up my phone and shoot a text to Laura Leigh.
Okay, I think you’ve kept Zach to yourself enough.
Do you want to bring Zach over for dinner? We can watch Christmas movies.
LL
Are you alone?
It’s a strange question. Laura Leigh doesn’t know about Cole. Not unless Zach told her.
Yeah.
The next text from Laura Leigh makes bile rise to my throat. She’s lying on a dirty mattress, hands and feet tied together, a gag in her mouth. Her eyes are closed, but I can see where tears have streaked silver tracks down her face. I stand, ready to run to Cole when another text comes through.
LL
Tell Cole and little sister pays the price.
Tell ANYONE and I make it hurt.
Oh my God. What do I do?
Whoever is after me somehow got my little sister.
Please don’t hurt her.
LL
Good girl, Hannah Grace.
What do you want?
Tears are clouding my vision as they fall and I stand, closing myself in the bathroom and turning on the water. Cole can’t find out. Laura Leigh depends on my ability to hide this.
LL
I want what I’ve always wanted.
You.
Grabbing the hand towel, I muffle my sob as memories of the violence on the video overwhelm me.
Please don’t hurt her.
You can have me.
LL
Glad you’re finally coming around.
Meet me at this address.
An address pops through next. One I’m not familiar with.
I’m not sure where that is.
LL
Google it.
Meet me there in 30 minutes.
What if it takes longer?
LL
It’s only 20 minutes from your house. I’m giving you 10 minutes extra.
Don’t be late. Otherwise I may decide to have some fun with your sister.
Please. Don’t. I’m coming.
LL
Come alone. If anyone shows up with you, you’ll be burying your baby sister.
Oh God.
Wiping my eyes with the towel, I splash water on my face before turning it off.
Cole is still in our bedroom when I open the door, and I grab my car keys, sneaking into the garage and taking a deep breath. As soon as I open the door, Cole will know I’m leaving.
Come alone.
Figure this out, Hannah Grace .
I don’t have time. Laura Leigh depends on it.
I can’t open the garage door, but I can make sure Cole doesn’t come after me.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur and tuck the keys into the glove compartment before sneaking out the door on the side of the garage.
I move fast, pulling up the Uber app while I walk several blocks in the direction of the address. I order the closest Uber, checking over my shoulder for Cole at least a dozen times. But he’s not there. While I wait for the car, I keep walking and pull up Zach’s contact.
“Hello?”
“Zach, i-is Laura Leigh with you?”
Please let the other texts be a hoax.
“No, I dropped her back at her car a couple of hours ago. Why? What’s going on?”
Oh God.
This monster has had my baby sister for a few hours. The Uber pulls up next to me.
“I gotta go.”
“Wait, HG, what’s going?—”
I hang up on his question, focusing instead on what I have to do next.
“Ma’am, are you sure you have the right address?” the driver asks me.
I swallow around the lump in my throat.
“I’m sure.”
We’re halfway through the drive when my phone rings.
Cole .
I ignore the phone call and it starts ringing again. This time when I ignore it, a text pops through.
COLE
What the fuck is going on? I got out of the bedroom and you’re gone.
I got news about Peter. It’s not him. There’s more evidence that points to Michael.
Cole sends another text. Ironically, it’s close to the address I’m currently heading to.
COLE
That’s his address and his phone was pinged close to your house last night.
Where are you?
Answer your phone.
I’m sorry .
I want to tell him, but I can’t risk him finding out. At least not yet. I have to show up alone. But that doesn’t mean Cole can’t still show up after I do.
Swiping into my text message settings, I share my location, hoping Cole gets the hint.
I don’t turn off my phone completely—something tells me not to—but I set the phone on do not disturb. My phone burns between my fingers, begging me to break and to text Cole, to forward him the address, to tell him what’s going on.
But Laura Leigh is counting on me.
We pull up to an old, abandoned house. Most of the windows are boarded up, the weeds tangling around the rusted chain link and growing over the pavement that leads to the front door.
“Th-thank you,” I say and open the back door.
“Ma’am, are you okay?”
I nod despite being anything but.
“Thanks for the ride.” I close the door, waiting for the car to drive off which it eventually does.
“Hang on, Laura Leigh, I’m coming.”
My heart pounds as I push at the rusted gate, the hinges groaning as it opens under a push that has me falling to my knees on the sidewalk. I bite my lip to keep from crying out and stand, dusting off my knees while the warm trickle of blood runs down my leg. I have a rip in one of the knees of my leggings, the scrape the source of the blood, and I swipe at it before continuing to move forward. My palms are clammy, my heartbeat thundering in my ears as my steps echo off the rotted porch. I avoid a particularly bad board, and the plank I move to groans under my weight.
The last thing I need is for it to give way, so I’m more ginger stepping the remainder along the boards. When I reach the door, I knock and wait.
A dog barks somewhere close by and there’s yelling from somewhere in the neighborhood, but despite how I strain, I can’t hear anything on the other side of the door. I knock again.
“Try the doorknob, dummy,” I tell myself.
I doubt whoever kidnapped my sister is concerned about my manners. Lifting a shaky hand to the door, I try the knob, not surprised to find it unlocked. The house is covered in dirt and dust, graffiti adorning the walls. Cobwebs hang in the corners, and the smell of mold and decay fills my lungs with each breath.
“Laura Leigh?” I whisper.
The only light comes from the back of the house, and I tiptoe in that direction. The hallway is dark, and I don’t want to imagine what I would find if I could see.
Focus on Laura Leigh .
The darkness recedes to shadows as I reach the end of the hallway and turn left. The light is blinding after the darkness, and it takes my eyes a few minutes to adjust to the sudden brightness. I blink several times, and the scene in front of me is just as bad as it was in the text.
“Laura Leigh!” I rush toward her, dropping down and removing the gag before I wipe the remnants of tears from her face.
Her eyes don’t open and I check for a pulse, feeling it thrum under my shaky fingers.
She’s alive.
Her feet and wrists are bound with zip ties and no matter how hard I tug, they won’t budge.
“Maybe there’s something I can use in the kitchen,” I mutter to myself.
I stand and run from the room, slamming into a hard wall of muscle and immediately starting to struggle.
“HG, it’s me. It’s Zach. Ouch.”
My foot connects to his knee and he nearly goes down.
“Zach, what are you doing here?”
“After you hung up, I used Find My Friends.”
I’m trying to think if I’ve ever granted him permission to see my location, but my adrenaline is pumping too hard.
“Shhh!” I whisper-yell.
“What are you doing here? And why are we whispering?” he asks.
I wrap my arms around Zach’s body and squeeze, thanking God that my best friend is here too. He can help with Laura Leigh.
“Laura Leigh is in the next room. Cole figured out who it was. It’s the grocery store guy. He took her once you dropped her off. I don’t know where he is, but he told me to meet him here. We need to hurry. Help me get her out of here.”
“I have a Swiss Army knife in my pocket; lead the way,” he says.
“You’re a lifesaver, Zach. Literally.”
Once we’re back in the light, I drop back to the mattress behind Laura Leigh and motion for him to do the same.
“We have to hurry,” I tell him.
“Where’s Cole?” he asks.
Dropping next to me, he tugs the knife out of his pants and flicks open the blade.
Lie . Don’t tell Zach you shared your location with Cole .
Something is screaming at me to not tell Zach the truth. But can I make him believe me?
“I…ummm…I snuck out of the house. He has no idea where I am. Can we talk about this later? We need to get Laura Leigh untied and get out of here.”
She moans and I wrap my arm around her in an awkward side hug.
“Hang on, Laura Leigh. I’m here. Zach’s here. We’re going to rescue you.”
I shift my attention back to Zach who hasn’t moved, and his attention shifts from me to Laura Leigh and back to me.
“You guys could be twins. I saw it earlier, but it’s uncanny now that you’re next to each other.”
“Zach, come on, we need to hurry.”
He reaches in front of me and grabs Laura Leigh’s hands, but doesn’t make a move to cut the zip tie holding them.
“You really are a terrible liar, Hannah Grace. Only for some reason you think I’ve forgotten that about you. Because you’ve done nothing but lie to me for weeks.”
He extends his index finger, running it along the plastic binding Laura Leigh’s wrists, and my attention focuses on his hands where flecks of red dot the back of his hand and travel up his wrist.
“W-why are your fingers red?” I ask.
You already know the answer .
“And now baby sister has to pay the price for your lies.”
My hand freezes where I was reaching for his arm. My entire body may as well be in Antarctica for the chill that racks me.
“Zach?”
“I tried to clean it all off,” he whispers.
“Z-z-zach?” I try to put myself between Zach and Laura Leigh, protecting her.
“Give me your phone, Hannah Grace.”
“I—”
“Now!” he shouts, his voice ringing off the empty walls.
He doesn’t wait for me to give it to him, grabbing it from my back pocket and hurling it against the wall where it shatters into a million pieces. It’s the only move he makes, seemingly out of place with my best friend.
He turns back, looking at me expectantly, like he didn’t just destroy my cell phone in a fit of rage.
I’ve been an idiot.
Zach isn’t here to help me rescue my sister.
He’s the one who took her.