6. Chapter 6
I lost my phone to the tornado, but Colby still has his. He hands it to me to do a quick search while he finds us fresh clothes in his duffel bag.
He just hands it to—freely, and without hesitation. Marcus always guarded his phone so closely. Because he was a cheater. How could I have been so blind for so long?
I do a quick Google search and my heart seizes in my chest when I see the news reports coming out of Mercury Ridge. They took a direct hit. I quickly punch in Cressida’s phone number. She doesn’t answer.
Oh, God. Please let her be okay…
I try my grandmother next. She answers on the first ring. “This is Betty Lou McMillan.”
“Grandma! Thank God, you’re okay!”
“Petra? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I assure her.
“Petra’s safe!” Betty Lou shouts, and I wince, pulling the phone away from my ear. A crowd cheers in the background.
“Are Cressida and Jonah okay?”
“Yes,” my grandmother says. “They’re fine. There have been two fatalities discovered so far, but I don’t think they were anyone you know. Sweet Mercury bakery is gone, but Holly and the rest of the staff were all seeking shelter at the firehouse at the time.”
“That’s good,” I say, relieved.
“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” she demands. “We’ve all been worried sick about you.”
“The tornado leveled Marcus’s house and my phone was one of the casualties.”
Betty Lou gasps. “Were you injured?”
“I don’t have a scratch on me,” I promise. “I hunkered down in the bathtub, just like I promised Cressida I would.”
“Are you calling from Marcus’s phone? Are you with him again?” There’s disappointment in her voice. Apparently, everyone but me knew that Marcus was a loser.
“No. I’m calling from Colby Raynes’ phone.”
“Colby Raynes? That good-looking grump on TV?”
My face splits into a smile. “The one and only. But he’s not so grumpy in person. You’ll like him. We’re going to make our way to Mercury Ridge this afternoon. Give Cressida a heads-up so she can prepare her cross-examination questions for him.”
Betty Lou laughs. “I’ll let her know.”