Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Faith’s cell rang while she was in the middle of a cleaning. She slipped her hand into her pocket to silence it.
But not long after, as she was finishing up the patient’s chart, it rang again.
The receptionist glanced over, her annoyance clear.
“I know, you don’t have to say it.” Dr. Petrie didn’t like phones ringing in the office. That woman’s list of pet peeves was long and detailed. Good thing this job paid well.
Faith closed the patient’s chart and headed for the break room.
Once she was inside, she checked her call log and cursed out loud.
Myra had just walked in. “Yikes, don’t let anyone else hear you. What’s up?”
“Jon has called twice.” The phone started ringing again in her hand. “And now, here he is again.”
This couldn’t be good. She answered. “Yes?”
“It’s me,” he said. “The package is ready early. I have it. I need to drop it off today.”
“What? That’s not what you said before. You said tomorrow night.”
“Yeah, I remember, Faith. But now it has to be today. Okay? What is it you’re not getting?”
“I’m at work.”
“How soon can you get home?”
She looked around the break room, thinking about the rest of her day. The phone calls she’d have to make—Tanner, Sylvie, Ethan. Tanner was supposed to be with her when the delivery came. Would he be able to make it to Sylvie’s townhouse in time?
“Come on,” Jon whined. “This has to be soon. They’re expecting it, and these people are not patient. They’re pissed enough about the delays as it is.”
“All right. I could be home a little after five.”
“Fuck, no. Forty-thirty at the latest.”
Her anger boiled over. “No, Jon. Listen to me, damn it.” Faith was shocked by the strength she heard in her own voice. But it felt so good to use it. “I’ll be home after five.”
“Okay, then. After five.” Jon ended the call without saying goodbye.
“What’s going on?” Myra asked. “You look like you’re about to puke.”
“I don’t have time to puke. I need to go.” Faith stuck her phone into the pocket of her scrubs. “Is there any way you could cover my last cleaning? And…”
“Yeah, I’ll take care of things here. Because you’re sick, right? You look feverish. And probably contagious. Dr. Petrie would not want you around.”
She gave Myra a quick hug. “Thank you. I’ll owe you.”
“Sure you don’t want to tell me what this is really about?”
“Maybe after it’s over. I really hope that’s soon.” I’m going to do what I have to do.
Faith cursed her stupid bicycle as she coasted up to Sylvie’s garage. She was sweaty, and her heart wouldn’t slow.
At a red light along the route to Sylvie’s place, she’d tried contacting Tanner. But the call had gone straight to voicemail, like his phone was off. It was already well after four o’clock.
Faith still had a key to the house. She let herself in. Still catching her breath, Faith called Sylvie.
“Hey, sweetie.”
Faith tried to keep the panic out of her voice. “Jon called. He moved up the delivery to today.”
“Shit. Okay. Um, we’ll handle it. What time?”
Faith was grateful for her friend’s cool head under pressure. “He’s supposed to be here soon. I just got home. To your place, I mean.”
“Right. I’m stuck at work a little longer. But I’ll call Ethan and see where he is. What about Tanner? Is he on his way?”
“He’s not answering his phone. I hoped you might know where he is. Is he on an assignment or something?” He hadn’t mentioned anything out of the ordinary that morning.
“I haven’t seen him. But I’ve been swamped with my own projects all day.” She blew out a breath. “This has caught us by surprise, but your plan is the same. Just accept the package, and the rest of us will be there soon.”
Faith ended the call, trying to keep herself from panicking.
She’d thought she was ready. But her friends were supposed to be with her. Tanner was supposed to be with her.
She sent him a text, followed by another call. Still no answer. She really wished he were here, even just to reassure her with his presence.
But if she had to do it alone, she’d manage it.
Over the weekend, she’d moved her few belongings over to his house. It hadn’t taken long. Secretly, Faith had been laughing at herself, thinking it wasn’t such a big deal to move in with a guy when your stuff fit into two suitcases and a plastic storage box.
But it was a big deal. Tanner wanted her to be a permanent fixture in his life, and she wanted that, too. More than anything.
Sylvie hadn’t said much about the move, and Faith knew her friend had been holding back commentary.
It was soon, there was no denying it. With so much going on right now, the stress she and Tanner were both under…
It was a lot. But being with him still felt better than anything Faith had experienced before. Tanner felt like home to her.
But although she’d moved her things to Tanner’s, she and her friends had decided she shouldn’t make Jon aware of her new address. It would’ve just upset her ex for multiple reasons. As far as their plan was concerned, she still lived at Sylvie’s place.
Faith kept trying Tanner’s number every few minutes. She was starting to get worried about him, but maybe that was ridiculous. They’d only been dating a short while. Maybe his assignments were like this sometimes. Demanding all his attention.
She paced across the living room. I can do this.
The change in schedule was nerve-racking.
But Sylvie was exactly right. Soon, Tanner and his detective friend would be able to check out the package and decide what to do.
Which meant Faith’s part in this was already almost over.
She had no reason to be so freaked out right now.
She was brave. At least, she wanted to believe that.
Faith jumped when there was a knock at the back door.
Through the kitchen window, she could see Jon outside. He stooped to set something down.
She opened the door a crack. He nodded at the taped cardboard box, which sat on the concrete pad.
“There it is. Take it inside. You can’t leave it out here.” Jon’s face was drawn, his bruises faded to a garish green. Bloodshot veins gave his eyes a red cast. He hadn’t shaved in days. “You’re not going to mess with it, are you? Please tell me you know better than that by now.”
Faith hoped he couldn’t see the vein pulsing in her neck, a clue to the adrenaline coursing through her. “I won’t.” She didn’t bend to pick up the box yet, just staring at it. Would it be heavy?
“They’ll be here to pick it up in half an hour.”
Her eyes shot up. “Wait, what?”
Jon frowned. “Half an hour. I thought you’d be happy to be rid of it so fast.”
“But… I don’t understand.” Her chest was clenching. What about the plan? She didn’t even know when Tanner and Sean would get here. “You said I was supposed to store it. Why did you bother bringing it here at all?”
“You’re a neutral third party.”
“What does that mean, Jon?”
He muttered something, head bowed as he started to leave. He was going back on everything he’d said—as she’d known he would. But how far off the rails had this already gone?
“Kyle’s not coming here. Right? You swore.”
“I tried, okay? But…” Jon glanced back over his shoulder. “Just do your part, and everything will be fine. Take it inside and wait. Half an hour.”
“Jon. Get back here.”
He walked away, leaving her there in the doorway.
Shit. Shit.
Faith dragged the box inside and shut the door, locking it behind her. She was all alone here. She couldn’t reach Tanner. And Kyle might be on his way.
Tears of frustration pricked at her eyes.
The box waited right in front of her. Taunting her.
What was inside? What was all this really about? Why were Jon and Kyle following her, threatening her, torturing her over this?
She had to know the answer. She was so sick of being in the dark.
Faith went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. If the box held drugs, she’d call 911. No more of this nonsense. The police would be here when Kyle—or whoever—showed up. Kyle and his friends could run if they wanted. They could try to punish her. But if she did nothing, Kyle might hurt her anyway.
She wasn’t just going to sit here, all alone, waiting for it to happen.
Faith remembered every excruciating detail of how he’d held her down, pushing her face into the mattress so she couldn’t breathe.
How his hands grabbed her inner thighs, bony fingers prodding under the edge of her pajama shorts.
He’d wanted to terrify her. Make her think he could do anything. Take anything.
He still could.
She wasn’t going to let him.
Kneeling beside the box, she tucked the knife beneath the edge of the tape. The blade slid along one edge of the box. Then the other. Then the center, where the flaps connected.
The knife clattered on the tile when she set it down.
The flaps opened at a touch of her fingers.
Bubble-wrapped items lay on the top, just like the last box Jon had left for her. The one that had held only old dishes.
She wondered if he’d known she would open the first package. If she was just that predictable. It must’ve been a test, a trap. Forcing her to speak to him again, to let him back into her life.
But just now, Jon had looked too worn down to be capable of any more deception.
He’d underestimated her. He assumed she was weak and cowed.
So many times in the past, she’d proven him right.
Maybe this was only the second truly brave thing she’d ever done—aside from leaving him—but she’d make it count.
Faith gingerly lifted the top item and peeked inside the wrapping. Some kind of commemorative plate. County Fair 1996. The next few items were similar. Totally innocent. Boring, even.
But then she removed a rounded dish from the box and saw something beige beneath. Off-white powder packaged under clear plastic.
Chills ran along her arms. Faith had almost been starting to doubt herself, but here it was.
Drugs. What kind, she didn’t know. Heroin?
They hadn’t even made much effort to hide it. The bubble-wrapped dishes on top would only pass the most cursory inspection.
Faith cleared away more of the decoy items. She didn’t even know why she was doing it. She had the evidence now. What did it matter how much there was? Yet she kept going until the next layer was fully exposed. Bricks of beige powder, lined up in rows.
The truth was ugly, but she’d needed to see this. Anger burned away her fear. Jon was such a bastard.
Faith’s phone rang, breaking her out of her reverie. The minutes were ticking by, and she hadn’t called the police yet. Kyle could be here any moment. Jon had claimed she had half an hour, but why should she believe him?
There was no way she could stay here, hoping rescue would come. She had to save herself.
Whoever was calling, they’d have to wait. Faith hefted the box into her arms just as a car pulled up in front of the house. The brakes screeched, and the engine cut off.
Panic sped through her. Was that him? Kyle?
Faith rushed into the kitchen and through the door leading to the garage. She closed the inner door and pressed her ear to the wood, listening. Her hands were sweating, and she struggled to keep hold of the bulky cardboard package.
In the main part of the house, the front door opened. “Faith? Are you here?” It was Sylvie.
Faith exhaled with relief. But Kyle could arrive soon. Or some other awful person. She and Sylvie both had to get out of here.
There was a deeper voice talking to Sylvie. Tanner. Thank god. Where had he been?
Faith set the box roughly on the garage floor, losing her grip at the last moment. A small puff of powder erupted into the air, settling onto her arms and shirt. She brushed the stuff away. She could taste it on her tongue, noxious and chemical.
Disgusting.
Faith pulled open the door, stepping back into the kitchen. “I’m here. We have to—”
She caught only a glimpse of Sylvie and Tanner before everything turned to black.