Chapter 16 #2
It’s never about anything in particular.
Work, mainly. Searching for Spider has become a priority since the Capellis have backed off.
Ironically, the same contacts I used to try and find Colt are now helping us find Spider.
There are times we’re on the phone for hours, trading ideas or information.
And then there are the times we talk about normal stuff.
His worries about Holly, mainly his frustration that she isn’t getting the most out of her life because of how unsafe she is.
Sometimes he’ll text me and suggest movies.
Other times, he’ll say he’s had a bad day and begs me to make him laugh.
I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but I think Colt might be my friend.
“You’ve blushed around me too, y’know,” he says.
I scoff. “I have not.”
“Yep. That day in the restaurant.”
“Why was I blushing—”
His hand slips around my waist, tugging me close, and his lips are by my ear before I can even attempt to step away. “When I whispered in your ear.”
Hot goose bumps erupt down one side of my neck, and I lift my shoulder, laughing and trying to twist away. “That’s because your beard tickles.”
“Does it?” He rubs it on me, and I erupt into laughter.
“You’re a dick,” I whisper, shoving him back.
“Don’t curse around the children, Del,” he chastises.
Holly runs over to us and Colt releases my hip. “Denver, come with me to the next one.”
“Not me?” Colt asks.
She shakes her head, and I give Colt a smug, victorious smile as she pulls me away. My neck is still tingling, and I rub it, throwing Colt a glare as he grins at me and winks. He’s such an ass.
It’s an effort not to bump into kids dressed as monsters and teenagers with masks on. I wait at the gate as Holly bounds to the door.
“It’s child rush hour,” a man says from beside me. He’s around my age, holding two kids’ backpacks, watching the door. “I swear it gets busier every year.”
“First time for me,” I say, grinning as Holly bounces excitedly on her feet.
“Niece?” he asks.
“Family friend. Which is yours?” I ask, and he points to twin boys waiting behind Holly. I tilt my head. “What are their costumes?”
He sighs. “They’re … punctuation. I’m a teacher, and we had a book-themed week, so they’re question marks.”
I blink at him. “Why would you do that to your children?”
He laughs, rubbing the back of his head. “It seemed like a unique idea at the time. Do you see any other question marks around here?”
“I think I spotted a semicolon a while ago.”
He laughs loudly, and I grin, my cheeks warming.
Look at me, conversing with another adult. A non-murdering adult. A teacher. I bet he doesn’t have a gun on him.
He glances at my ring finger, and his smile fades a little. He’s not wearing a ring. But I am.
Oh my God, this non-murdery-teacher man is flirting with me.
“Ah, you’re wanted by the tiny panda,” he says, nodding at the door.
Sure enough, Holly is waving excitedly at me, beckoning me over.
“It was nice meeting you,” I say. “Period.”
He grins. “Thanks, exclamation point.”
I turn my back to him and smile. I flirted and he survived. Things are looking up.
The woman who owns the house sees me coming and says, “Aw, baby panda and momma cat. She wanted to show me that you had ears on.”
I stall. “Oh. I’m not her—”
The woman isn’t listening anymore as she drops candy into Holly’s pumpkin. And why would she? She doesn’t need to know I’m not Holly’s mom, and I don’t need to tell her.
Holly smiles up at me, grasping at my hand again, and my heart … it aches. For this. For more than I have.
For a family.
I think about what waits for me at home. Quiet, romantic dinners. Long days working at a job that keeps me going. But it’s the working I love, not the work itself. I focused on being Deluxe because it was what kept me alive and what Ranger told me I’d be great at.
But what if—
The sound of an approaching car snatches me from my thoughts. I lift my head to look down the street, and the warmth in my chest vanishes. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and years of living on edge tell me to brace, to prepare.
A hand grips my wrist. A man is beside me, unshaven, a hint of tobacco on his breath.
And a small tattoo of a spider on his neck.
The woman who owns the house looks between us, her smile faltering.
“You come with me alone,” he says. “Or you both come with me.” He nods at Holly, and I squeeze her hand, a cool sweat breaking out across my back. “Decide.”
Stay calm. Don’t panic. Get away from the kids.
I swallow and nod quickly, crouching before Holly. “You’re gonna go with this nice lady for a few minutes.”
Holly shakes her head. “No, I want to stay with you.”
“It’s just for a few minutes.” I tuck her hair behind her ear. “Go inside for me, please.” Holly’s lip trembles, and the woman gapes at me in terror as I plead with her with my eyes to take her. She reaches out and takes Holly by the hand, gently pulling her inside.
The door closes, and I have seconds. If he takes me to that car, I’ll likely never be found. Spider will never let me go.
The steps down to the street are empty, and I search for Colt. Among a sea of families, I spot him talking to Lewis.
Look at me. Look at me.
“Hurry.” The man’s grip on me tightens.
Colt turns his head, his gaze landing on me. His eyes slide to the man, then dart around, likely looking for Holly. I look back at the house and hope he knows what I’m saying. She’s in there. She’s safe.
Colt reaches into his coat but pauses when I shake my head.
He can’t shoot a gun here.
There are kids everywhere.
The car that turned into the street is getting closer.
They’re going to take me.