Never Let You Go(74)

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t call last night,” I say. “I was exhausted.”

“What happened?”

“A truck hit Greg when he was shoveling the driveway. He didn’t see who did it, but I think it was Andrew.”

“Oh, shit. Was he hurt badly?”

“He has a minor concussion and stitches, but he’s going to be all right.” I hoped this was still true. I texted him last night letting him know we arrived safely in Vancouver and asking how he was feeling. He never answered.

“Where are you?

“In Vancouver. We’re going to stay with Jenny until they arrest Andrew for drugging Angus. They’re also checking his phone records to see if he was around Greg’s house.”

“They haven’t arrested him yet?” He sounds as shocked as I feel.

“They have to interview him first and look at his truck.” I glance at the clock. “I’ll call Dana soon. She’s the officer who’s been working our case.”

“How is Sophie handling all this?”

“She’s shook up, seems to be wrestling with a lot of guilt, but I’m the one who let her down. It was hard enough on her with my dragging her over to Greg’s, then we break up, and now we’re in Vancouver—miles away from her best friend and her boyfriend. The poor kid has been through so much. What the hell am I going to do?”

“Whoa. Back everything up. What happened with you and Greg?”

“We realized we don’t have a future so there’s no sense pushing things.” I wait for him to say something about how he knew this was going to happen, but he’s just quiet. The seconds stretch out and I have to fight the urge to fill in the empty space with chatter.

“That’s a big change,” he finally says. “You okay?”

“Yes.” I look around Jenny’s tidy kitchen, feeling a pang for my home, my normal routine. I’d be getting up and heading over to train with Marcus at his house, then we’d visit over coffee. I’m disappointed that I won’t be seeing him today. I’ve come to rely on those workouts, the endorphin high, then sitting and having deep talks about life or laughing about nothing.

“I won’t be able to work out with you today,” I say. “You going to miss me?” I’m trying for a joking friendliness, to ease the stress and brutal reality of my current situation, but maybe I am a little curious. Will he miss me?

“It’s definitely not going to be the same. The time goes a lot faster when I’m torturing you.” His tone is also friendly and teasing. Nothing more.

“Maybe I’ll do a few push-ups and get Jenny to yell at me.”

He breaks out into a laugh. I lean into the phone, intrigued by the sound. He seems different, lighter. I’m not sure what’s changed.

Then I think about Andrew again. He probably knows I go to Marcus’s house. He may have even watched us through the window as we talked and drank coffee. I feel another surge of anger, hate how he’s invaded my life. “Be careful today,” I say. “He might be looking for me.”

“I hope he shows up here. I’d like to have a few words with him.”

“Please don’t do anything crazy. If you see him just call the police, okay?”

Silence for a moment, then, “Okay. Give me a call as soon as you know what’s happening. If you need anything from your house, I can bring it over on the ferry.”

“I really appreciate that.”

“Stay safe, okay?”

“Always.” We’re both silent now. I think of him standing in his kitchen, or maybe he’s sitting on the side of his bed and looking out the window at the ocean. I wonder what he wears in the morning. The black robe I’ve seen hanging on his bathroom door? Boxer shorts?

“I should go,” I say. “It was nice to hear your voice.” My own voice is softer and more revealing than I meant it to be. I hang up the phone before he can respond.



My next call is to Corporal Parker, who tells me she interviewed Andrew last night.

“He’s been very accommodating and insisting it isn’t him, of course,” she says. “I’m still recommending charges and we’ll be arresting him later today, but I have to warn you that if the Crown doesn’t feel we have enough for a case, he’ll be out within twenty-four hours.”

“What about the phone records?”

“They don’t show him around Greg’s house in the morning, but he admits he followed Sophie home from the coffee shop last night, which isn’t a violation because Greg’s address isn’t on the bond, just yours.”

“Why did he follow Sophie? He had to be looking for me.”

“He said he didn’t know that you were staying there. He thinks someone is stalking you and Sophie and he wanted to make sure no one was following her.”

“This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You don’t believe him, do you?”

“It’s about what we can prove, and right now we don’t have evidence he hit Greg with his truck. There aren’t any marks or dents, not even a scratch. It could’ve been someone angry at Greg. He mentioned he’s had a few problems lately, but I can’t go into that with you.”

“Problems? He’s never…” I remember the call he got the morning he was attacked. And his joke about needing to borrow money. Maybe there’s some trouble in his life I don’t know about. I’m upset that he didn’t confide in me, but then again, I haven’t exactly been open to listening lately. “It doesn’t matter,” I say. “I know this was Andrew.”