Anonymous(36)

Breathing a sigh of relief, I grab my chest. “Thank God. Just be careful, Jake.”

“I will, cupcake. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Jake, take care,” Owen says.

“And you take care of my wife.”

Owen looks at me and smiles. “Always.”

Jake hangs up and I rub my aching chest. “This is a nightmare. If it’s not just Bryan, who else could be helping him? And why?”

“Don’t know.” Owen leans back against the railing and looks off in the distance. “I guess it looks like we’ll be heading to Canada tomorrow. We’ll stop in New York for a night and finish the drive the day after.”

“Canada? Why so far away?”

“Because there’s a place I want to take you. It’s in the middle of nowhere and from there, I’ll be able to see if anyone is trying to get to you. Plus, it’ll make it harder for Snyder to cross the border if he’s not convicted.”

We walk back to his truck and I can’t help but feel like everything is closing in all around me. I’m ready for it all to be over.





Seventeen





Jake





“I tried calling you from the other phone, but the call’s not going through,” Ellie says.

“At least Owen’s phone works. Where are you right now?” I crank up my truck, so it’ll warm up a bit before I leave. It feels so good to hear her voice. It’s not the same at home without her here.

“Just outside of Richmond. We’re headed to New York and then to Canada tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted about where we’re at.”

“Sounds good. I’m hoping to head up that way in a couple of days.”

“I’ll be counting it down,” she murmurs. “Owen keeps telling me about the farmhouse. I’m actually excited to see it. I’ve never been to Canada.”

“I’ll just be happy when I’m with you.” I don’t like her being so far away, but I know it’s for the best.

I lock up the garage door and hop in my old blue truck, since my other one is totaled. I’m surprised it even cranks. I’ve already shoveled the driveway, but the road is a little icy from the snow.

“Are you in the truck? Where are you going?”

Clearing my throat, I carefully navigate down the mountain. “The hospital,” I reply nonchalantly.

Ellie sighs. “You’re not going to confront Bryan there, are you? They’re probably not going to let you anywhere near his room.”

“It’ll be fine. I just want to talk to him.”

“I know you, Jake. You’re angry and pissed. Talking isn’t something you do when you’re like that.” She’s right, it’s not. Usually, I’d punch my anger out on my punching bag. Thoughts of hitting bring me back to the ring, which remind me of the first time I saw her in the front row the night of my big fight. She’d been wearing a tight red shirt and jeans, with her brown hair in waves, sitting with Owen. I knew then that she would be mine.

“I’m not going to do anything stupid,” I assure her. “I just need to look at his face when I confront him.”

“Just don’t get arrested, please. Let the police do their jobs.”

“Oh, I will. I’m just going to do mine as a husband.”

She blows out a frustrated breath. “I give up. I’ve known for years there’s no talking sense into you.”

“You’re the same way, cupcake.”

“True, but you’re more stubborn than me.” She laughs and it’s the most wonderful sound. It feels good to banter back and forth. I’m just glad she’s safe.

We don’t live far from the hospital, but it’s taken me a few extra minutes to navigate through the snow. It’s the most we’ve had in years. “Babe, I’m gonna let you go, but I’ll call you soon. I’m almost to the hospital.”

“Okay. We’ll probably still be in the truck, driving north.”

“Oh, and before I forget. I placed an offer on that house you wanted in Arizona.”

She gasps. “Seriously? Do you think they’ll take it?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out soon. I thought it’d brighten your day a bit.”

“It has,” she says, sounding sincere. “I just hope we’ll be done with this mess, so we can get there. We need a new start.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

We say our goodbyes and I toss my phone into the center console. When I pull into the hospital parking lot there are police cars by the entrance. I walk inside and straight to the elevators. Thanks to the nurse from yesterday talking to Bryan’s parents, I know what room he’s in. However, I’m not surprised to see an officer standing guard outside his room.

When I get closer, I remember his face; he’d been with the other deputies as they searched the grounds around my house. He’s not much older than me, probably mid-thirties with dark hair and a trimmed beard. Judging by the knowing look on his face, he’s fully aware of who I am.

“Good morning, Officer Kevin Pope,” I say. His name is engraved on the gold badge pinned to his upper right chest.