Love, Lies, and Deception(49)

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before opening them. “I promise. I’m a fighter, remember?”

Emily grinned through her tears. “That’s right … you’re the strongest bitch I know.”

With that, I slowly shut the door and leaned against it. There may be a killer coming after me, but I wasn’t going to let him win. I was terrified and unsure, but I did know one thing ... I was a fighter and if that’s what it came down to I wasn’t going to go out without a fight.





The meeting with Detective Michaels was grave indeed. We were going to need new identities when we left so he was going to get that handled immediately. There were no leads on the case because there was no evidence whatsoever other than the letters.

We gave the detective the most recent one and he turned it over to evidence, hoping they’d be able to find some prints on it. We didn’t dare get our hopes up on that one.

Even though it was really early in the morning, Detective Michaels and I contacted all of my professors, stating the situation and asking if there was any way for me to take my exams early. They were very understanding and quick to help me in any way they could.

Mrs. Tatum, my Molecular Biology professor, was the one who compiled all of my exams and had them ready for me in her room. It was seven in the morning and hardly anyone was on campus as I made my way to the Rankin Science Building with Alec by my side, and a police escort on my other.

Sadly, it was going to be my last time walking around on the campus and my heart ached just thinking about it. I didn’t want my last time of being there one of fear.

Mrs. Tatum smiled at me when we entered the classroom and silently handed me the stack of papers that were my exams. Alec sat a couple of seats away from me while a police officer stood guard just outside the door.

My professor eyed me warily the whole time, and I tried not to notice, but I saw her wipe tears away in the process. She was such a sweet woman and I hated having to burden her with what was going on, but I was glad she helped me get my exams all gathered together. When I finished my tests, I felt confident that I aced them, and with a sigh of relief I turned them in to my professor.

Mrs. Tatum looked the same as she always did with her white hair and beady eyes that reminded me so much of my grandmother back home. Her sad smile was not something I was used to seeing.

“Do you think you did well? Even with all the stress going on?” she asked me.

Confidently, I nodded. “Yes, ma’am, I do. I was ready for them.”

She sniffled and got up from her desk to give me a hug. “I’ll miss you at graduation. You know, I can always email you the final scores if Mr. Mabe will agree to it. I know you two battled it out pretty hard. I’m sure you’d like to know if you won, right?” She was trying to cheer me up, and it worked.

For the first time that morning, I laughed. “Yes, please. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind at all. I’m hoping to get my two hundred dollars.”

Alec furrowed his brows in question, but I waved him off. “I’ll tell you about it on the way to the airport.”

I said my good-byes to my professor, and Alec and I swiftly made it to my Jeep that was being watched over by Detective Michaels. He pulled out a huge yellow envelope and handed it to Alec.

“Here’s everything you’ll need: new identities, passports, money, and plane tickets. Be safe you two and I’ll call you if I find out anything new. Now get going.”

We both nodded, climbed into my vehicle, and left the town of Boone behind. We headed swiftly down the mountain toward Charlotte where we’d be catching our first flight to Atlanta, Georgia. There were a couple of phone calls I had to make on the way, and I dreaded every second that I stalled.





My sister was frantic when I called her, and she was determined to get me to come home and hide out there. Of course, I refused considering that I’d be putting her, her husband, and my nieces all in danger. She wasn’t happy, but I promised her I’d be safe and that nothing was going to happen to me.

The next phone call I had to make was going to be harder.

It was close to the time for our first exam, and Kristian was probably on his way to come pick me up and drive me to campus. Taking a deep breath, I dialed his number and waited while it rang. My heart felt like it was in my throat and I could barely breathe.

“I’m almost there, baby girl,” he answered jubilantly.

I had to swallow a few times to get my voice to work. “I’m not there, Kristian,” I choked out.

“What do you mean you’re not there? Where are you?”

“I’m on my way to the airport right now. I’m sure Justin and Emily will explain more, but I have to leave for a while. Something happened last night and it’s not safe for me to stay there. I have to do this … for me, for everyone.”

“What happened?” he asked frantically.

Pausing, I sighed and took in a ragged breath. “You know about the dead girl already, but it seems like someone from Alec’s past killed her and is now trying to get to him through me.

“Anyway, I was staying over at Alec’s and someone came up to the window. Apparently, they left a note and it wasn’t good, Kristian,” I pointed out.

“What did it say?”

“Well …” I began, “… it outright said they were going to f*ck me and kill me. If that isn’t reason to run away then I don’t know what is. He’s already killed one girl and I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate with another.”