Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
“How did you find me, Jerry? I came for a hike and got caught in the storm. I’ve been stuck here ever since with no reception.”
“Stuck here, huh?” he responds. For some reason, he looks skeptical as he eyes the cabin behind me. He then turns his gaze back on me. “Henry sent me to look for you when you didn’t show up to work and you weren’t answering your phone.”
Henry, Jerry’s boss. Our senior broker.
My heart drops.
Me being on Henry’s radar is not good. Not good at all. The only time you as an analyst want to be on Henry’s radar, is if an idea you brought to Jerry made the firm a lot of money. Even when my pitch about Ainsworth Pharmaceuticals made Goldman a big profit, Henry didn’t bother to come and thank me personally. Him sending Jerry out here to get me means he’s really pissed at me for being gone this long.
“Yeah, well, like I said,” I say, trying not to panic, “I got caught in the storm. My phone hasn’t had any signal out here. It’s been pouring rain until today, so–”
“Well it’s not raining now!” Jerry smiles. “So you can come back with me!”
I nearly flinch at the words that have just come out of his mouth. He’s also standing there looking at me like a creepy Uber driver waiting for me to get into his car but without the car.
“Go back with you?”
“Yeah,” he replies, still smiling. This is the most I’ve seen Jerry smile since we first met. “Unless you’ve taken some extra vacation time I’m not aware of?”
There’s an edge to his voice just hiding under the friendly tone. Is that because he just hiked up the mountain on his own? Or is there something else going on here?
“Nope, no extra vacation time,” I reply. “I was worried you would be angry with me for missing work and not calling in, but there was really nothing I could do.”
“Well, just throw some clothes on and let’s get going, and I’ll let you off without a penalty. How’s that sound?”
Jerry is acting really strangely. Maybe I’m just not used to seeing him outside the office, but it’s almost like he’s putting on a performance for me. Like he’s pretending to be a nicer guy than he is. Under normal circumstances, he’d be chewing me out for not being at my desk on time.
“Um…” I say hesitantly. “No thanks, Jerry.”
Jerry’s friendly demeanor suddenly vanishes and is replaced by an angry glare. “No thanks?”
“I think I’ll stay here,” I reply. “Maybe I’ll come back later in the day. But there are…some things I have to get done before I can go.”
“Oh, well, I’ll help you with them,” he replies.
“No, they’re things I need to do on my own,” I say as I start to back up toward the cabin. “But go ahead and tell Henry that I’ll be there as soon as possible and that I’m so sorry that I was delayed by the storm–”
Before I can react, Jerry lunges forward and snatches me roughly by the arm. He grabs me hard and starts to pull me away toward the woods. “Sorry, but that’s not gonna work for me.”
“Let go!” I cry out. “Jerry, what are you doing?”
I stumble, and stones and sticks and bits of brush stab into my bare feet.
“Henry assigned me, and me alone, to find you and bring you back to the office, Penny,” he replies. “And if you think there’s any way I’m going back there without you, you’re insane.”
“Jerry, let go!” I yelp as his fingers dig into my arm.
“I ain’t losing my job over you, girl,” he replies, tugging me past the stacks of freshly chopped wood Tyson has yet to bring inside.
This is insane. I never would have even thought Jerry had anything like this in him. I’m going to need to get Tyson’s attention somehow.
I take a deep breath, swallowing all the air I can, then let out the loudest scream of my life.
But before I can get out even half-a-second’s worth, Jerry clamps his hand across my mouth and pulls me in tight. My foot lands on a sharp rock, and I squeal into his gross, sweaty palm.
“Now, now, now,” he says softly, picking up the pace and dragging me quickly into the trees. “There will be none of that. We don’t want to attract the attention of whoever it is you’ve been shacked up with.”
I feel deflated as I yank my head back and watch as the cabin disappears behind us, shielded by the trees.
If only Tyson would wake up and see that I’m gone.
Please, Tyson. Wake up!
9
TYSON
When I open my eyes, I roll over, expecting to feel a nice, soft, warm woman beside me in bed. Instead, I find myself staring at an empty space and minor indentation in the mattress.