Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Banks was quiet, and then, “That’s not like her.”
“I know,” I finally said. “Maybe she had car trouble?”
“She would have called.” His voice sounded hollow. “Do you have the find-your-friend app on your phone?”
“Yeah.”
“Is she on it?”
“No,” I said, feeling dumb.
“Why the hell not?” he yelled. “She’s not just your friend, Rip. For shit’s sake, you know the only reason I showed interest was so you could pull your head out of your ass and see what was right in front of you the entire time, at the very least put her on your app so you can find her.”
“I know.” My voice cracked. “I know. And she’s not answering. And we just started…” I sighed. “And she’s not fucking answering!”
“Calm down.” Banks cursed. “Look, I’ll make some calls. She’s probably fine.”
Probably.
That’s what I had thought about Monica and Brooks.
That’s what all of us had thought.
And I’d seen that damn butterfly, and now I was freaking the fuck out that something was wrong.
The doorbell rang. “Someone’s at the door. I’ll call you back. Or you call me if you hear from her.”
I hung up the phone and ran to the door, jerking it open to a sobbing Ben and an apologetic Mrs. Sue.
Her bouncy blond hair made her look even more cheerful as she ushered him into the house and said, “He’s worried.”
That made two of us.
“Buddy, don’t worry, OK?” I knelt down on the floor and pulled him in for a hug. “Aunt Colby probably forgot her phone somewhere, OK?”
I hated that I was lying.
I couldn’t feel my legs, and I had to be strong for him, for both of the kids, when I couldn’t even be strong for myself. It was my worst nightmare.
Was that why I’d seen the butterfly?
Fresh waves of panic washed over me until I felt like I was going to puke.
He sniffled. “O-OK. But she promised to pick me up and we were supposed to get ice cream, remember? And she promised, she promised this morning. Something’s wrong.” He continued to sob against my chest. “Did she die? Did she die like my mom and dad?”
I was going to kill her, then kiss her senseless once I found out where she was, because I would.
There was no way the universe would do this to us again. Right?
Right?
“I’ll just go,” Mrs. Sue mouthed, and she quickly left.
I nodded and pulled Ben close. “Hey, why don’t you go grab a snack from the pantry while I try calling Aunt Colby again?”
Could he feel my panic? The way my body shook with fear?
He sniffled. “Can I have candy?”
I sighed. “Yes, but only two pieces, and nothing with red coloring in it. You know how it makes you go crazy.”
He pouted. “I wanted the Swedish Fish.”
“Well, you’re gonna get the yellow gummy bears instead.”
He made a face. “Nobody likes the yellow.”
“Hey, I like the yellow ones!” I argued, earning a grossed-out stare from Ben as I looked down at my phone, willing it to ring. Willing my heart to stop racing.
I tried calling her again.
And again.
And then, when I’d started losing all hope—she answered.
“Colby?” I yelled. “Where are you?”
“S-sorry.” Her voice seemed far away. “It’s been a hard day.”
“‘A hard day,’” I repeated. Seriously? That was all she had to say? “Colby, Ben was worried.” I had been worried, but I didn’t say that. “I called, I texted. What the hell?”
She made a noise that sounded like she was in pain, and then the sound of something dropping hit my ear.
“Colby? Colby!” I yelled.
Nothing.
The line went dead.
What the hell was going on?
I didn’t even have time to figure it out because Viera started bawling from her room. I ran up the stairs to grab her.
Viera’s room was a mixture of pinks and purples, with twinkle lights next to her big-girl bed. Another thing that Colby had added, because she thought the glow of the lights would make Viera feel safer.
“Hey, baby girl.” I reached for her just as she raised both hands out to me, then lifted her from the crib as she clung to my neck. She started sobbing all over again. “Hey, hey, it’s OK…”
“Where’s Aunt Colby? I want Aunt Colby.” Me too, my heart pounded, even though I was pissed at her, I wanted her too. My stomach sank to the ground.
“She’ll be home soon,” I lied. “Let’s go get a snack, OK?”
I pulled her into my arms and carried her down the stairs. Ben was already eating his fruit snacks and playing Roblox on his iPad when we made it down to the kitchen.
I had set Viera in her high chair and was going to grab something to eat when my phone finally rang.
I snatched it up. “Hello?”
“Is this Rip Edison?” asked an unfamiliar female voice.
“Yes.” My heart started to pound out of control.
“Oh good, I’m calling from Mercy Grace Hospital. There’s been an accident. I’m calling for Colby Summers.”