Page 36 of He Will Come for Me

I shake my head. “I need to talk to Phoenix. Now.” Phillip is already taking his phone out and dialing Phoenix as he brings it to me.

I place the phone against my ear. “Hey Phillip. Everything okay?” Phoenix answers on the second ring.

“It’s me.”

“Kenz? What’s wrong?” His voice is full of concern. Phillip and Clara continue to stare at me with concern in their eyes.Am I overreacting? That was a memory.

I hold my finger up to Phillip and Clara, letting them know I’ll be right back and walk toward the library. “I remembered the day I was kidnapped.”

“You did? What did you remember? Are you okay?” I sit down at the window seat and look out over the lake.

“I only remember someone saying,‘If you don’t come with me, I’ll kill you, but first I’ll kill Phoenix and I’ll make you watch.’And I’m pretty sure it happened on the hill going down to the lake.”

There’s a long pause. “Switch to video call.” We switch and seeing his face, knowing he’s safe, brings me peace.

“I’ll be home soon, but I needed to see your face.” He’s in the back of an SUV, maybe the same one we took for our date the other night.

“I’m okay. Just remembering that. Hearing that voice threaten you, even if it was a memory, it freaked me out.” I pull the blanket over my lap as a chill skates down my spine.

“Did the voice sound familiar?” he asks. I purse my lips as I try to think.

“It did, but it also sounded altered. Like they were hiding who they really were.” A text message pops up, reminding me I’m using Phillip’s phone. “By the way, do I have a phone? I want to be able to call you without having to use someone else’s.”

He chuckles. “I had a feeling this conversation would be happening soon, so I actually got you one today. The one you had…” He trails off. “Well, it was discarded.” I’m assuming he means by my father. I think back to the voice.

“Nix, I don’t think my father kidnapped me. That did not sound like his voice. I mean, the voice was distorted, but I think I’d recognize it if it was his.”

He’s quiet for a few seconds. A look passes over his face like he’s trying to decide what to say next. I can tell the minute he makes the decision. “Kenz, they didn’t kidnap you from the house. We wouldn’t still be living there if you had been.”

My eyebrows draw down in confusion. I was so sure. “How was I kidnapped?”

Phoenix shakes his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to tell you that. Not yet. That’s one of those memories I wouldn’t be mad about not returning.” I nod in understanding. I want to know, but it’s not on the top of my list either.

“Can you tell me where I was kidnapped?” I push.

“Not over the phone. We’ll talk about it when I get home. Okay?” I agree and we hang up. Returning to the kitchen, Phillip is cooking, while Clara is wiping down the glass on the patio doors. They both turn to me when I walk in. I can tell they’ve been waiting for me to return.

“Sorry if I made you worry. I had a memory I needed to tell Phoenix about.” They both give me sympathetic looks and I sigh. I hand Phillip his phone back. “How many employees does Phoenix have?” I ask as I gather the ingredients I need to make the chocolate chip cookies. I know that’s not a normal Thanksgiving dessert, but they’re Phoenix’s favorite.

“Well, there’s me, Phillip, Rex, Nurse Millie, and Dr. Chamberland. That’s who you’ve met,” Clara says as she sprays another window to clean. “He has four other bodyguards. Jeremy, Ryan, Shrek, and Donkey.”

Phillip snorts, and I stare at her in surprise. “Shrek and Donkey?”

Clara’s lips lift in a mischievous smile. “That’s what I call people when I can’t remember their names.” A huff of laughter escapes before I’m out right laughing. Phillip and Clara laugh with me. It takes me a few minutes to control my laughter.

Phillip puts a pot of something on the stove. “Their names are Clyde and Louis.”

“Too bad one of their names isn’t Bonnie. That’s a missed opportunity.” I walk into the pantry to grab a few more ingredients I’ll need. I’m surprised he has so many bodyguards. Not that I should be, especially after what happened to me.Has he always had that many?

Walking back into the kitchen, I place everything on the counter. “Is Rex the lead?” I ask.

Phillip nods. “Yes, Mr. Stone met Rex after he graduated from high school. I don’t know the whole story, so you’d need to ask them. But Rex saved Mr. Stone’s life and ever since then, Rex has been Mr. Stone’s right-hand man.”

I make note of that so I can ask Phoenix about it later. I briefly wonder how Rex is doing.Is he with Anna, or is he driving Phoenix?I’m going to visit Anna at some point today when I can build up enough nerve. I know she needs a friend.

Her experience is different from mine. She didn’t lose her memory, but I’m sure she still needs someone other than Rex. Or maybe she doesn’t.

“Then you have the gardeners,” Clara brings my attention back to the question I asked. “There’s a pool guy that comes by once a month during the off season and then almost every day during the summer. And there’s the guy at the gate. He’s considered security.”

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