Page 69 of Sacred Vow

I buy a box of popcorn as a school tour walks by.

“So, here’s where the really big monkeys are. Ready to go in and see them?” That high-pitched tour guide walks past me as I make my way back to Craig. We saw her earlier; he teased about her voice.

When I get back to the corner, he’s nowhere to be found. I wait.

“Izzy.” Andrei touches my cheek. “Are you all right?”

“It was here,” I say, swirling around. “Here. I was right here holding popcorn. He went to talk to someone, and I went to the cart to get popcorn. When I came back, he was gone. I waited and waited. He never came back.”

Andrei runs his hands over my hair. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. It was here.” My mind whirls; there’s more. Something else, but it’s just out of my grasp. “I’m going to go to the cart, maybe that will trigger more.” I hurry away from him. He’s right on my heels though.

“Izzy, wait.” He catches up to me at the cart.

“One box,” I order and the man digs out a box of fresh popcorn and hands it to me.

Andrei pays and we walk away.

“You Izzy Madson?” a dark voice asks.

“Yeah.” I look for Craig but don’t see him. This man in front of me in a trench coat and sunglasses gets closer to me.

“Craig wanted me to come get you. He’s gonna be a while and doesn’t want you to be alone. Come on.” His mustache looks like a hairy caterpillar clinging to his lip when he talks. He reaches for me, but I jump out of the way. He lunges. He grabs me this time.

I drop the popcorn.

“Oh, god!” I turn around to Andrei, knocking into him and spilling the popcorn. “Some guy took me. He grabbed me.” I close my eyes, willing the rest of the picture to form. Where did he take me, what happened next?

Nothing.

Not a flicker.

I groan.

“It’s all right.” Andrei takes the half full popcorn from me. “It’s all right. I’m gonna take you home.”

I sag. Everything is so close, it’s right there.

“But I don’t remember anything else. I think I need more time,” I argue as he walks me through the zoo.

“We’ll come back.” His brows pull down in concern, like he’s unsure I’m well.

“I can’t leave now,” I try again.

“Izzy, you’re pale. Don’t push this. We’re going home. I’ll bring you back another time.” He squeezes my hand. “I promise.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes, first thing, we’ll come back.” He tugs me along.

When we get back to the car, he’s texting on his phone while I watch families walk to their cars. I lean my head against the window. A failed afternoon.

As we pull out and make our way through the lot, we pass a man standing at the bus stop. He’s wearing a pair of aviator sunglasses and a suit.

He has a mustache.

“That guy!” I press my hands to the glass. “Stop! Stop!” I yell at our driver.

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