Page 100 of Saving Sophia

“I don’t … that’s …” I stammered, the idea tying my tongue into a knot.

She just waved, her green eyes twinkling, and blew me a kiss before hopping into the car she’d called to take her to the airport.

I hoped she was right. At least about the laughing part. And maybe the wedding too.

* * *

Caroline had more damage than I realized, but I was beginning to see her transformation underneath all the soot. Her skin remained discolored even though I’d cleaned and soaked her thoroughly. Burn marks covered her melted and misshapen back. I doodled on a pad while I looked at the blackened patterns, an idea starting to take shape. She had survived the flames, and now she wanted to show her strength.

Her hair was a complete loss. It was going to take hours to pluck out and replace, but I had the time since Daddy was in meetings most of the day. He promised me a movie night, complete with popcorn and candy, to make up for it, but I didn’t really mind. I needed the time with Caroline.

I grabbed Ruthie from her spot on the sofa, so she could keep Caroline company while I worked. My phone was nearby, with two new messages showing. I’d been so focused I must have missed them.

The first was from Daddy, apologizing that his meetings were going even later than expected.

The second was from Callie, probably telling me she made it to the airport. When I clicked on it, I froze.

It was a picture.

Callie – with duct tape over her mouth, green eyes huge, and a man’s fist gripping her bright blond hair.

The phone rang.

I jumped, almost dropping it. Callie’s number.

I answered the call, my throat frozen, unable to say a word.

“Do I have your attention?” the moon-faced man asked in his cat-torturer voice.

“Where is she?” I gulped out.

“You have a meeting with Mr. Roscoe,” he said nonchalantly.

Panic set in. I dropped Ruthie and clutched my stomach to keep from fainting. The moon-faced man had Callie.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” he warned.

“What do you …” I couldn’t even form a sentence. I couldn’t think. The image of Callie flashed in my head, blocking everything else out.

“You have five minutes to gather your shit. Make it look like you took off.” He gave me instructions like he was discussing a weather report. “Get down to the turnoff road. A car will be waiting.”

“D-Ethan will come looking for me.” It was a dumb thing to say, but it was all I had.

“Oh, I hope not, for his sake.” He clicked his tongue. “If you tell anyone, if anyone comes after you, they become another loose end for us to cut. Do you understand me?”

I sucked in a breath. “No,” I whispered.

“You don’t?” He sounded surprised.

“No, I … yes.” Terror made my tongue tangle even worse. “I don’t want you to hurt anyone.”

“Better hurry up then.” Before he hung up, I heard rustling noises and a muffled squeal, like someone in pain, with duct tape over their mouth.

My brain froze, incapable of thought. My body took over, and I ran through the cabin grabbing my things and shoving them into my suitcase. He had Callie. He would kill Daddy if he followed me. Those two facts blared like sirens, blocking anything else out.

With my bag packed, I tore out of the cabin and down a service road through the woods. I wasn’t even sure I was going the right way until I spotted a long, black sedan with darkly tinted windows.

When it was clear it was just me, the moon-faced man got out, taking my suitcase and tossing it in the trunk. He waved me toward the open door. “Get in.”

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