Page 10 of The Stranger

He barks out a laugh, then gives me a side-eye that’s meant to be flirtatious, I’m sure. “Well…” He gives another laugh. “No, never mind. I’m not going to be a creep on this trip, I swear.”

“I appreciate it.” Adjusting in the seat, I point out, “You never answered my question, by the way.”

“What question?”

“About why you’re here.”

“Oh. I’m going to St. Louis, actually. That’s where my parents are from. Well, a small little town outside of it that no one’s ever heard of. Going home for the new year.”

I eye him. “St. Louis? I thought you called yourself a southern gentleman earlier. You mean to tell me you’re actually from the Midwest?”

He snorts, glancing at me with a wry twist of his lips. “Yeah, go ahead and try to convince my mom we aren’t southern. You’re both stubborn as they come, so something tells me it’d be an argument to watch.”

I purse my lips to hide my grin. “You didn’t make it home for Christmas, then?”

“No, I had to work. New Year’s is our tradition. It’s when my brother and sister-in-law can visit, too, so it works out.” He bobs his head up and down slowly as if making a silent decision. “You mentioned St. Louis earlier, didn’t you? You have friends there?”

I nod. “Yeah, a few who I went to high school with. We’ve stayed in touch.”

“Well, if it makes it any easier on you or them, you’re welcome to ride all the way there if you want. That way your friends don’t have to come so far. I can drop you off on the outskirts of the city if they’ll meet us.”

It’s a generous offer. One he has no reason to make, which has me immediately suspicious.

Something about this whole scenario is too good to be true. No one is this nice.

“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

“Okay, cool.” He reaches forward and turns up the radio. A Post Malone song comes on, and I close my eyes, drowning out all thoughts to the sound of it, waiting for any sign that we’re nearing civilization. When the song ends, I open my eyes again, staring out the window at the storm as it rages around us.

Out here like this, it’s easy to feel like nothing else exists.

Just us, the road, and the darkness.

CHAPTER FIVE

WALKER

After a few moments, she leans forward, holding her hands in front of the vent to warm them.

“You can point some of my vents at you if you’re still cold,” I say, adjusting the one closest to her to help.

“I’m okay. It’s just my fingers.”

“I wish I had gloves in here, but I don’t.”

“Yeah, well, you’d think I would’ve brought some, but the only ones I had were in my bag, and…” She sighs. “Obviously, I don’t have that anymore.”

“Do you think you’ll talk to him again?”

“Who? My boyfriend?”

I try not to be affected by the word, though I hate that she still calls him that after what he did.

“I don’t know. I mean, I guess at some point I’ll have to, won’t I? At least to get my things back.”

When I look over, she’s still fiddling with her own vents, and I notice something staining the sleeve of her jacket. Something dark.

“Is that blood?” I cry, taking my eyes off the road for a second to stare at it. “Are you hurt?”

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