Page 7 of Save Me

Once she’d finished packing, she sat down to wait. It felt like forever, but less than fifteen minutes had passed before she heard footsteps coming up the hall.

The door opened. Millie laid the car keys on the little table by the door and blew Lainie a kiss, then walked away. Lainie shouldered her bag, grabbed the keys, and took the back staircase down to the main level, out a side door, and ran for her life. Once inside her mother’s car, she wasted no time, and went flying down the driveway like a bird set free.

GREG HAD JUST taken a bite of shrimp scampi when he happened to glance out to the front gardens, and what he saw stopped his heart. He gasped, choked on his food, and then jumped up and ran.

Tina frowned. “Gregory! What on—” And then she glanced out the window and saw her car speeding away. “What the hell?” And then it hit her! That was Lainie! Tina ran out onto the veranda, screaming at Greg, who was running toward his Lexus. “Stop! Stop! You’re going to get someone killed!”

And then Millie walked up behind her.

Tina saw the look on her housekeeper’s face, and knew what she’d done.

“How dare you?” Tina screamed.

Millie had her purse over her shoulder, and threw her apron in Tina’s face. “No, ma’am. How dare you? And I quit.” Then she went back into the house and straight out the back to where her little Honda was parked and drove away.

Tina was alone in the house without a way to follow. She was screaming at the world as she began calling Greg.

“What?” he shouted.

“What are you doing?” she screamed.

“I’m going to stop her, that’s what I’m doing!” he shouted. “I won’t have her shaming our name. Do you hear me! I won’t have it!”

The line went dead in Tina’s ear! He’d hung up on her!

THE PRIVATE ROAD from the estate to the main road was clear of traffic. Lainie’s plan was just to get to the highway and get lost in the traffic. She thought she was free and clear until she glanced into the rearview mirror, and saw her dad’s black Lexus less than a quarter of a mile behind her, and closing in fast.

She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, and stomped on the accelerator. After that, everything became a blur.

The hum of the engine turned into a roar. The thick layers of kudzu hanging from the trees and along the fences became a narrow green tunnel, and the road signs were mere blips as she flew past. Twice she skidded into a curve, and then steered out of it, but she couldn’t drive fast enough to lose him. And then she glanced into the rearview mirror and the Lexus was behind her! This felt like a nightmare. The mother who used to sleep with her when she was sick had betrayed her. The father who once played dollhouse with her as a child had turned into the maniac in the car behind her. She had one brief glimpse of the enraged expression on his face, and then he rammed the bumper of her car.

After that, everything began happening in slow motion. The car went airborne, like a surfboard riding a wave, and began rolling. At first, the sun was in her eyes, and then she was sideways, and then upside down, and then everything was quiet. She heard the hiss of steam, and someone shouting, and then she was gone.

GREG MAYES RAGE had quickly turned to horror. He was already calling for an ambulance and the police as he braked to a stop. The car was upside down and smoking, and the silence was terrifying. He grabbed a fire extinguisher from the trunk of his car and ran, screaming Lainie’s name as he unleashed the contents of the extinguisher. When it was empty, he threw it aside, then knelt and looked inside.

She was hanging upside down, still strapped into the seat, her hair veiling her face. He reached to push it aside, then saw her—and the blood, and in that moment wished to God he’d never looked out the front window. He reached for her wrist, searching for a pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

“Lainie, sweetheart! It’s Daddy. I’m so sorry. I never meant for... This shouldn’t have...” And then he stopped. She couldn’t hear him, and there would never be enough words to take any of this back.

His phone was ringing. It was Tina again.

“Where are you? Where’s Lainie?”

“She wrecked the car. I’m waiting for the ambulance.” He didn’t share the fact that he’d caused it.

Tina moaned. “Is it bad?”

“Yes, but she’s still alive.”

“Oh, my God! This is all your fault. You and your hate for Chuck,” she screamed.

“You’re the one who said abortion. You’re the one who wanted her ‘cleaned out’ before she showed up at your precious sorority. You’re the one who didn’t want to be embarrassed,” he shouted.

Tina was sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. “And you’re the one who said you’d rather see both of them dead than have her give birth to Hunter Gray’s child. Looks like you’re about to get your wish!”

“I hear sirens. Shut up and meet me at the hospital. I’ll text you which one.”

“Well, I can’t. There’s nothing left here to drive.”

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