Page 90 of Shelter for Morgan

Scrambling up to her feet, Morgan shoved the key in her door and twisted it open. It was almost silent.

Thank heavens.

She swung the car door open andgot in. Morgan reached for the door meaning to almost close it, but hold it until the car started. She needed to make all the noise happen at once. That was the only way she could get away. The only chance she had.

Closing her eyes for a moment she pushed the key into the ignition and turned.

Her trooper of a car started up immediately.

She put the car in drive and stepped on the gas before she remembered that she’d set the parking brake. Her brother had always laughed at her for setting it on flat ground, but she’d decided to make it a habit even though Center City was mostly flat land where they’d lived.

Now, it had come back to haunt her at the worst possible time.

But the memory bolstered her spirits.

And when she did step on the gas and the car lurched forward, she wished she had her phone so she could call Jacob. He could tell her what to do.

But the person she wanted beside her was Palmer.

She needed his calm at that moment. She needed his reassuring presence.

Needed him to tell her it was going to be okay, but she wasn’t sure that it would be, which was why she was glad she was alone. She didn’t want Palmer hurt because of her.

She’d rather die-

Her car lurched forward and she yelped in fear, grabbing the wheel tighter as the impact of the truck against her back bumper pushed her car. Morgan slapped her foot down on the gas pedal hoping to put more distance between them.

“Uh-”

They hit her again and she lifted her gaze up to the rearview mirror and saw that Officer Munder was in the driver’s seat of the truck.

She didn’t know about specific trucks, but she had a feeling that any of them could beat the speed of her little Soul. It wasn’t about getting away from them, she’d have to hope that she could last until she found an area with people in it. People who could be witnesses, maybe having curious onlookers would be enough to get her away from Officer Munder and the chemistry teacher.

RHETT

When he heard that Benjamin was worried about Morgan, Rhett understood his words.

He’d never liked the things that Morgan had said about the resource officer and knew that she didn’t like him much herself.

Now, there was a tangible reason to be concerned.

Kylie moved up to the table beside him and Rhett got to his feet to offer her his chair.

She didn’t even look at it as she raised her phone to her ear.

“Come on, Morgan.” Kylie’s voice was her normal lilting singers’ voice but there was an edge to it that Rhett had never heard before. “Pick up your phone.”

Rhett was trying to explain away the delay in Morgan picking up her phone. Maybe she was in the shower, or sat down to work on her papers and fell asleep. Or maybe her battery had run down and she hadn’t noticed.

It could be any of those things.

God, he hoped it was.

Abe moved closer. “I got through to Weston Cooper. He’s headed over to your apartment to check on her.”

“Thanks…” Rhett managed a few words, “both of you.”

Abe put his hand down on Rhett’s shoulder. “Hey… she’s family, man. We need to make sure she’s okay.”

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