Page 105 of Johnathan

“Hey. I thought you were at work tonight?”

“I need your help.” There wasn’t fucking time to talk about anything other than getting his brother to check on his girls.

“What’s going on?”

“Abby just called me. She got a weird phone call and it’s freaking her out. She’s locked in Katy’s room. Can you go overand check on her? I’m in between Silver Springs and home right now. I’ll be at least twenty more minutes.”

“Yeah, okay. I’m on my way now.”

“Bring your weapon.”

“I always carry it. I’ll have it on me when I get there.”

“Good. Call me the minute you’ve got eyes on her and Katy.”

“I will.”

Jackson hung up before John could. The worry in his stomach was churning acid up his throat. At least the highway between the two towns was relatively quiet. He was pushing the safe limits going as fast as he was. The last thing he needed was to wreck, but his nerves made time feel like it was dragging on, waiting for the call back from his brother.

Finally, when he was still five minutes away, his cell rang.

“Is she okay?”

“She’s fine.”

He blew out his breath. “Are you sure? Katy, too?”

“Katy’s fast asleep. Abby is shaken up, but she’s okay. Just get here safely. I’ve got your girls until you do.”

“I’m just a couple minutes out.”

“See you then.”

John turned off the flashing lights as he pulled into his driveway. The curtains in the large window fluttered, likely from Jackson verifying it was his vehicle that had parked outside the front door.

As he bound up the front steps, the door swung open and Abby rushed into his open arms. Her face smashed into his chest, and he could feel the tremors running through her body.

“You okay, sweetheart?”

“I think I overreacted. I’m sorry. I just didn’t know what to do.”

He found his brother standing behind her, shaking his head. She hadn’t overreacted. And John needed to know what Jackson had found.

“I’m so glad you went to Katy and called me. Let’s get you back inside and you can tell me what happened.”

“There’s nothing really to tell other than what I told you on the phone. Maybe it was just a student from school doing a prank call.”

“I’m not sure I’m willing to just go that route right away, baby. I want you to tell me again what they said. What did they sound like?”

John took her hand and guided Abby over to the sofa. He sat, pulling her down onto his lap. It only took a second for her to curl into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her back protectively.

“I’ve got you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here right away.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Tell me what the person said.”

“He didn’t say anything at first. When I said hello a second time, this deep mechanical voice came on the line. You know in movies how people can scramble their voices? That’s what it sounded like. He asked me if I thought I got away with it. Called me a…”

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