Page 60 of Saving Bonnie

“But I helped bury the body.”

Tony Gloria, Iris’s father. It has to be him. I twist despite having the hump beneath me digging into my ribs. “What happened, Izzy?”

“Rad called me, asking for help. His mom got into it with Tony when she realized he was hiding money from her.” A thump comes from the front. “Argh!” he yells in frustration. “It wasn’t an accident, like he said. Tony…his head was bashed in,” he says, sounding tortured. “She musta lost it.”

Miserable bitch. She played the concerned girlfriend. Everyone felt sorry for her and Iris when Tony disappeared. His picture’s on my wall at the café, along with a flyer asking for information on his disappearance.

“Izzy, you can still walk away.”

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he says solemnly. “I just need to figure out what I’m going to do.”

Relief washes through me. “I’m not going to turn you in.”

“You’re not going straight to the cops?” he asks, skeptical of my promise.

“What am I going to tell them? To arrest you for saving me?”

We’re moving again but only for a few seconds. The car stops, and he unbuckles his seat belt. My heart’s racing. What if he was lying to keep me calm? The door opens. I shut my eyes.Lord, please help me.

He pulls on the ties at my wrists. The snap of plastic fills my head. My hand’s loose. Then he cuts the other tie.

“Can you get up?” he asks from the doorway.

My arms are asleep, but I still manage to get off the floorboard. I glance around at the familiar surroundings. We’re alongside the highway, nearly downtown.

“Go home, Bonnie.” He walks away, shoving his hands into his pockets.

I shake my hands, working feeling into my arms for a few minutes. Doing my best to ignore the pins and needles, I get in the driver’s side. It’s been a long time since I was behind the wheel. Making a U-turn, I go under the expressway and speed up to catch the yellow light. I’m not going to risk sitting in the darkness and having him change his mind.

It’s a straight shot, now, though I catch every red light. A tear escapes then another as the traffic light reflects off the car. Wiping my face, I go alongside Bridge II, around the narrow, one-way street, and I’m home. I turn into the parking lot, slowing down to make sure I don’t graze the car.

Cord is at the window, watching as I pull into a parking spot in the back. My stomach is still churning as I exit the car and hit the remote.

The door opens, and Cord is leaning out, his hand on the knob. His brow furrows, and his gaze moves over me. This is how I imagine an angry father would look when he catches his kid coming in after curfew.

“Where were you?”

What am I supposed to say to him? As I draw closer to him, I focus on the badge hanging around his neck. I swallow hard, tightening my grip on the keys. He’s a police officer?

“Worst date ever.” My attempt to laugh it off turns out a nervous chuckle.

He’s taken aback. “Date?” he asks, narrowing his eyes.

“I...um...Rick showed up.”

“And you left with him?”

I have no idea what to say. “You’re an officer?” I can only hope this distracts me.

“I’m a U.S. Marshal.”

Which only adds to the confusion. Tino isn’t part of any law enforcement, but he’s working with a marshal. Is that why he was having two conversations that night?

“Kassy told me you were missing.” He pivots, holding the door open so I can slip by.

I lean away as I go in, as if brushing him would allow him to see inside my mind. He closes the door behind me, coming around to the end of the table.

The question is still hanging between us.

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