Page 5 of The Fate of Us

“What the hell did you say to her?” I grit out.

“I’m a paramedic. It’s what I’ve wanted to do my entire life. Save people. It was my first week on the job, finally certified, excited and anxious all at once.”

I don’t have time for this. “Get to the point.”

He looks at me with a raised brow and I know he isn’t one to take orders. “There was a bad storm at the end of my first week. Rain turned to ice. The roads were slick, icy. It was foggy as hell, all a fucking mess. I worked twenty-four hours straight as it was accident after accident. My boss finally told our team to call it quits for the night. To head back to the station. We were on our way when we saw a car flipped on the side of the road. It looked bad. It was near a creek and the guardrail along the bridge on the opposite side of the road was mangled and smashed. We pulled over to check on the occupants of the vehicle. As we got closer, I could finally make out the model of the car through the fog, saw the plates. I fell to the ground. I knew it was Kyle’s car. I could also tell by the scene of the accident, there was a low chance he survived. The driver’s side was smashed in, glass and blood everywhere. He hit a rock on the side of the road that caused his car to flip.

“I almost quit my job after that. My dream shredded by the loss of my brother. But then the cops that were at the scene gave me a letter they found in the car. None of us got closure with what happened with Kyle. I mean, who does in an accident. No one ever gets to say goodbye. But Kyle had something to say to Anna, he just never told her.”

I grit my teeth. “He was cheating on her.”

Jed nods his head. “He was. She told me yesterday she knew about that. But I gave her the letter anyway. She needed to see it. Needed to read those words.”

I know Jed isn’t going to tell me what the letter said, even though he clearly read it. I just hope they weren’t words to break Anna even more. “She say where she was going?”

He shakes his head. “Nah but I did let her borrow my car. And she only said ‘Give me twenty-four hours. Then find Noah Taylor, he’ll be with my family. Tell him I needed a sanctuary.’”

I grip the back of my neck at those words. Thinking, searching my mind for any hint she might have given me in our hours of conversation.

I knock my beer over when the memory hits and jolt from my seat. “Thank you Jed. I—ugh—I need to go.” I throw a twenty on the bar and turn to head out but Jed’s voice stops me.

“Treat her right, man. My brother didn’t deserve her. I hope that you do.”

I nod at him as I rush out the door. I hope I deserve her too. Yet for some reason I feel that I don’t.

I jump into my SUV and throw it in drive as I fumble with my phone to dial Hunter.

“What’s up, Noah?” he answers, sounding winded.

“You busy?”

“I just got done with a run before heading into the hospital. What’s wrong?”

“Can you give me the number of your friend that’s a detective?”

He chuckles into the phone. “Dude, how many times have I told you? You are going to do fine on that damn test.”

“It’s not about that. It’s—ugh, work related.”

“You sure you’re okay, man? You sound flustered.”

I take a deep breath before answering. “Yeah, I just need some information for a case.”

“Isn’t that what detectives do?”

“Can you just stop with the questions, please? I am looking for someone.”

“Okay geez, man. I’ll text you his number.” He pauses before asking me another damn question. “You sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah.” I clear my throat. “I’m fine.”

“Okay well, let me know if you need anything.”

I hang up the phone before I answer him. I make a quick stop at the hotel we were staying at, grab our bags, and check out. I hit the gas once I hit the interstate. I look at the GPS that tells me it’s about a four-and-a-half-hour drive to the islands south of Charleston. That gives me just enough time to try and remember which island she hinted at that damn cottage being.

I leave a message for my brother’s friend, hoping he can help me out. He works for Beaufort County PD and I can only hope that he might recognize my description or he has records that can help me.

I race against the sun hoping I can make it before dark so I can find her tonight but as I get closer to the coast, the horizon darkens.

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