Page 27 of Boxed In

“Men came into the office and tried to steal it. They started shooting.”

Beth made a strangled sound. “Are you shot? Are you okay?”

“They didn’t hurt me.”

“Thank God.”

She glanced back at the car, seeing Luke’s legs sticking out the driver’s door. What would he do if he caught her on the phone? Well, not Luke. The other guy—Zabastian. Was she saying she believed in the warrior? As nutty as it seemed, she knew she had bought into the explanation for Luke’s odd behavior.

“I’m on the run,” she told Beth.

“Where are you?”

“In an alley. I’m not sure where, exactly.” She dragged in a breath and let it out. “This is going to sound crazy.”

“I was afraid that box was trouble. Is it stolen? Is that it?”

Olivia gasped. “What makes you think so?”

“Beth hesitated a moment. “Your description. It’s too valuable to come in a random antique shipment. Did the owners come after it?”

“No. It was someone else. But let me back up. What happened was, my computer broke in the middle of the inventory, and Luke Garner came to fix it.”

“That guy you said you liked?”

“Yes. After he got the computer going again, he stuck around and started fiddling with the box—and he opened it.” She caught her breath and blurted, “You said the Moon Priests might have magic powers. I think they do. Or the box does. When Luke opened it, some mist came shooting out. Luke passed out, and when he woke up, he was somebody else. The spirit of an ancient warrior who’s supposed to protect the box.”

“O-o-okay.”

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me. It sounds too crazy.”

“It does.” Her friend paused. “But I read about the Moon Priests. Maybe they were magic. Plus, I know you don’t make things up. I’ve never seen you drunk or on drugs. And I know you’re mentally stable. So just tell me what happened after that.” Olivia looked toward the car again. Luke was still busy. Hunching her shoulders, she turned away from him and walked a few feet farther down the alley. “We were in a car accident. We had to run away before the cops got there.”

“Why?”

“Long story. I’ve got to talk fast—before he tries to stop me.”

Beth’s voice turned hard as ice. “He’s kidnapped you or something!”

“Um . . . not him. The ancient warrior. When the men came to steal the box, we split. Luke says we have to get the box to the Master of the Moon. He says . . . “

Her sentence trailed off as a large hand lifted the phone out of her grasp.

“Olivia? Olivia?” Beth called from the other end of the line. But she was talking to herself now.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” the man who held the phone asked, his voice deep and menacing. As he spoke, he clicked the off button. Then he dropped the phone on the ground and smashed it under his heel.

“I need that phone.”

“You can’t be trusted with it.”

She raised her chin. “I assume that’s Zabastian speaking.”

“Yes.”

She saw his face change and suspected Luke was also involved now. “Answer my question. What were you doing?”

“Calling my friend Beth.”

---