Page 11 of Dangerous Rhythm

As a precaution, Lina had told him to take the battery out of his phone and try to contact his parents from her secure phone. But his parents didn’t pick up. Most people didn’t pick up unknown numbers anymore—too many solicitors and scammers.

“No. My parents, especially my mom, are very cautious. They probably thought it was a scam. You know those scammers who would clone someone’s voice and claim they’re in trouble?”

Lina didn’t answer.

“And ask for money?” he continued.

“Curtis, focus. Take us off this road and let’s lose them,” Lina instructed.

“Right.” He reoriented himself to where they were and grinned. “I gotcha. Put some more distance between us and take the next right at the light.”

The light turned yellow, and the car in front of them stopped as it was about to turn red. Lina had to step on the brake and sent them lurching forward as the car halted.

“Dude! He absolutely could’ve gone!” Curtis yelled at the car in front of them.

Lina, unfazed, checked the mirrors again. Echoing her movement, he saw they’d lost their lead. The black Blazer was two cars behind them. When the light turned green, they could easily follow them. He quickly reassessed the route to his parents.

“Once we get on the country road, we can pass these cars and we’ll lose them on the smaller side roads,” he said. “Will that work?”

She nodded. “Just tell me where to go and I’ll drive. This is your turf. Trust your instinct.” She turned her gaze to him and gave him a quick wink. “I do.”

The vote of confidence gave Curtis a boost, and he grinned. And for once today, he felt he wasn’t hopeless.

The light turned green.

In the next ten minutes, they focused on putting distance between them and the Blazer. As soon as it was safe, though probably illegal, Lina zoomed past the car ahead of them, leaving their tail having to pass three cars if they wanted to keep up. They took sharp, sudden turns to get out of the Blazer’s view. But whoever was driving the Blazer was almost as skilled as Lina, or just damn lucky. They’d almost caught up, even after losing sightof them on the last road. They weren’t trying to hide the fact they were tailing Lina and Curtis anymore.

“Floor the gas,” Curtis told Lina. “No one is ever on this road around this time. Get us way ahead of them, then turn left at the T.”

Curtis didn’t see the Blazer when they made it to the T. Lina slowed down only enough to make the turn without burning rubber.

“That way.” He pointed at a driveway to their right. “And let me out once we pass the gate.”

He quickly jumped out and closed the wooden gate, then got back in. “Park behind the old gatehouse.”

Lina did exactly what he said and turned off the ignition. From where they sat, they had enough view of the intersection to see the incoming car, but he knew they were protected.

“It’s my buddy’s parents’ farm,” Curtis explained. “They wouldn’t mind.”

Lina just nodded.

They waited in silence for the Blazer. Seconds felt like hours, but he knew their tail would show up. There was no other way. It finally pulled up at the intersection. It sat idle for long seconds before turning left toward them but then suddenly changed direction to the right.

Curtis didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath and let out an audible exhale.

“Great navigating,” Lina said with a smile on her face.

The approval in her eyes made Curtis’ chest swell with pride. He’d never felt so accomplished for giving driving directions.

They waited for a few more minutes, making sure the Blazer didn’t double back before they pulled out. They stayed vigilant of their surroundings, but the rest of the drive was a non-event.

“Go all the way up the driveway and around the garage. We can park the car out of the street view,” Curtis said.

Before the car even fully stopped, he rushed over the back patio toward the sliding back door, ignoring Lina’s warning to wait for her. He was about to bang on the door when he saw it was unlocked. The door was often open during the summer months, but why would it be unlocked in the middle of January?

“Mom!” he called out when he stepped into the breakfast area adjoining the kitchen. Papers were strewn across the table. “Dad!”

He ran into the living room and found boxes on their sides with their contents—old photos and letters—spilled out on the rug. Stacks of books by her mother’s reading nook had fallen over. The mess was out of place in his parents’ meticulously decorated home.

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