Page 29 of Trouble

“She passed away a few years ago,” I informed him.

“Ah. I was away for a few years and hadn’t heard. You look just like she did when we were young.”

Apparently, they had known one another a long while back, and while curiosity built in the back of my mind, awareness sent a shiver down my spine. The other men he had been talking to started to file out of the gas station just as the pump clicked off. Thank fuck for small favors. I put the pump back, put my gas cap back in place, and then rounded my Jeep to get in. The man walked around the front of the Jeep, but stood there by the bumper. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

I got into my Jeep and started it. The bad thing about driving one is that they didn’t offer a lot of protection from people who wanted to do bad things to other people. “It’s late,” I called out as an excuse for being rude.

The man nodded and smiled again as he stepped out of the way. “Be seeing you soon.” He called to me as I passed him.

My hands shook the whole way home. My cell phone remained forgotten in my pocket until I pulled into my driveway because my eyes remained glued to the road, my mirrors, and everywhere else I could possibly check. I hadn’t been followed. That was the smallest of comforts I came away with. It seemed as though Hannah had tipped me off to something major going on and I wouldn’t wait to inform both clubs of that.

When I got in there were missed calls and texts from both Trouble and Hollywood. The last one was the most concerning.

Trouble: We’re coming back. Call me the minute you get this.

I dialed his number as I let myself into the house and locked the door behind me. Then I methodically went through the whole house to check all the locks on the doors and windows. I called back a second time and Trouble finally picked up.

“Sweetness?” He called out.

“I’m here. I’m home now.”

“You still sound spooked. Talk to me. What were you doing in Murphy?”

“I had to take one of the girls home. Her car wouldn’t start. On the way she said there were a couple girls she went to school with who had gone missing. No one thought much of it, but she said that one of the women had a thing for her new Italian neighbor.”

“Shit,” Trouble hissed down the line.

“When I left there, I went to get some gas so I could make it home. There were six men in suits inside the gas station and they were talking about recruiting women and where to do it to avoid notice. I think they’re taking women, Trouble. And one of them followed me out as I pumped gas. He was dressed like the others, but he was from this area judging by his accent. Plus, he asked me a bunch of questions and told me I looked a lot like my mom did when she was younger.”

“Did you tell him anything about you?”

“No. I only mentioned that mom died.”

“Shit, he’ll get your name from the obituary that was in the paper.”

“Did you forget we live in Small Town USA?” I asked. “He’ll get my name from someone in town. All he has to do is ask around. He’ll have my address in a hot minute too, if he wants it.”

“Listen to me carefully, sweetness. I need you to pack a bag and get your ass to the clubhouse.”

“Do you really think he’ll be bold enough to come after me tonight?”

“Don’t know, but I’m not in town to protect you and I’ll be damned if I’m going to take a chance on your life. Do what I asked and hurry it up. The only thing that might help in this situation is that it is half past two in the morning and no one is awake to ask.”

I didn’t hesitate to listen to him and packed my bag as he spoke. “Okay, my bag is packed and I’m ready to go.”

“Check the cameras before you go outside, just in case.”

I did as he asked and pulled up the app to check the cameras. I looked at the live view from the beginning of the driveway and then swapped over to the front porch view. I didn’t see anyone and knew that he had probably already logged in at some point and checked too.

“I was careful and made sure no one followed me home.”

“Were you close to any of them? Could they have put a tracker on you?”

I shook my head even though he couldn’t see me. “Not unless they had someone outside that I didn’t see when I went in to pay. I don’t remember seeing anyone near my Jeep. Then again, my attention was on the cashier and keeping the men inside in my peripheral.”

“It’s okay. You did the best you could on your own and you let us know there was a potential problem. Go to the Jeep, get to the clubhouse, and stay on the line with me if you can. I hate the fucking reception out there.”

“Me too,” I agreed. I did as he said and made it to the clubhouse with no problem. The prospect recognized me and opened up immediately, though he did tell me that Trouble and Hollywood weren’t there.

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