Page 56 of Don't Look Back

I glance down at my screen to find it black. I press a few buttons, waiting for it to turn on, but I get nothing.

“Shit, my phone is dead,” I groan. “Do you have a charger?”

“No,” Pecker sighs. “Danny took mine yesterday and swore he was going to give it back. He didn’t. I can call the tow truck though.”

Pecker lifts his phone to his ear and talks to the company we use for towing. He laughs and jokes around with whoever answered the phone. He’s so carefree and I wish I could go back to being like that. I feel like since I started dating Leslie, my life has been stressful. I know none of that is her fault, but it’s getting overwhelming.

I'm not breaking up with her or anything, but I’d love if things could calm down. If Jimmy could show his face, that would be amazing. Anything so we could stop being nervous and move on with our lives.

Pecker has barely hung up from his call when his phone rings again. He smiles down at the screen and presses accept.

“Hey, beautiful?” Pecker says softly and I instantly know it’s Sophia.

He has such a soft spot for her. I keep meaning to ask him if something more is going on between them, but I never seem to get the chance. Something always happens before I can ask. Lately, it’s been something big. Something that throws my life into a tailspin.

Maybe while we’re waiting for the tow truck, I can figure it out. I’d love it if the two of them started dating. I think they’d be perfect for each other.

“Colt’s right here. His phone died, what’s going on?” Gone is the sweet man and gentle tone I’m used to hearing when he talks to her, in his place is the tough cop who will stop at nothing to protect others.

His eyes lock with mine and I can tell he’s nervous. Something is going on and we need to figure out what it is.

“What happened?” I ask, knowing we need to make a plan and fast.

Chapter 32

Leslie

I stare out at the world blanketed in white and sigh. I didn’t think we were going to get this much snow. I wouldn’t have come this far out of town if I had known.

“Let me go down to the car, and then you can throw the bags to me. I'm afraid we’ll slip on the stairs otherwise.”

I slowly take the steps one at a time and keep glancing around. The air is eerily quiet with the snow insulating everything around us. It’s beautiful, one of my favorite times of the year, but it gets creepy out here.

I hold open my arms and smile when Sophia easily tosses me the first bag. I place it in the backseat and turn to get another one. It only takes us a few moments before everything is loaded up. Sophia turns her back on me and starts locking up the door.

I listen carefully, knowing any sort of movement will cause a quiet crunching sound to echo through the air. I hate feeling this on edge, but it’s not going to stopuntil Jimmy is found. It’s lessened when I'm with Colton though.

Sophia slowly takes the first step and slips, but is able to right herself before she goes down. I move to reach for her, but she shakes her head.

“Don’t even think about it or we’ll both go down.”

As she takes the next step, a soft crunching fills the air, but it’s not coming from her. I glance around, finding a figure moving in our direction.

“Sophia, hurry up,” I hiss under my breath. She glances up at me and must see the fear in my eyes. She moves more quickly, but is still careful.

I notice the second her eyes lock on the mysterious figure. They widen and they snap to mine.

“Get in the car,” she urges me, but I shake my head. I need her to be safe.

“Not until you get in.”

We both glance back at the person. He’s the right height and build to be Jimmy, but I don’t know if it’s him. Not many people live on this street and my house is the last one at the dead-end road.

He must realize we noticed him, because he starts moving fast, closing in on us more quickly than I’d like.

“Get in now!” Sophia shrieks as she passes me to get to the passenger’s door.

I climb behind the wheel and as soon as Sophia’s door is shut, I lock the doors and crank the engine. The man is only a few yards away from the SUV when I reverse out of the driveway as quickly as I can.

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