Page 189 of Deliverance

Redlands.

Redlands.

Redlands.

It’s just an hour away from Idyllwild. I’m almost certain that’s where he’s taken her. A cabin in the middle of nowhere, cut off from civilization.

The mere thought that she might be alone with him right at this moment while the police are working on fucking paperwork chills me, a chill so cold that it grips my spine, piercing it to the marrow.

I stuff the papers back in the envelope, leaving only one sheet out—the one with the list and photos of properties owned by Matthew Dirks. Then I call the station again, and instead of asking to speak with less-than-helpful Officer Kincaid, I ask for Officer Diaz.

“I’m sorry, she’s not at her desk right now,” the young receptionist says. “Can I take a message?”

I’m driving again, my hands clutching the steering wheel, my eyes on the string of cars ahead, their red brake lights turning the freeway into a giant snake shimmering against puffs of exhaust fumes. “My name is Zander Shaw. My girlfriend went missing last night. Possibly kidnapped by her ex. Tell officer Diaz I have information on where she is.”

I hear the soft clicking of the computer keyboard on the line.

“Do you spell Zander with Z or X?”

I roll my eyes but keep myself in check, keep myself right. “Z.”

“I’ll pass this along, but I’m not sure when Officer Diaz will be back. She’s out in the field.”

“Can’t you call her or something? There’s a life at stake here.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” the girl responds with an unaffected voice.

When the call ends, I sigh loudly, feeling tired, agitated, and guilty all at once.

But mostly, just helpless.

I can’tnot doanything about it. I can’t just sit and wait for the authorities to get their shit together and realize Drew is in danger.

When I arrive at her place, Preston is waiting downstairs in the lobby on the couch, her face sour. She shoots up to her feet the moment she sees me walking through the front door.

“Thank God you’re here, Zander.” Relief settles on her features. “The dumbass here won’t let me go up,” she says through clenched teeth, throwing a side eye at the uniformed man. “My phone also died, and I don’t have my charger with me, so I couldn’t call you.”

I march over to the reception desk and realize the security guard on duty is Danny, not Bidal.

And I don’t like Danny. Homeboy isn’t cool.

“I need to get inside my girlfriend’s unit. She’s missing,” I tell him, trying to keep my tone steady.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” The guard shakes his head.

The rage that’s been simmering in me all this time morphs into something vile. The animal is right there, crackling just beneath my skin.

Resting both elbows on the desk, I lean forward and fix my stare at Danny’s face. “I don’t think you understand, pal. I’m not asking. I’m telling. Someone out there is dead set on harming my girlfriend, and if you’re think that a couple of stupid rules about a no visitors policy in this building is going to stop me from finding that piece of shit and sending him back to hell, you’re underestimating me.”

I didn’t plan for the words to sound so menacing, but they do. They fill the space around us like helium would fill a balloon, pushing all the empty air aside, pressing against the surfaces and stretching them as if they’re rubber.

But I have to give credit to Danny. Apparently, he takes his job seriously, because my threats don’t scare him too much.

“I’m going to call the police if you don’t leave,” he barks back.

I reach for a phone sitting on the desk and pick up the handset, shoving it at him. “Call.”

He swats it away so fast, you’d think it was on fire and its proximity had caused him physical pain. “You need to leave.”

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