Page 9 of Saving Blood

She pushed off the sofa and entered the house. She looked around the spacious kitchen, a living room and ridiculously large dining room. No Rafael.

Were Tiffany and Manuel still upstairs? Her heart pounded hard at not knowing where anyone had gone. Her alcohol buzz had vanished and left her with a throbbing headache and a need to pee, but first she had to find Tiffany. It was four in the morning, and she wanted to go home.

She climbed the stairs to a wide hallway with many doors. All the doors were open, and the rooms were empty, so she continued down the corridor to the last room at the end. She stood outside the closed door and listened. Definitely people inside. Hopefully, it was Tiffany and Manuel. As much as she hated to barge in, exhaustion and a need to go home overwhelmed her.

She inched the door open, but the room was so large, she could only see the adjoining bathroom. She eased farther into the room then froze at the sight of Tiffany riding Manuel cowboy-style. They were too involved to see her, so she ducked into the bathroom. When she was done, she’d interrupt Tiffany and tell her she wanted to go home. Tiffany would be pissed, but Chastity was exhausted, and apparently Rafael had left her without a word. So much for worrying about having sex tonight.

She did her business and was about to flush the toilet when the sound of heavy footsteps filtered into the bathroom. Male voices shouting in Spanish, more footsteps, and Tiffany screaming.

Chastity cracked the bathroom door in time to see Rafael and another man shoot Manuel twice in the forehead, then turn to Tiffany and do the same. Their limp bodies collapsed against the mattress, and Rafael and the other man rushed to the bed and fired again.

Chastity gripped the doorknob as the bathroom spun out of control. A surreal sensation said maybe this was some erotic role play. Anything to explain what she witnessed, but her rational mind kicked in, telling her both Manuel and Tiffany were dead.

She eased the door shut and crept to the only hiding place in the room—a spa tub behind a half wall in the corner. She stayed huddled there, and when she heard them leave the bedroom, she forced herself to think.

Still gripping her phone, she called 911 as a debilitating adrenaline raced through her blood. She had to somehow get out of this house without Rafael seeing her.

“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”

“I need help,” she whispered into the phone. “I have to get out of here.”

“What’s your emergency?”

“I . . . I’ve witnessed a murder. Two murders.” Chastity’s voice caught at the thought of Tiffany’s dead body.

“Calm down and tell me where you are.” The operator’s gentle voice forced her to focus.

“I’m in the bathroom hiding in the tub.”

“Do you have an address where I can send help?”

“I don’t know the address. I’m still inside the house.”

“Where you saw the murders?”

“Yes, if they find me, they’ll kill me too.”

“Can you give me any idea where you are? Something you might’ve seen before you entered the house?”

“There was a fountain in the driveway. A circular driveway.”

“Okay, very good,” the operator prodded. “Do you know what town or city you’re in?”

“Yes. Yes. I’m in Marina del Rey.”

“Great, I’m tracking the area. Keep your phone on. We’ll use the signal from your phone to find you.”

“Please hurry.” Chastity gulped in gasps of air. She honestly didn’t think her heart could beat any faster without bursting.

“Are you safe for now, or are you hurt?”

“No, I’m not hurt.”

“Then stay where you are. Help is on the way.”

“Can you keep talking to me?”

“Yes, I’ll keep this line open until help arrives.” The operator paused, and Chastity heard the tapping of a keyboard. “What’s your name?”

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