Page 436 of The Sinner: James

He answers the call.

“Yes?”

The sound of static travels to my ears.

“Hello?” he asks again, his hand slackening on me.

He tears the phone away from his ear to take another look at the number when we both hear a female voice.

“James?”

The blood drains from his face.

He straightens, his hand falling off me.

“Who is this?”

The woman murmurs a name I can’t make out.

His face looks even paler.

“Where did you get this number?”

The woman’s response comes after a pause.

“And where exactly are you?” he asks again.

He leaps from the sofa, tense.

A few strides take him away from me, removing any possibility of catching the woman’s words.

“Uh-huh... Yes. No.”

His words come fast, wrapped in anger.

“Is everything okay?” he asks.

A pause ensues.

“Are you okay?” he continues.

More words flow from his cell.

“When?” James asks.

The woman’s answer is brief before he talks again.

“I’ll get on a plane tonight.”

My heart flip-flops in my chest.

“When?” he mutters. “Uh-huh. Okay. I’ll be in Monaco for a few days, then travel to London and Prague. End of the week, maybe?”

The woman replies.

“Okay. I’ll see you then,” he says curtly before hanging up.

For a few moments, he stares blankly at his phone, his jaw locked.

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