Page 148 of Zero Chance

“Thehospital?”I shouted.

Why the fuck would Waverly have to go to the hospital?

“What the fuck happened?”I roared.

Hissing out an irritated breath, Xander scowled.“She’s fine.She’s at home, and?—”

Home.That’s where my woman was.So that’s where I was going.

“I’ll be back,” I announced, not even letting Xander finish her explanation.I’d learn it all for myself soon enough.

Whirling away from her, I hurried into the kitchen and grabbed my phone off the table as I darted to the back door.

Ten minutes after that, I found my way into the alley behind the house that I’d followed Waverly to the Friday before.When I saw her MINI Cooper sitting in the backyard, I circled around to the street to find the front of where that house should be.

Parking in the driveway, I pocketed my keys and hopped from the Jeep.

I glanced up at the dark blue two-story with white trim and a pale stone wainscot and belatedly wondered if the rest of her family was asleep.But there was a light gleaming from the second-floor window, and a dimmer one glowing from deeper inside the first floor, so that was good enough for me.

I jogged up the steps and under the covered porch before rapping on the front door and then pressing the doorbell.

Seconds later another light on the first floor flipped on and I could see a feminine figure shuffling out into the hall and pulling on a robe as she approached.

Realizing I was about to meet the mom, I did a quick glance down and cursed before dusting off some chip crumbs that must’ve fallen on my sweatshirt earlier when I was snacking.

I really should’ve thought this through before racing over.But I needed to see Waverly, and the door was already slowly coming open.

So I pasted on a big, cheerful smile I used mostly to charm my grandparents, and I started to wave.“Hey, I’m—holy shit.”I blinked to make sure I recognized the scowling woman.I pointed.“Ms.Breeker?”My smile returned, even bigger than before.“Wow.”Opening my arms as if to welcome her into a hug, I shook my head and admitted, “I was not at all expecting to seeyouhere.”

“I can say the same for you, Mr.Dugger,” my old high school counselor grumbled in that familiar, why-do-I-have-to-deal-with-this-kid-again voice as she pulled her robe tighter around her, not at all pleased to receive me.“What’re you doing at my house?At this time of night?”

I winced.“Yeah.I’m sorry about the hour.I wasn’t paying attention to the time.I just heard—wait.This isyourplace?”I took a step back to check out the outer walls.Nodding my approval, I murmured, “Damn, Ms.B, nice digs.But yeah, I must have the wrong address.”I glanced around, wondering which other place matched the back of Waverly’s house better than this one.But…none of them did.With a rueful cringe, I said, “Do you happen to know where the Franks live?”

Ms.Breeker’s expression immediately changed from confusion to leery regard, and her back went up.“ExactlywhichFrank are you looking for?At this time of night,” she felt the need to add as if I’d forgotten how late it was.

Biting my lip, I eyed her hopefully.“Waverly.”

“Oh, dear God,” she breathed in horror.“How do you know my daughter?”

“Daughter?”I echoed in surprise.“No fucking way.You’re hermom?That is so wild.I had no idea you evenhadkids.”She’d never had personal photos in her office.

“Yes.”She appeared to be vaguely ill to admit as much.“Two.And a husband as well.”

“Sweet.”I shook my head in wonder.“I think I just learned more about you in the past minute than I did throughout all four years of high school.”

“Hmm,” she murmured vaguely, still looking displeased.

But she’dalwayslooked at me with disapproval.Her glares had become like an inside joke between us by the time senior year rolled around.She glared, I charmed, she gave me detention, and I kept coming back, more determined than ever to find my way into her good graces.She’d been one of my favorite faculty members at Northside.

“Do you share…a class with Waverly?”she asked suspiciously.

“Hmm?”I asked, still remembering some of the impressive lectures she’d given me.“Oh.No.We met at the library, actually.And I just heard that she had some kind of…incident there.I don’t know.But it didn’t sound good.”

I paused to give Ms.Breeker time to tell me what had happened.

She didn’t say a word.

Clearing my throat, I added, “Anyway, I thought I’d just pop by to check on her; see for myself how she’s doing.”

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