Page 120 of Single Teddy
“Teddy? Are you okay, Teddy? Are you having a panic attack?”
I never had one before, but considering I couldn’t move, think, talk, or breathe properly, I guessed I was having one.
“Okay, breathe. Just breathe. I know how you feel. I’ve been there with King, and the best thing you can do is stay calm. You can only help him if you keep calm. You hear me?”
“H-how?” was all I managed to say, but Slade didn’t stutter.
He started giving me breathing instructions over the phone, and I followed them, hoping it would work.
“Hang on. It’s Wyatt on the other line. Wait there and keep breathing, okay?” he said.
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. The line clicked and went quiet, but I kept inhaling and exhaling, trying not to make up wild scenarios of what had happened to Wesley in my head.
“Teddy! Are you okay?” Ruby came around and rushed to my side with Lexi.
“I’m…I’m getting there,” I said.
“What happened? Did you find out something? Is Wesley okay?” Lexi asked.
“I…I don’t—” I started when Slade came back on the other end of the line.
“Teddy, are you still there?”
I took one last deep breath and sat up straight.
“Yes. What did you find out?” I asked with far more composure than before.
“Wyatt. He spoke with the captain’s son, Dakota. He’s on his way to you. Apparently, it’s not just Wesley and the kids who went AWOL. A detective is missing too.”
“What? Who?”
“Some guy named Garret Bennet. Wyatt said he’s dealt with him in the past, and he’s always been a bit…funny, so he thinks he’s the dirty cop.”
I bit my lip and tried to control the tremors in my body caused by my racing heart.
“Wh-what do we do, Slade? How do we find him? How do we find them?”
“We’ll figure something out. This isn’t our first rodeo. First, we need to get the team together.”
“I…how? I’ve got Bear with me.”
“Bring him here. King and Mac can stay with him. Then we’ll leave together. Okay?”
“I’ll be right over.” I hung up and got back to my feet, but Ruby and Lexi were still staring at me.
“What…what happened?” Ruby asked.
I wanted to be honest with them, I really did. But in order to be honest, I had to explain everything happening on the island and how I let Wesley get involved with everything. And that would take time. Which was something we didn’t have. Something Wesley and the boys didn’t have.
“I’m going to find out, okay? But I need to go.”
“Go? Go where?”
“To my friends. They can help find him. But I need to go now.” I started to walk back into the food truck, but I felt bad leaving them like that, so I stopped and turned around. “Here.” I offered Ruby my phone. “Put your number in there, and I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.”
“We want to come with you,” Lexi said.
I shook my head.
