Page 22 of Only Everything
I zeroed in on what I could hear of Tauren’s movements. Shuffling. Pausing. Her foot drug, and I could almost see her turning in circles.
“Reid…I?—”
“Are you still on the trail? Tell me what you see.”
“I-I think I am. I passed the cliff. It was really thick but the trail has widened some. I think….I think I have to be a mile into it? Maybe more?I don’t know.” She made a small sound. “It’s so dark. I have the flashlight, but it’s cheap. It sucks. I’ve been running as fast as I can.”
“Keep going. Try to keep pushing yourself. I’m almostto the turn off. You said it was another fifteen minute drive, right?”
“Yeah. Maybe twenty minutes. I don’t know. It’s not hard to find. After the road turns to gravel, it’s another ten minutes or so and there’s a place you can pull off to the right. That’s where Emmett parked his truck. For all I know, he hasn’t even made it to his truck yet. I only waited about an hour before I took off. I had to make sure he was gone. Don’t let him see you, Reid.You can’t let him see you.”
“You don’t worry about me. You focus on making it down the trail.”
“But then what? The walk took a long time before even making it here. I don’t know how to get to the truck. It’s just…woods.”
“That’s where I come in. You have the light. I’ll find you.”
“You promise?”
Warmth branched through my chest, sending euphoria taking over. This was the way it was supposed to be. Us. Together. Her relying on me to take care of her like I had always done.
“I promise. I’m not leaving you out there. I’ll find you. Stay on the phone with me and keep going.”
She sniffled and her pace increased again. The turn off came up, and I took it, pushing to speeds that would no doubt get me arrested or killed if I hydroplaned in this rain. Headlights appeared in the distance, and I kept my focus on the vehicle as it approached. This wasn’t a busy road, but it did get traffic. It wasn’t exclusive to the trails; it led to the next town over.
Squinting, I took in the truck that passed. It was older,smaller. Emmett drove a big truck, new, and it was black. I’d seen it once when I scoped out the police station. I had every intention of following him home to see where Tauren lived so I could eventually take her, but Lucus had been in town and showed up. He’d stayed for days. Bullshitting about how he already missed me. Worrying over me. Hanging out. Delaying what I wanted.
Mere minutes passed, and I slowed as I connected with gravel. Tauren’s heavy panting was joined with the occasional sound of pain.
“Reid, it’s too far. I can barely catch my breath. I’m so tired.”
“You’re doing great, baby. Come on. Fight your way to me. I’m almost there.”
“To where the truck is?” Excitement mixed with fear. “Reid, be careful. I don’t know?—”
Tauren’s scream nearly stopped my heart.
“Tauren? What the?—”
“Let me go, Emmett. I’m leaving. Let me go!”
A thud sounded and the increase in volume to the crunching and rustling of leaves only drove me to push my foot down on the pedal even more. I reached over, digging through my console to grab my extra phone while I put the one I held on speakerphone so the operator could hear. Panic for my sister didn’t win. I knew this drill. I knew exactly what I needed to do.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”
Tauren screamed again and solid thuds broke through as I placed the extra phone in my mount.
“My sister is in trouble. She’s camping off—fuck—I can’t think of the road, but I’m driving onit right now. It’s off the main highway. I have her on my other cell. Her boyfriend is assaulting her. I can hear her screaming. I’m on my way, but he’s a cop. I don’t trust him not to have a weapon on him. I have mine.”
“Sir, what is your sister’s name and the name of her boyfriend?”
More screams. More solid impacts.
“Please!Tauren. Tauren Andrews. Her boyfriend’s name is Emmett Yates. He’s a cop out of Asheville.”
Typing and grunts merged. He had to be wrestling or pinning her down.
“Let go, Emmett! Get off me!”
