Page 77 of Free to Run
There’s something comforting about that.
I’ve also found out Alison can recite most country songs like they’re Bible verses, has actually taken pole dancing classes to strengthen her core, and would rather kill a spider than ever see a snake. When we saw a snake running one Saturday, she screamed with her hands waving in the air as she sprinted away.
The snake was a black garden snake, no more than a baby. I fell into the grass next to it laughing.
Alison’s a constantly changing kaleidoscope. She’s warm, unapologetically intelligent, and has a heart ready to take on the world with the right encouragement. She’s also fearless, daring, and easy to love.
If it wasn’t for the burden hanging over my head, I’d have already handed over my heart to her.
Caleb and I are no closer to finding Melody. There are no distinguishable patterns our analysts can identify. There’s no trace on the burner phones she’s using. Fuck, the whacked-out bitch must have a storage unit filled with them. She’ll call one day, telling me all the ways she plans to punish me for ignoring her, and then she’ll send a picture of herself masturbating in another one of my stolen shirts, with a dildo in her snatch or in her ass. Sometimes there’s video.
Then there are her constant texts.
Unknown caller: Who the fuck is she, Keene? She can’t have what’s mine.
Unknown caller: What, more than one? I guess I’ll have to be creative in how I deal with them. Then again, if you like them, maybe they’d put on a show for us.
Unknown caller: You got one of those fucking sluts pregnant? Are you fucking kidding me? I’ll cut it out of her. No one can have your child but me.
Getting the restraining order wasn’t hard. It’s serving it that’s fucking impossible. That’s what keeps me awake at night after Alison’s sated body has fallen asleep beside me.
She’s out there. Somewhere close.
She’s seen me with my sister, Alison, and the girls.
Caleb won’t say it, but he’s worried. I’m close to offering to leave again to lure the crazy away from Collyer, but there’s more that holds me back. I know Caleb would come with me. I know it would leave our women vulnerable, and who knows what Melody would do in her psychotic state to them if we left them unprotected?
And then there’s Alison. While I refuse to drag her into this mess I brought to her doorstep, I can’t leave her.
I finally have her, and I can’t walk away.
“Keene,” Caleb says sharply. My head snaps his way. “I was asking if you got anything new from the psycho in the last day.”
Sighing, I slide my phone over to him. Quickly linking it up to his machine, he downloads all the texts.
I’m beyond ready for this to be over.
“Me too, buddy,” Caleb answers.
I didn’t realize I had spoken out loud.
Caleb’s perusing the texts, and his thoughtful “Hmm” gets my attention.
“What is it?” I’m suddenly alert.
“Where was your car yesterday?” he asks.
“I assume the garage. Alison and I came into the office together.” While my heart wants to jettison back to the memory of the wild laughter Alison and I had experienced driving around in her convertible, just his question has my spine tingling.
Caleb flips my phone around.
Melody has sent a new picture. It’s my car, her half-naked ass on it this time. Fury roars through me at the thought of her at our home. Our home? When did Alison’s house become my home?
Probably the minute I sank myself back into her body, I admit to myself.
“Fuck!” I roar. “She’s been to the farm?”
“Calm down, Keene. I’m checking something.” I pace back and forth in front of Caleb while I watch his fingers fly across the keyboard. For as much as he’s taken over his role of CEO and owner of Hudson, his skills haven’t slacked much, I note absently.
