Page 38 of Call Me Anytime
12:30 p.m.
Vivid imaginings of a meetup with Waylon, live and in person, dance in my mind and crank my nerves into overdrive. I try to breathe through the panic, pacing the sidewalk to burn off some of the energy, but so far, I’m only getting more and more amped up.
Dom looks on from his spot, leaned against the van, and I work to gather my thoughts. There’s something about the way he watches me—calmly and steadily, like nothing could shake him—that makes me want to walk over and throw my arms around him. Just for a second. Just to feel that calmness up close.
And even though he doesn’t push, I still feel the pressure. The pressure to be strong, the pressure to woman up, the pressure to do everything I can to help them bring whoever this is to justice. Not to mention, all the other pressure I’m already carrying—to take care of my mom and her needs too.
The weight is crippling.
“You okay?” he asks when I stop pacing and turn to face him. His voice is gentle and his manner matches, but I’m a brittle shell of a human, and even the soft push is enough to make me break.
“No.” I shake my head. “I cannot believe people are like this. That they want to hurt women. That they’re actively hurting women.” A sigh leaves my lungs with a tremble, and I stare up toward the sky to contain the emotion that wants to escape my eyes. “I didn’t know Heather, but I’m sure she had her reasons for doing this, just like I do, just like Monica does, just like we all do. I ... she was just trying to live her life, and because of someone—maybe Waylon, I don’t know—she can’t anymore. It’s sick. It’s twisted. It’s—”
“Hey, hey. I know, Hannah.” Dom’s voice is compassionate, and other things that make it harder for me to hold back a sob. I dig my nails into my palms, fighting the urge to close the space between us and let him wrap me up in his arms.God, why does that idea sound so tempting?“This is all tough. Really tough, actually. But you’re doing the best you can, and we’re going to figure out who’s behind Heather and Gwen’s deaths.”
“Gwen?” I ask, my head snapping back down and my eyes locking with his. “Who the hell is Gwen?”
Dom inhales a sharp breath through his nose and clasps his hands in front of his face before sighing. “I ... I’m sorry. Technically, there’s another case with another girl who worked at Call Me Anytime who ... died in the same manner as Heather.”
“There’s another Call Me Anytime girl who got killed?” I whisper-yell. “Why am I just finding this out now?”
“Because we’re in the middle of an active investigation, Hannah,” he explains, and his mouth turns down at the corners. “I’m sorry we didn’t divulge that, but that’s how it goes. We have to keep the public out of the details as much as we can while we’re working.”
“The public?” I snap. “I’m pretty sure since I’m now some kind of phone sex informant, that means I’m well past the point of just being part of the public. I’m all up in this active-investigation bullshit, Dom. Honestly, at this point, MNPD should probably be paying me!”
“I get it, Hannah. I do.” Dom sighs and runs a hand through his light-brown hair. “I’m sorry.”
I stare at him for a long moment, my mind racing with a million different thoughts as I try to understand how not one but two CMA girls have been killed.
“So ... who is ...was... Gwen?” I question, my voice barely above a whisper. “How is her death connected to Heather’s death?”
He purses his lips.
“Dom?”
“She worked on the Ruby line too.”
My eyebrows shoot up so far, I swear they go above my hairline. “Tell me this is some sort of sick joke.”
He shakes his head.
“T-two women have died while working on this line?” I ask, my voice rising an octave and a half and my heart thrumming. “Two?”
Dom grimaces, but he also nods.
“Two women! Two women before me and now I’m doing it! I ... I ... my God.” I drop my hands to my sides with a slap. “I mean, I already changed my freaking number, but what if they know who I am? What if they find out where I live, and now my mom is in danger? Or Lovie?” My whole body vibrates with nervous energy and fear. “Oh my God, Dom.”
“Hey, look at me. Look at me, Hannah.” Dom steps forward and grabs me by the shoulders, standing me still and forcing my eyes to meet his. His hands are tender and calming. For a moment, I have the urge to tuck my body into his side. “CMA headquarters is secured,” he reassures. “Their location is completely unlisted to the public. And I would not,absolutely would not, let you keep taking calls if I thought for even a second that someone knew who you are, do you hear me?”
I shake my head and swallow hard, but he keeps talking. “In both of these cases, the women were at a neutral location. The killer didn’t come to CMA headquarters or their homes—they lured them to a fancy hotel here in downtown Nashville, okay?”
I blow out a breath, trying to calm my nerves, but they’re running away at full speed, and I can’t find the brake pedal to stop them.
“As long as you don’t go wandering into any hotels without telling me or Shane, we’ll be good, all right?” he tries to reassure me. “And remember, you’re already sharing your location with me on your phone. We’re covering all of our bases, Hannah.”
A few days ago, I decided to actively share my location with Dom on my phone, just to make myself feel a little safer. Just in case something happened.
“Okay.” My face feels shaky as I jerk my chin up and down. “No hotels.”
