Chapter 48
1138words
I stare out the living room window and look down at the street below, watching the flurry of cars and people go by. In the back of my mind, a question pops up. Is the crazy witch down there somewhere?
My body instantly tenses at the thought, and my blood runs cold.
No. She doesn’t know where I’m at. Only a handful of people know where I’m staying now. I trust every one of them. She will never find out where I’m at.
Ding.
Ding.
My muscles tense again as I look over my shoulder at the phone on the end table by the couch. I breathe a small sigh of relief. It is Tiffany’s phone this time?
Ding.
Ding.
My eyebrows knot together. Who is it? It must be important if they are sending so many messages.
I turn and walk over to her phone.
Ding.
Confused, I call out to her. “Babe, your phone is going off. Someone is sending messages to you.”
The faint sound of the shower is my only reply. She must not be able to hear me over the water.
I tilt my head as curiosity nibbles away at me. Who is it?
Ding.
Father flashes onto the screen.
Tiffany’s father? She hasn’t talked much about her family. Whenever I ask about them, she will often change the subject.
With Tiffany’s phone in my hand, I head to the bathroom. When I step inside the room, warm steam hangs in the air and swirls around me, while Tiffany’s sweet voice softly hums a tune as she washes her hair.
Water glides down her naked body and hugs her curves.
Gulp.
I hesitate for a moment before I clear my throat. “Babe, your phone is going off. It looks like it is your father.”
Her humming instantly stops, and she stands frozen with water spraying her face.
Did I say something wrong? Why is she acting like this?
Tiffany slowly turns her head and looks at me through the clear glass shower wall. “Did you say my father is sending me messages?”
Her voice cracks.
I can hear the fear in her words and see it in her eyes. What has her father done to her?
Ding.
I glance down at her phone. “Do you want me to read them to you? Or do you want to wait and read them yourself when you get out? They might be important.”
Tiffany shakes her head but remains silent.
What does she want?
I tilt my head and stare at her, but she remains quiet.
I don’t know if this is the right thing, but we are dating now and are partners. We haven’t met each other’s families, but she already knows a lot about mine.
I open the messages and read them out loud.
Father: How are you doing, daughter?
Father: Haven’t heard from you in a while.
Father: Can we meet? I have a favor to ask.
Father: Why aren’t you responding? Are you ignoring me?
Father: I need to meet right away. Meet me at our usual place at 2 this afternoon.
Father: Baby girl, are you paying attention? I need to meet you at 2 this afternoon.
Father: Don’t you dare ignore me!
Father: Tiffany! Answer me!
A noise stops me from reading more, but I can’t make out what it is. I look up as Tiffany shuffles backwards and falls against the back shower wall.
What the heck?
I glance back down at the rest of the messages. The nice tone from the initial ones is gone. With each new one, the man’s tone grows harsher and meaner, with the last few messages bordering on a verbal bashing.
My chest tightens. Is this what Tiffany has had to deal with all her life?
My eyes whip back up to her. Even with the shower raining down on her, my girlfriend’s tears race down her face like a raging river are visible and pull at my heart.
I catapult forward and stripe naked along the way. “Babe, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have read those.”
I dart into the shower and engulf her in a hug. “Babe, it is alright. Everything will get better.” I don’t know if I can accomplish it, but I’m going to try.
A faint sob escapes from her as she wraps her arms around me and whimpers, “Don’t leave me.”
I gently pat her back. “Shhh. It will be alright. We will resolve this together.”
She shakes her head and tightens her grip around me.
What has her father done to her? Why is he demanding Tiffany meet him? My mind fills with more questions. None of them I can answer.
***
Rhonda POV
My grip tightens around my phone as I press it harder against the side of my face and hiss, “What am I paying you for when you can’t give me the information I need? HUH!”
Spit flies through the air and splatters against the living room window.
What is he thinking?
After a few moments, a calm voice replies, “I couldn’t have known about the going away meal. We were told that everyone was going. How would I know Trevor wouldn’t be there? I can’t read minds.” In a softer tone, he mumbles something, but I don’t catch it, which irritates me more.
Idiots! I’m working with a group of idiots!
My anger boils up as I growl, “I’m paying you to know. If you can’t find the information I’m seeking and paying for, then go to another place to get it. I don’t care what you have to do but give me the information I need.”
I fight the urge to throw my phone against the wall.
The only thing stopping me is my need to be able to contact my spy and gather more information on Trevor. If not for that, my phone would have been broken into a million little pieces by now.
My anger boils within me as the man calmly replies, “I will try, but they are keeping everything hush-hush now. The project is over, and the only things left now are some promo events for the drama. From what I’ve heard, most of his other schedule and events have been canceled for some reason.”
Canceled. Ugh…
My lip twitches. I need to find out what Trevor is doing and where he is going to be all the time.
I wish I knew where he lives.
The corner of my mouth slides up into a smirk. “If you can’t give me his schedule, maybe you can provide me with something else.”
The line goes silent for a moment.
Then the previously calm voice timidly asks, “What do you want to know?”
I chuckle back.
Trevor you can’t hide from me. I’m going to find you.
