out, suddenly sounding positive, “since it’s summertime and I’m not working, I could totally ride with you. We can take turns driving and that way it will cut your travel time in half.”
“Karla, I can’t ask you to do that,” I told her, immediately refusing her offer. I’ve never met her husband and the last thing I wanted to do was involve his wife more than I already have.
“You’re not asking me,” she pointed out.
“Besides,” I cut in, “I have no idea who this person is or how they are able to find me. The last thing I need is to…set them off if they think I’m with someone. Stalking me might not be enough if they think someone is helping me.”
“Okay, okay, okay,” she rushed out. “It was just an idea.”
“No, no, no,” I quickly said. “I love that you offered, but…Karla, you have no idea the guilt I feel dragging you into this. I’d rather…I’d rather keep you out of the fray as much as possible.”
“Fallon, you’re my friend,” she whispered through the phone. “You’ve been my friend since we were children. You got me through some of the worst times in my life.”
“The same goes,” I told her. “I just…I need to feel that I can control some of this, you know. And that includes how I limit how much this touches those around me, especially you.”
“Okay,” she mumbled unhappily. “I get it, Fal. I do.”
“Thank you,” I breathed, relieved.
“So, call me when you get here, and then you can catch up on some sleep,” she said, reciting the plan. “Go do your extra drive and, when you get back, everything will be set up in the guest room for you.”
“Okay, sounds good,” I replied. “I’ll see you soon, friend.”
“I can’t wait,” she said, a smile in her voice.
“Okay, bye.” She returned the departing remark and we hung up.
I turned the ignition to my grey 2009 Saturn Aura and, once again, I was grateful it started. Now, it wasn’t as if it was on its last leg or anything, but my money was hard-earned, and I didn’t squander it. Once it occurred to me that I might really have to spend my life moving from place to place, I made sure to save as much money as I could. Seriously. Scrooge would be proud.
I pulled out of the motel parking lot and merged onto the road, ready to move on. Since this was the first time I’ve ever left California, my only hope was that my idea to drive to Indiana would work.
I couldn’t say how long it took him to find me, but I’d usually be settled in for a few months before the oddities begin. For all I know, he might know where I’m at the day I move into a new place, and he just bides his time because he’s a sick fuck. Who knows?
I drove the rest of the way to North Dakota going back and forth between lip-syncing to different varieties of music or listening to an audiobook. It wasn’t until I checked my phone that I saw a text from Karla giving me something else to consider. I texted her back letting her know I was going to keep driving until my eyes couldn’t stay open anymore. I didn’t mention stopping in Brant at all.
I made it ten more hours before I pulled into the next motel.
Chapter 4
Xander~
I stared at my best friend’s beautiful wife, with her strawberry blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and her face free of bangs, showing off her sweet face. Those beautiful hazel eyes giving no hint to the crazy lurking inside her mind.
How could Karla be crazy, and I not have picked up on it until now?
And worse?
Trevor was sitting next to her, completely unfazed by the fact that his wife was crazy. I mean, looking at the guy, you could see that her insanity really wasn’t fazing him in the least.
“I’m sorry, come again?” I asked as politely as I could. It always helps to deal with crazy people as politely as possible. I mean…granted, I haven’t dealt with a lot of certifiable crazy people in my life before now, but it felt like sound advice anyway. Karla let out a soft sigh and her smile was timid, but I didn’t think my reaction was unwarranted after sitting here listening to a story that had Hollywood written all over it.
No wonder she had made all my favorites.
“I know it’s a lot to ask,