The Rivals - Dylan Allen Page 0,290

blurry from sleep. My boyfriend, Charlie mutters in his sleep and pulls the comforter up over his shoulder and turns his back to me.

I slide out of bed and hurry into the bathroom of the hotel room we booked for tonight and close the door behind me.

My phone says Matty called me four times before she sent that text.

Alarm sends my stomach into freefall, and I can’t get my normally pragmatic brain to pull the brakes on my fear. We’ve barely spoken in the last month.

I take a deep breath and with still trembling fingers unlock my phone to call her back.

But it rings before I can. The caller id flashes Jack’s name this time I answer it before the second ring. I hear Matty’s deep voice shouting a steady stream of curses in French and a man shouting too.

“She’s still not answering,” Jack sounds distressed and desperate.

“Jack?" I shout to make sure she hears over the pandemonium in the background.

“Oh my God Reggie, thank God,” Jack’s breathy, frantic voice is barely audible over the shouting behind her.

“What’s wrong?” I cover the mouthpiece to try and muffle my voice.

“No, no, no, no, no, no,” she cries and then I hear the unmistakable sound of a gun being fired. My blood turns cold and terror sinks claws into my chest and holds me in its grip.

“Jack! What’s happening? I’m going to call the police.”

“No no, Regan you can’t call the police. Please don’t,” she shouts but part of it is muffled as if she’s covering the phone. All I can make out is the general sound of chaos and irritation mingles with my fear.

“Jack, if you don’t tell me what the hell is going on, I don’t care what you say I’m hanging up and calling the police.”

“No, no—please wait” She sucks in a breath and when she speaks again her voice is much steadier. “We’re not hurt, but we do need your help. We’re at Dan Harrison’s house. We need you to go to his office and get his laptop and bring it over, please?” she asks

At the mention of my grandfather’s personal secretary, dread joins my fear. “Why? And who fired a gun at who?”

“We’ll tell you when you get here,” she says impatiently.

“No, you’ll tell me now or I’m not coming,” I snap, even though I’m already on the move.

“I told you,” she says in a voice made rough with annoyance.

“Told me what?” I ask confused

“Not you, Reggie. Hold on.” She covers the phone to muffle her voice. I’m about to hang up when Matty comes on the line.

“Reggie it’s me, there’s been an accident, we need you to go to Dan’s office and get his laptop.” Her voice is distinctly calmer and far more strident than Jack’s and the demand without any explanation snaps my patience.

“Give me a minute to get dressed and I’ll call you back.” I ignore her groan of frustration and hang up so I can focus on getting myself out of the hotel room as quickly as possible.

I hurry back into the bedroom, sacrificing stealth for speed as I throw my clothes on.

Charlie turns over once, but otherwise doesn’t wake up while I finish zipping up my jeans, slip my feet into the silver ballet flats, put all my jewelry back on, grab my purse. I eye his prone form with envy. I wish I’d slept through the notifications on my phone.

In less than a minute, I’m walking out of the hotel room, and calling them back.

Matty answers on the first ring. “I can’t believe you hung up on me Regan, this is an emergency.” Her voice is edging to the same level of hysteria as Jack’s was and a renewed sense of urgency propels me away from the elevator and toward the stairs.

“Tell me what is going on. I heard a gunshot.”

There’s a beat of silence and I know she’s annoyed that I ignored her complaint. When she speaks her voice is taut with annoyance. “Dan was hit in the leg.”

I come to a complete stop in the hallway, my hand cover my eyes as horror and confusion kick my heartbeat into overdrive. “By who?” I shout when I find my voice again.

“It was an accident,” Matty says as if she can’t believe she’s having to explain herself.

“What the hell are you doing with a gun?” Anger dislodges my shock and I start walking again.

“It was just in case. He was supposed to have his laptop on him, but he didn’t. Then,