But, my brain screamed, why? Why did she want me gone so badly? Did she hate me? Did I steal a boyfriend from her or something? I didn’t know. But, if she was the one behind this, behind that poor tortoise that had shown up at the gallery, then there was no telling what kind of batshit crazy world she was living in.
I pulled my phone from my pocket, the first time I’d even looked at it since I’d left the cabin, and went to turn on the screen. It wouldn’t go. I turned it on, one eye on the service station door like I was a scared child looking for the bogeyman to come out of the closet. The phone powered up, an altering popping up that I had four text messages from Richard, then the battery meter flashed abruptly at zero percent and powered down again with a happy little chime.
Shit! Sometimes in poor service areas, when the phone was constantly searching for a tower, it would do this. I’d completely forgotten about that fact with everything going on in the last couple days. Considering how infrequently I left my coverage area, too, I wasn’t surprised. I stared down at the black, inert screen of my phone, wondering what I should do.
Here I was, in the middle of nowhere. My phone dead. Maybe sitting in my stalker’s car. And my stalker had my dogs.
I had her spare, after all, but the question was: how do I get there before she did?
Behind me, headlights lit up from the direction of Enchanted Rock. I watched as the car began to slow and it pulled into the little trading post parking lot. Maybe, just maybe, I’d know the person? Or it would be one of the town cops, or state troopers? Or they could help me get in touch with Richard or get me back to town? Something, anything, would be better than this.
The car, a little BMW, pulled up at the gas pump beside me and a beautiful blonde with striking blue eyes climbed out.
Oh thank God, it was Karen!
“Karen!” I nearly shouted as I jumped from the car. “What are you doing out here?”
She jumped in surprise. “Jessica? That you? Jesus, girl, you look like a mess! I couldn’t sleep, so I was just driving around. What about you?”
“Long night,” I said. “Listen, can I get a ride by Sheila’s place real quick? Like now? She and I just had a, uh, fight, and I have to get my dogs from her, then head back to my house.”
She smiled warmly. “Absolutely, girl. I’ve got plenty of gas. I was really just coming in to get a soda. Hop in, I’ll take you right there.”
I practically ran around to the passenger side and hopped in. Karen slid back into the driver seat, started up the car. The Beemer rumbled to life with the smooth purr of a jungle cat, and we took off, headed for Sheila’s house.
First, I’d get Eli and Wallach back from that bitch.
Then, what?
I didn’t know. I’d figure out my next steps later. The most important thing, though, were my dogs. And the fact that, no matter where I went, Sheila was going to have them if I didn’t get them back.
And that meant I had to. Tonight.
Chapter Forty-seven
Richard
With the bikers all gone and the cabin locked back up, the team and I were headed back to Enchanted Rock. Matt, Jake, and Frank had all ridden up in the same car and shifted where the turnoff for the cabin road had been. Now, I was headed back in the driver seat with Frank, who’d turned back to human and put his clothes on, in the passenger. We’d been calling Jessica since we got within cell range, but hadn’t received any kind of answer, and she hadn’t replied to any of the texts Frank had been sending from my phone.
I didn’t blame her about not responding, of course. I was a freak, after all, and she was just now finding out about who I really was. If she’d lied to me the same way, I don’t know how I would have responded, either.
Who was I kidding, though? I knew exactly how I’d respond. But I was head over heels in love with her.
And all this was piled on top of our finding out that the bikers weren’t behind the stalking, or the death threats. If Wyatt Axelrod was to be believed, of course.
“I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head as I raced my headlights into town. “I still have a really bad feeling about all this. There’s just so many things we’ve missed. Still can’t believe I started this whole thing with those fucking bikers.”
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Frank said. “Were I in your boots, buddy, I would’ve thought the same damn thing as you. Hell, even Peter reckoned they were the baddies, not some random woman.”
“How can I not fucking beat myself up about it? She’s my fucking mate, man! And now she’s on the run from her stalker, and me! Worst part is, I don't who it could fucking be, Frank,” I his as he shifted in his seat and pulled his lit up phone from his pocket. “Could it be Sheila? I mean, what motive would she have? Her and Jess are best friends. And I never picked up anything weird from her.”