Saving Us(40)

Damn. All this after the police said they couldn’t help us.

I think they may have changed their minds.

They need to get out there and find this asshole.

Yeah, they really do.

Alright, bro. I’ll call you tomorrow.

Later, dude.

I sat down next to Amy and grabbed her by the hand. “The news did a story on the salon bein’ vandalized. They asked anyone with information on Rick’s whereabouts to come forward.”

“Fat chance of that happening. His best friend is named Jack Daniels.” She handed me her phone. I sent a text to my step-daughter. I don’t know if she will talk to me, but I have a feeling that she can piece together some information that we don’t know. I really don’t want to throw her under a bus, but something has got to be done. I can’t live my life worrying if some crazy man is coming to hurt me.”

“You shouldn’t have to. It really pisses me off that the police haven’t caught up with him yet. Did they even try his old place of employment?” I wanted that fucker caught, so Amy and I could get back to planning our future.

When Amy’s phone started to ring, I noticed that the number was blocked. I didn’t even give her a second to think about answering.

Look here, you common mother fucker, you need to turn yourself in, before this gets ugly.

Conner? Conner, it’s Heather.

What the hell? You have two seconds to tell me what you want or I am hangin’ up.

I am in real trouble here. I have no place to go. He said he was going to kill me. I shouldn’t have gone back to my house, but I wanted to try to get some things and at least leave my mother a note. He was there, Conner. I saw him force his way into my house. He hit my mother.

Call the police.

I did. While I was on the phone, he saw me in my car. I think I lost him, but there is no telling. Please, you have to help me. I am so scared.

Amy was looking at me, waiting for me to say something. The phone was loud enough that she could hear what Heather was saying. As much as I hated doing it, I knew what had to be done.

Take the highway about a hundred miles out. There will be a diner on the right hand side. Make sure you ain’t followed and call this number when you get there.

Oh, thank you so much, Conner. I know you don’t want to help me.

You’re right, I don’t. But my girlfriend thinks that it’s the right thing to do. I will tell you this. If this is some kind of setup, Rick won’t be the only person you are runnin’ from. You hear that?

Yes. Loud and clear.

I hung up the phone and tossed it into Amy’s lap. “This is a terrible idea.”

“We don’t even know what has that man so angry. What could he be trying to prevent us from finding? Obviously, we have to be close to something, or else he would just back off. This thing with that first wife has to be the key.”

Now she wanted to be her own detective. This was getting out of hand. “This ain’t a Scooby Doo cartoon, Amy. This is some real shit and we need to leave it up to the cops to find out. I don’t understand how you leavin’ has created this spiral. He treated you like ass. It makes no sense.”

She grabbed my hand. “That is why we need to find out. He is obviously hiding something. What if he’s done something so terrible that it would put him away for the rest of his life?”

I shook my head. There was no stopping this woman. She was going to pursue this with or without me.

“There ain’t no way I am drivin’ a van with flowers and wearing a ascot. I’m just tellin’ you that right now.” Sure, it was meant to lighten the ill feeling I was having, but at least I got Amy to smile. We were in over our heads and I feared that the worst was yet to come.

“I guess that makes me the red head you have the hots for?” She finally giggled.

“Pretty much.”





Chapter 19

Amy



Conner and I loaded our bags into the truck and checked out of our room. He wanted to get on the road and be close for when Heather called us back. We pulled into a parking lot near the diner. It had a couple of tractor trailers parked where I assumed the drivers were resting.

“I really hate that we are meeting that bitch.”

“I do too, but none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for my being married to Rick.”

“I’m goin’ to give her the number to a friend of mine. After that, we don’t have to deal with her anymore. Why don’t you lay down in the backseat and try to get some sleep? I’m going to call my farmin’ buddy and let him know that he’s goin’ to have a guest. That bitch better be grateful for this. It’s the last favor she will ever get from my family.”