Her father hung up the phone with an exacerbated growl as they pulled onto Sunset Drive. Streetlights illuminated the neighborhood occupied mainly by Air Force personnel. It looked the same as when she’d left for school. It wasn’t as dull as some of the cookie-cutter ranch homes, but it still lacked the character of the neighborhoods around Gainesville.
I don’t know why they paint the stucco in such lurid colors. The closer she got to the beach, the more fluorescent the homes became.
“I’m glad you’re going to be home, but you could’ve visited your nana with mom, if you wanted to,” her father said.
“I might, but I wanted to see you too.”
“I know you girls are worried about me, but I promise I’m not wallowing in misery.”
Uh huh, Abby thought as her dad parked in the driveway.
“Providence knew the risks.”
“It doesn’t add up, Peanut,” Brennan replied with a shake of his head.
Abby wanted to groan at the nickname her family insisted on calling her.
“Alright,” she replied with a resigned sigh. There was no point arguing with the man.
“I’m going to gather the trash and haul it to the curb. Do you still have your key?”
“Yep.”
Abby grabbed her backpack, which was stuffed full of clothes instead of books, for once, then headed inside. She passed through the dim foyer into the living room, and flipped on a lamp by the couch.
“Do not be frightened.”
Abby paused as she was about to dump her backpack on the floor. Her eyes flew to the giant lurking in the shadows of her living room.
“We’re not here to harm you.”
Abby spun to see another behemoth blocking her exit from the room.
Abby’s heart rate sped up, and her breath came out in gasping pants, as she looked from one giant intruder to the other. They both wore hooded sweatshirts obscuring their faces. She opened her mouth.
“Please do not scream, little female,” one of the intruders said.
She wouldn’t have been nearly as frightened if it weren’t for the growling sounds they made.
“Easy female. I would never harm you,” the one by the door said.
The growling sound came from his mouth, but the words he spoke came from somewhere near his wrist. The man’s hands were hidden in the pocket of the sweatshirt, and Abby wondered if he had a gun. The man wouldn’t need it. He could subdue his victims with his size alone.
“This is not who we came here to see,” the man by the television said.
“No, but she looks strikingly familiar to Providence. Look at her flame colored hair,” the one by the door replied.
Abby’s eyes widened at the mention of her missing sister.
“What do you know about my sister?” Abby demanded, forgetting her fear.
She took a step toward the guy by the door, attempting to get a better look at his face.
“Peanut, you want me to make some popcorn? We can watch a movie,” her father called out as he entered the kitchen from the side door.
“Um, Dad,” Abby said hesitantly.
The man by the door moved toward her, forcing Abby to back up. She almost bumped into the other giant.
“Please don’t hurt him,” she begged the men.
“Peanut?” Her father paused as he entered the living room. “What are you doing in my home?” Brennan demanded, using the military voice that made men quake.
“Brennan Murray,” the man who’d been by the door addressed her father. “We need your assistance.”
“This isn’t how to get it.”
“We mean you no harm. We bring a message from your daughter, Providence. She said you’d need some convincing. She wanted you to know that your angel found her way to the stars, and is happy.”
Abby gasped. Not only did the men know her sister’s name, but they knew her nickname. Abby’s jaw dropped further when the men lowered their hoods.