A week before their high school graduation, Ellie's boyfriend walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight, just like any other night. But there was nothing ordinary about what followed. Austin disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again...
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"Fuck."
My brother said he'd found something on the surveillance video from outside the office. The same car, a dark-colored sedan, had been parked on the street down from the office for two weeks straight, which was as far back as the tape went. Not in the exact same spot every day, but within the same block.
However, that wasn't what was unusual. There were plenty of people that drove to work and parked on that street day after day. What had my brother reacting was that the driver spent a lot of time sitting in that car. He'd get out only to return a little while later and it was the same thing all day long. Every day.
It was obvious that he didn't have an office job.
"Bro," my brother said through the phone, "he saw you with that woman. When you told me you felt someone watching you that day, you weren't wrong."
"Fuck," I groaned again. My hand was back, nervously rubbing over my head, missing the longer hair.
"I'm pretty sure he followed you on foot."
Chills went down my spine, and I sucked in a harsh breath. I had led Dana to the back entrance of the building that day, thinking it would be safe and throw whoever was watching me off. If I hadn't succeeded, he knew exactly where I worked. And not just me. Dana too.
"Does he know..." I asked, trying not to be specific since Dana stood next to me with her hand on my arm, and a worried look on her face. The noise level was loud enough in the bar that I didn't think she could hear what my brother was saying, but she could definitely hear my side of the conversation.
My brother knew what I was asking. "I don't know for sure that he knows exactly which office building you work in because that's out of range from all the cameras in the area, but I think we need to assume he does."
It was like all the energy in my body just evaporated. My shoulders slumped as I deflated, like a balloon. I pulled my arm out of reach from Dana and grabbed onto the bar top to keep myself upright.
Because at that moment, I knew my life as William Rodgers in Boston, Massachusetts, was over.
Things as I knew them were about to end.
Again.
The only question was how soon we would leave?
My brother had been right all along to push for us to go to Kansas. And I should've listened, earlier. Part of me knew I had hesitated because I didn't really want to leave. I'd been hoping things would change for the better. Not worsening, like this.
But my brother wasn't done.
"Bro," he said a bit more urgently, "the reason I'm calling is because that same sedan is parked a couple of spots down from the bar. From where you are right now."
That just elevated the situation from concerning to dangerous.
"Fuuuck," I grumbled like it was the only word I was capable of saying.
