When the Tide Rolls In [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twelve: Please Help Me!

Tonight was the night. I would be speaking with the man who called two nights ago.

Conner and Nick acted wary around me. They watched me like I'd fall apart at any moment.

"Guys," I said after hours of their worried glances, "I'm fine."

"It's only a few hours until you meet him. Are you sure?" Conner asked, his eyebrows knit together.

I offered him a reassuring smile but his expression didn't change. Nick was busy glaring at his laptop screen like it had personally offended him.

"Sandy, what do you make of this?" Conner asked, turning his gaze to Nick.

"I've told you to never refer to me like that, Conner. And I am fairly certain Miss Rogers will be just fine," Nick spoke without removing his glare from his laptop.

The kitchen table fell silent.

I watched as Conner stared blankly ahead. Nick continued to watch his laptop screen. My mother's old clock ticked on the wall by the stairs. I heard a dog bark down the street. Nothing was calming my nerves.

"Well I'm going for a walk," I decided aloud.

"No," Nick ordered.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, let me repeat myself," Nick mused, finally meeting my eyes with his own, "no."

I huffed out a breath of frustration and set my head down on the table. After a few more minutes of silence, I looked at the clock.

5:43

"Can we at least go over the plan again?" I wondered, not lifting my head off of the table.

Conner spoke up.

"We arrive to Fan's at seven sharp. You appear to be alone, however we obviously have six different gunman pinned to your location. Nick is in a parked car down the street. We have men, including me, here in your house to keep anyone from coming here. You are wired and as you speak with the man, your wire will record the conversation. Keep him on the topic of your father and your father only. Do not mention the boat. Do not mention your other family members. You've already seen the picture of the man from the security cameras. Don't expect that same man to be the one you meet."

It was silent again.

I had heard the plan countless times but I still felt my heart race at the thought of meeting this mysterious stranger.

"And I don't make any sudden moves. I never turn my back on him, and I don't make it apparent I have a gun. Why do I need a gun again?" I ask.

"Self defense," Nick interjects.

"Even though I have no clue how to use it?" I questioned.

"We've shown you the basics. The snipers will have you covered for the most part. The gun is in case of emergency," Nick informed me, closing his laptop screen.

"What constitutes as an emergency?"

Nick didn't answer.

When I looked to Conner, he didn't reply either.

"Go get dressed, and Conner will help you put your wire on," Nick demanded.

Around forty minutes later, I was dressed and prepared. I drove my own car to Fan's diner, parking outside around 6:40. It was closed, and empty. No cars were in sight and the lights were all shut off.