Chasing Astrid Malone

33. PETTY REVENGE

Cam

"Dude, just tell this guy before he beats the shit out of you." Dan is starting to piss me off, I need to think. If Tristan decides to take this right to the police, Astrid could be killed. I need some way to know he won't freak out and call the cops.

"If you want me to tell you what I know, you need to give your word you don't call the cops." He didn't respond, he just keeps looking at me like some wild animal stalking its prey. It's pissing me off that he seems to think he cares more about her than I do. I sighed knowing I'm not getting any guarantee from him.

"I went to see Astrid at work tonight." I could tell that the first sentence made him even more sure of whatever he thinks happened. "Everything was fine, we were just talking. I kept insisting she let me drive her home when she finally told me you were picking her up. I got pissed and hit a shelf pretty hard, knocking it down and everything on it." I could practically see the steam coming off Tristan. I lifted my knuckles showing the wounds.

"She bent down and started cleaning up the mess and I turned away from her taking a few steps to calm down. When I heard the thud I thought she just dropped something so I didn't turn back around right away." Tristan started clenching his fists and moving in on me.

"Are saying there was some type of accident and you're covering it up for some reason? Because I'm not buying it and neither will the cops." I took a breath and looked to Dan, who just nodded for me to go on.

"No, if you would let me finish you would know what happened. I got hit with a bat to the back of my knees and went down. When I turned around there were two of them, dressed in all black. Astrid was face first on the ground bleeding and I tried to get to her but the big one hit me again in the chest. The smaller one took Astrid's phone from her pocket. I expected them to steal the money and leave." Tristan's jaw was hanging now, but he still looked skeptical.

"The small guy threw Astrid's phone at me and I got hit in the chest again, knocking the air out of my lungs. When I looked up the big one had Astrid over his shoulder and the small guy had the bat. I got up to chase after them and slipped on the blood on the floor. They got away with Astrid and her phone rang. It was a blocked number. I answered it and some guy told me to keep Astrid's phone and wait for their call. Told me if I get the police involved they would kill her." Tristan was pacing back and forth now.

"I cleaned up the blood and I got the fuck out of there. They called demanding ten thousand dollars by midnight. I have no way to come up with that much money!" Tristan stopped and turned to me.

"I can get the money, but I need to talk to them when they call back." I shook my head. No way, they could be pissed that I got him involved and kill her. "It's not a question! I need to know for myself that this isn't bullshit you're making up. If they want to collect a ransom they might as well get it from her actual boyfriend."

Boyfriend? That blow hurt worse than any metal bat could. She said she didn't see a point in dating before going away to college, maybe he's lying. "By the look on your face, I take it she didn't tell you." No shit, she didn't tell me. If he didn't just offer the one thing I couldn't, to save her, I would lose it right now. So I guess we wait.

"I need to go get the money, I'm taking the phone with me." Tristan pocketed the phone and headed towards the door. "Then I'm going with you, I'm not going to risk you taking the phone and running to the cops." He turned to look at me then looked at Dan. "Are you coming too then?" Dan shook his head and put his hands up in the air. I know this is a lot and I dragged him into it because I didn't know what else to do.

I followed Tristan to his SUV and got in the passenger seat. Another rich kid with a fancy car and enough money at his disposal to get ten thousand dollars in an emergency. I had hoped Dan would have a way to get it, being a rich kid himself, but he could only offer me one thousand. "How do you even have ten thousand dollars?"