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“It’s really nice, I might stay a few days… I accidently left my charger in my car so I’ll get a new one tomorrow and call you back with an update… I’m using the B&B owner’s phone… Yes, he’s been very accommodating. Him and his wife.”
This time her eyes beam in my direction. Not sure what that’s about, or the wife comment. But I just raise my brow at her and turn back to the dishes.
“I’ll call you tomorrow… Okay, love you too.” She ends the call with a sigh, walking back towards the kitchen. I watch as she places my phone on the kitchen island, sliding it a couple of inches towards me with a nearly silent, “Thank you.”
Waiting for an explanation for her fabricated story, I ask, “Me and my wife?”
“I didn’t want to worry her by thinking I was alone in the mountains with a strange man. Plus, I don’t know, you could have a wife.” She speaks toward the countertop, not looking me in the face.
“What makes you think I have a wife?” I’m curious as to where this idea is coming from, because glancing around, this definitely looks like a bachelor pad. At least, according to my sister.
“Your bathroom is filled with women’s beauty products. I don’t take you for the type to use Cherry Blossom Pomegranate shampoo.” Before I can respond, she continues, “It’s okay if you do, I just need to know if I am overstepping in another woman’s home. Using all her soap and wearing her husband’s clothes is not cool. Even in a situation as messed up as mine.” She looks at me then, her eyes focused intently on mine, searching for an answer.
I can’t help the gruff laugh that escapes me. How sweet that she is worried about making my imaginary wife upset. Ridiculous, but sweet. It shows her character, another thing I am becoming acquainted with. Like the way she averted the truth to her mom, not wanting to worry her, she probably makes of habit of putting others’ feelings before her own.
“No wife, I promise.” I raise my left hand, showing my bare ring finger. She seems to visibly relax after that.
“So, you do like girly shampoo?” She asks with the most confused expression on her face like she is trying to solve a riddle. Smirking at her expense, I let her sit with her confusion for a few seconds before explaining.
“I don’t mind it, but no it’s not mine. My mom and sister stayed here before I moved in, making it livable.” I shrug, “They left their stuff here, making it obvious that I’m supposed to let them visit.”
“Oh. Well, that was nice of them,” she says sheepishly, her voice soft.
“Yeah, nice. They had a field day with my credit card,” I grunt, “but I didn’t have to mess with it, so I didn’t really mind.”
She finally gives me a small smile and nods her head. Seemingly accepting my explanation of everything. She moves back over to the couch, collapsing into the cushions.
“Anything else I should know before my brain shuts down for the rest of my life…” Her head is leaned back, eyes closed, the perfect picture of exhaustion. I wipe my hand across my face, deciding to bite the bullet and fill her in on what else I know.
“Uhh, yeah I need to tell you what I found back in the woods,” I say, waiting to see whether I should continue or not. She sits up taller and looks at me as I round the couch to sit in one of the armchairs. She nods her head, so I take it as the signal to continue.
“They’re still out there somewhere. There wasn’t enough blood to indicate that they bled out after I shot them, so it’s likely that they’re not dead. I’m sorry, Callie.” I wring my hands together, not sure how she’ll handle that news.
She fiddles with the sleeves of her sweatshirt- my sweatshirt, folding her legs under her. Her hair has mostly dried now, leaving wild strands of curls falling over her shoulder. I thought her hair was dark before, but in the light of the fire, the waves shine like copper. God, she’s beautiful. I’m itching to tuck the loose pieces away from her face, so I can see her more clearly.
“Do you think they’re going to come after me, Nathan?” Her voice quivered as she asked. I can’t help it, I move over to the couch to sit next to her, feeling the need to comfort her. I keep my hands clasped together on my knees, not wanting to overstep by touching her.
“I don’t know what their plan is, but it would help if I knew more about what happened to you. More details could give me a clue of what they’re capable of.” I wait for her response, watching her drum her fingers against her lips.
After a couple of minutes, I give up on her telling me anything, accepting that all I can offer right now is my presence. To continue reminding her that she is safe. I stare into the fire, lost in my thoughts. Realizing that it’s been quite a few hours since I first saw Callie, it seems like a lot has changed in that span of time.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know where to begin.” She sighs, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“From the beginning, any detail you can remember,” I prompt.
So, she does. Step by step she fills me in on what they wore, how they spoke to her, how they spoke to each other. She tells me about the type of supplies they had in their van, indicating what type of work they probably did. When she started describing the one called “Bub”, the short one, and how he attacked her and almost raped her, I had to clench my fists to school my reaction.
I try to stay calm, but the rage burns inside me hearing about what they did to her. An innocent human being, assaulted and chased down like an animal. It’s inexcusable, they deserve to die for what they did.
When she chokes back a sob I can’t control it any longer, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her head into my chest. She lets me hold her while she finishes telling me the rest. Once she’s done talking, she doesn’t pull away from me and I’m glad. Holding her like this gives me a false sense of control over this whole damn situation.
“I thought I was going to die. I looked right into the barrel of Tony’s gun and thought that it was the last thing I was ever going to see. That sick twisted pervert was going to torture me before he killed me, I just know it,” she sobs. I wrap my arms around her tighter, resting my chin on top of her head, desperate to blanket her in security, to ease her pain in some way.
“I wanted to put a bullet between his eyes when I saw him pointing that gun at you, but I was too far away. If I was even 20 yards closer, he would be a dead man. They both would have been. I’m sorry.” I can’t go back and change it now, but I’m still pissed about it. She pulls her head back to look at me.
“I didn’t know what was happening yet. When he backed off I just got up and ran straight into the river. I didn’t care if it was too deep, or too cold, I was willing to risk getting carried away in the current and drowning just to get away from them. Then I made it across and thought it was a miracle I hadn’t been shot yet. But it was you, you were the miracle.” She wraps her arms around my neck urgently, embracing me.
I hold her tightly, one hand around her back, the other on the back of her neck, offering as much strength as I can give her. Thinking of how scared she was, how willing she was to die instead of being caught by them… It solidifies my need to find the fuckers and kill them before they can hurt her or anyone else again.
