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“It’s okay,” I assured him as I placed my hand over his forearm where it wrapped around my middle. “It feels good to know I’m not alone anymore.”
“You’re never going to be alone again. We’ve got you now, sweetheart, and we’re not going anywhere until you want us to,” Harris told me as Kailan released me and returned to where he had been leaning against the counter beside Nick.
“Maybe not even then,” Nick added as he sent me a wink and the hint of a smile.
“Anyway, after that I managed to get it together enough to come out of the closet. I wanted to go to the police, but I was too scared. I found a cleaning job and earned enough to survive. I didn’t really know what I was doing other than just to keep going.”
“Keep breathing,” Harris whispered and I turned to him with a sad smile.
“Yeah. Keep breathing, one breath at a time,” I sighed. “Then the bodies were on the news. Numbers seven and nine. Everyone was speculating about number eight and I knew that was me. That was what he called me the whole time he had me. Eight. I knew I had to do something, so I came here.”
“Thank fuck you did,” Harris sighed.
“Do you think anything I’ve told you could help to find him?” I asked, looking to Nick.
“The tattoos could help us search military records, right Aleks?”
“Definitely. If you can draw them for me I can set up a search and we can go from there,” Aleks agreed.
“Do you think you would recognize him if you saw his image, Evie?” Nick asked.
“Yes. I’ve looked into his eyes so many times I’d know him right away,” I promised.
“Good. His car. The one at the store. Do you remember anything about it? Make? Model? Color?”
I thought back to that exchange that had changed my whole life. It had been just over four months ago, but it felt like so much longer. I had lived a whole life of hell since then.
“Definitely a Chevy. It was old and beat up. Blue, definitely blue, but kind of faded and rusting. I only saw it from the side, but I know it was definitely a Chevy,” I told him as Aleks furiously typed notes beside me.
“Can we get surveillance footage from the store?” Kailan asked, looking to Aleks.
“I can look, but her brothers and the cops would have tried that as soon as Evie was taken. If there was anything to get from that, they would have it already,” he pointed out.
“What about traffic cams around Boston on the day he let Evie go?” Harris suggested.
“Do you think you could show us on a map where he left you?” Aleks asked, and I nodded.
“It wasn’t far from the motel I stayed at. I’m sure I could find it,” I agreed.
“Then I think we have quite a lot to go on,” Nick assured me. “You did amazing, Evie. Thank you for doing that. I know it wasn’t easy.”
“I just want to find out who he is. I’m so scared he’ll hurt my family,” I admitted.
“We’ll find him now. Just give us a little time,” Aleks told me.
“Thank you all for everything you’ve done. I know I’m putting you all at risk being here. You’ve all been so good to me anyway,” I told them all.
“We’re just glad you’re here and safe, Evie,” Kailan told me, and the others nodded.
“You should eat. How about I make some pancakes? Can I tempt you with sugar?” Nick asked, looking to me.
“I might be tempted if you have syrup?” I asked with a smile. I was shaken by recalling everything I had, but there with the four of them I also felt safe. It had almost felt therapeutic telling them everything, letting it all out instead of holding it in as I had done for months.
“We do. We also have chocolate chips I could add if the lady would like?”
“Oh, the lady would like,” I laughed. I actually laughed. How long had it been since I laughed that easily?
“Ev is a total chocolate fiend,” Harris laughed. “Whenever I fucked up, I would be forgiven instantly if I turned up at her place with a box of chocolates.”
