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And frankly, so did I. It had snacks.
The passenger door that was open on the side facing the Mercedes banged closed, whoever had been out there jumping back inside.
The engine revved and tires squealed, and the SUV shot forward. I jolted back, leaping onto the sidewalk and out of its path.
Heart pounding furiously, I straightened and turned just as the driver slammed on their brakes. Two men sprang out of the back seat and rushed me. I was so caught off guard that my reaction was delayed.
Yanking off my bag, I swung it, slamming it into one of the men. He merely batted it away, so I swung, catching him in the jaw with my fist.
He fell to the side, but the other guy grabbed me by the arm and tugged. We wrestled for a few minutes. I took a right hook to the face, but I returned it with a roundhouse kick to the middle.
Out of nowhere, something hard and heavy slammed into the back of my head, and I saw stars.
They weren’t nearly as pretty as the fairy lights Arsen hung in my bedroom.
And then there was no light at all.
34
Arsen
The door to the booth flew open, the handle smacking into the wall with the force of it. Surprised, I looked up from the sound bar and pushed the right side of the headphones away from my ear.
“I thought you were going to get tacos with Matthew?” I said in lieu of greeting.
“Well, he wasn’t waiting outside so I came to collect him,” Kruger retorted, inviting himself in. “Bro! Your favorite brother is here,” he called, glancing around for Matthew.
An uneasy feeling slithered over the back of my neck. After making sure the sound panel was muted, I tossed the headphones down and stood. “He went outside to meet you. He isn’t out there?”
Kruger paused. “No.”
“Are you sure?” I pressed.
“It’s a parking lot, not a maze,” he pointed out, but then he frowned. “How long ago did he leave?
“Ten minutes?” I estimated. “Maybe less.” An ugly sensation uncoiled within me, tightening my muscles and settling uncomfortably between my shoulder blades. With it, a sense of urgency hammered my pulse, making me feel like I was suddenly working against the clock.
Snatching up my cell, I called Matthew. It rang and rang, and then his voicemail picked up.
“No answer,” I said, increasingly frustrated. Shoving the phone into my pocket, I rushed toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Kruger asked, keeping pace easily.
“To look again.”
We burst out the front entrance of the station. Someone walking across the street looked up sharply. It wasn’t Matthew, so I disregarded them almost instantly and jogged around the side of the building.
The lot was empty except for my wagon and one other car. Kruger’s Audi was parked out front at the curb.
“Matthew!” I called out, and for lack of any better ideas, I jogged toward my Mercedes to look behind it.
“Did you guys have a fight?” Kruger asked when I pushed my hand through my hair and cursed.
“I wouldn’t fight with him.”
“Maybe the stunt you pulled on air pissed him off.”
I hit him with a steady, unblinking gaze.
