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Then hurt and self-pity. Why was he so angry with me? I was only trying to solve a case and help a young woman in trouble. Didn't he see that?
Fear and doubt came next. I was angry because he was treating me like a child, but wasn't that exactly how I was acting?
And then, finally, like a pile drive to the jaw: clarity.
Adam was right. I wasn't ready to leave home because I liked my life exactly the way it was. And, yes, I was avoiding telling everyone about my spell problem for the same reason. I was stalling in hopes that I'd find a solution or wake up and find my spells miraculously reinstated.
I knew Paige and Lucas wouldn't abandon me if I had no magical powers. They wouldn't fire me either. But my place in their life would change. And my place in Adam's life would change.
So why was I letting that happen already? Watching him drift away in anger and doing nothing about it?
I checked my cell phone. Adam had e-mailed me my boarding pass a few minutes ago. That meant he hadn't given up on me yet. Now I needed to get on that plane. Go to Miami.
I made it as far as the baggage counter when my cell phone rang. "People Are Strange."
"Hello?" I said.
"Savannah." It was Roni, breathy with panic. "Thank God. I thought I remembered your number, but I got it wrong the first time and--"
"Where are you?"
"We--we got ambushed. They rammed the taxi. The driver ordered us out. Your friend wouldn't go--she argued with the driver--so I took off--"
"What? Where's Elena? Is she okay?"
"They chased me. I twisted my ankle. I--" A deep pained breath. "I lost them, but now it hurts so bad and I can barely walk and they're still looking for me. I know they're still looking for me."
"Where's Elena?" I said. "Is she hurt?"
"I-I don't know. There were three of them. My cousin Chrissy, another woman, and a man. Chrissy and the woman chased me. The man stayed behind. I saw him pulling your friend from the car. He had a gun."
Shit. No. Please tell me I hadn't screwed up that badly.
"Where did you leave her?" I said.
"I'm at--"
"No, Elena. She could be hurt. Where did you leave her?"
"I-I don't know. I wasn't paying attention. I-I'm sorry."
"Fine, where are you?" That would get me close enough to find Elena.
When she gave me a street address, I told her I'd be right there. Then I called Elena's number. No one answered. I texted Adam. He called as I raced to a cab outside the terminal.
"Get back inside, Savannah."
"I can still catch my flight and I will, but Elena--"
"She's fine. There's no way she'd let some guy with a gun--"
"She's not answering her phone. Something happened. I texted you Roni's location. Meet me there."
I hung up before he could reply.
seventeen
Roni was holed up in a fast-food joint. It was lunchtime, and the place was packed. I found her in a corner, sipping a soda, shoulders hunched against the glares of families circling past her table as they looked for seats.
