CHAPTER 12
“Good job, Lissy! That stopped me in my tracks,” Rocky praised her from the mat.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” she asked, dropping to her knees next to him.
“You’re supposed to run away when your opponent is unable to chase you,” Rocky reminded her.
Melissa rolled her eyes. “I guess that means you’re okay.”
“It does. You did very well today, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you for giving me some lessons. Can we practice every once in a while to help me remember?”
“Of course.”
Melissa looked around the gym and smiled. She liked it here. Rocky and his managers had built quite a community. They’d all welcomed her.
“I’m going to head home and get out of your hair. I know you have some lessons today,” she said before pressing a kiss to his lips and jumping to her feet.
“Be good, Melissa. I’ll be home soon,” Rocky promised.
“I’m always good,” she teased as she grabbed her stuff and headed for the door.
She was still smiling as she walked out the door. Passing several people she recognized, Melissa greeted them as she headed for her car. The thought of how different life was now struck her. She’d kept the job she loved and added so much more that she adored. It didn’t get better than this.
Jumping in her car, she headed for home. Was it possible to be this happy? She turned on the radio and pushed the buttons to open the windows. Singing with enthusiasm even when she didn’t know the words, Melissa enjoyed the chilly air that reminded her Christmas was coming and blew away the cobwebs in her mind. This day would go down as one of her favorites.
The traffic cleared as she drove further from the gym in the busy downtown area. A horn sounded behind her, and she looked back to see a black car behind her speed through a red light she’d just coasted through on yellow.
Melissa turned down the radio to concentrate. It was a straight shot for a couple miles to Rocky’s house. Impulsively, she turned right at the next light. The car behind her turned as well.
“Okay. That could be a coincidence,” Melissa announced to the empty car. She wished she had Rwahr Rwahr with her for reassurance.
Testing her hunch, Melissa took two lefts followed by a right to end up back on Main Street. The black car drifted back as if they suspected she knew they were following her. Melissa swallowed hard and reached for her phone.
“Rocky? There’s a car following me.”
“Following you? Where are you? I’m pulling you up on my tracker.” Rocky had insisted on enabling the location finder on her phone and linking their accounts.
“I’m on Main Street. I just passed that German restaurant we love.”
“I want you to head to the police station. Take a left on the next street.”
She could hear his keys jingle and the sound of his pounding feet as he ran to the parking lot.
“When you get to Franklin, turn right. The police station is on the left in about two miles,” Rocky told her before slamming his car door and starting the engine. “I’m almost there, Little girl.”
A motion behind her caught her attention. “It’s closer!”
“Speed up, Lissy. Start honking your horn. Get people’s attention.”
Unable to maneuver the car and hold onto the device, Melissa dropped her phone in the passenger seat. She banged on the steering wheel in different places, trying to find her horn without taking her eyes from the road and finally, it blared just as she came to the turn. Melissa slowed to turn on Franklin, then floored it. The black sedan followed and moved closer. The residential street was empty. Melissa guessed Rocky had sent her that way as a quick connection to the next main road.
She continued to honk but guessed it would attract very little attention. The houses were set far back with gates over their drives. She had nowhere to go for help but to reach the end of the street.
Reaching blindly for the phone, her fingers brushed the device. She leaned sideways slightly to nab it. Pulling it close to her face, she babbled, “Daddy! It’s just me and him on this street. He’s so close to me.”
“Go as fast as you can.”
