AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The stranger’s eyes flicked down to my mouth. My heart was beating so hard I wondered if he could hear it.
Someone knocked at the door and we both jumped.
I ducked under his arm, grabbed my duffel bag and Phil’s helmet, and scurried into the tiny bathroom.
“If you keep my secret, I’ll, I’ll—” My mind scrambled to think of something.Food trucks. Bar.“Buy you a drink at the bar after they leave.”
More knocking pounded on the door.
“Coming!” he called out, finger on the lock. Glancing back at me, he whispered, “A drink after this?”
“Yes, I promise! Only if you don’t rat me out.”
He nodded once. “Alright, deal.”
“Okay,” I squeaked.
I locked myself in the bathroom and pressed my ear against it. My stranger opened the door and greeted the officials with a friendly, deep voice, commenting how good ‘Phil’ had been in the semi-finals. After some questions, my stranger said he hadn’t seen Phil and the officials left with disappointed sighs.
“Coast is clear,” he said, closing the door. “You can come out now.”
I cracked open the bathroom door. He was leaning against the wall.
“Your secret’s safe,” he said. “You want to tell me what this is all about?”
I exited the bathroom and crossed my arms. “To be honest, no.”
The stranger held up crumpled sticky note from Phil. “Found this.”
I tried to think of an excuse, but nothing came to mind.
“You’re wearing a competitor’s wristband and the suit. I’m guessing you raced as Phil and that you shouldn’t have done that.”
I pulled off the fluoro-yellow wristband. “Yeah. That about sums it up.”
The stranger handed me Phil’s note.
“Does Phil know you raced as him?”
“Yes.” I placed my hands on my hips. “What’s with all the questions and this police detective routine? Wait, are you a cop?”
“No,” he laughed. “You kidnapped me, remember? I’m merely trying to establish my captor’s identity and her motives.”
“You weren’t kidnapped,” I snorted. “I asked nicely.”
“That’s right, you did.” He outright grinned. “You said please.”
I felt suddenly very warm in Phil’s racing suit.
“So, what’s your name?”
“Ah, no. No, no, no.” A small voice screamed in my head.Didn’t he say someone texted him to meet Phil?“Are you a local or something?”
“Nope.” He cocked an eyebrow. “You?” His tone hopeful.
“No.” Living more than an hour’s drive from the racetrack did not count as local.
“Wait, are you a cop?”
