AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her eyes meet mine, and I can see the uncertainty in them, the indecision on whether she can trust me or not. I remember feeling exactly the same when Taylor found me on the side of the road ten years ago. I’d escaped one monster, and I didn’t want to run straight into the arms of another one.
“Are you hurt anywhere?” She shakes her head. “Do you think you can stand?” I hold my hand out to her, and she slowly places her small hand in mine. I pull her up, and she throws herself into my arms. I hold her tightly, silent tears streaming down my face. Pulling myself together, I keep an arm around her and lead her from her hiding spot. I know the exact moment she spots Sawyer as her whole body tenses.
“Poppy, this is Sawyer. He’s here to help you too. He won’t hurt you.” She takes a deep breath, her body still pressed tightly to my side.
“Hey, Poppy. Shall we get you out of here?” She looks up at me, and I smile encouragingly at her.
“Okay,” she whispers, her voice shaky.
As we leave the cabin, sirens sound in the distance. Relief surges through me that this nightmare might actually be over.
Matt won’t be able to ruin Poppy’s life, and I’m sure as hell not going to let him ruin mine.
ChapterThirty-Three
Hallie
Poppy doesn’t utter a word as we walk back to Sawyer’s parents’ cabin, and I can’t help but feel for her. She must have been terrified, locked in the attic, and I know from experience she won’t feel like this is over until she’s safely at home with her parents.
“Sawyer, do you think it would be okay if Poppy called her parents?” My gaze flicks from Sawyer to Poppy, whose eyes go wide at the mention of her parents, her whole face lighting up.
“Of course. Do you want my phone?” he asks.
“She can use mine. You might need yours.” I dig my phone out of my pocket and take it out of airplane mode.
“Poppy, do you know their number?” She nods, and I pass her my phone. Her hands shake as she enters the number, tears tracking down her face as she waits for someone to answer.
“Mom,” she whispers. “It’s me.” I can hear her mom cry out on the other end of the phone, and a tear slips down my cheek. I can only imagine what they’ve been going through this past week, and my heart breaks for them all. I try not to listen to their conversation, wanting to give Poppy some privacy. I hear snippets though, and Poppy assures her parents she’s okay and not hurt.
“Hallie, where are we?” Poppy asks, her hand covering the phone. I turn to Sawyer, realizing I have no idea. I never asked, and Sawyer never told me.
“We’re about twenty minutes outside of Summerville. I’ll arrange for someone to take you back to Savannah once the police arrive,” he says. She relays the information to her parents.
A few minutes later and we’re almost back at the cabin. Poppy says a tearful goodbye and hands me back my phone. “Thank you,” she says quietly. “It was so good to speak to them. I never thought I’d see them again.” Her voice breaks, and I hug her, wishing she wasn’t going through this.
“You’ll be home soon, Poppy. Are you hungry?”
She shakes her head. “Can I have a shower?”
“I think the police will want your clothes for forensics,” Sawyer says apologetically. “Maybe you should stay as you are until they arrive.”
“Okay,” she whispers, dejected. “Can I use the bathroom?”
“Of course,” I tell her. “You can use the bathroom off my bedroom.”
“Will you wait outside for me?” she asks, her voice shaky.
“I’ll wait right inside the bedroom.” She smiles gratefully at me as we arrive at the front door. Letting us in, Sawyer pulls me to one side.
“I’ll just check on something, and I’ll be right up.”
I nod, not wanting Poppy to know Matt is tied up in the den.
I guide Poppy upstairs and show her where the bathroom is.
“I’ll wait right in here, okay?”
She gives me a small smile. “Thank you, Hallie.” She disappears into the bathroom, and I wait to hear the lock engage before I flop onto the bed. My mind swirls with everything that’s happened in the past couple of hours, and suddenly, I feel exhausted, the adrenaline finally wearing off.
