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Well, it was nice while it lasted.
Just then, her phone rings. Saved by the bell. Literally. She picks it up and connects the call, pressing the phone to her ear. She listens for a moment and I watch her face drain of color, literally turn a paler shade of white. Her eyes widen in surprise and her lips are trembling. I don’t need to ask her who’s on the other end of the line – I already know.
I motion for her to put it on speaker. She does so without hesitation. With a hand shaking terribly, sets the phone down on the coffee table.
“You can’t hide from me forever, Emily,” Robert’s voice, pitched low, comes from the other end of the line.
She doesn’t reply, looking to me to say something as she tries to gather herself. I lean forward but don’t say anything just yet. Instead, I pull out my phone and dial Detective Lundgren’s number. Emily is alert enough to hit the mute button so Robert can’t hear. The detective picks up the call immediately.
“Lundgren.”
“Detective, it’s Aaron Steel,” I whisper. “Don’t say a word. Don’t say anything, just listen.”
I hit the button for the speaker and set it next to Emily’s phone. She unmutes the call and I give her a nod.
“What do you want, Robert?” she demands, her voice stronger and more confident.
“I’ve been by your place a couple of times and you haven’t been there,” he says. “Where are you hiding?”
“How many times have I told you not to call me, Robert?”
“You belong to me, Emily. You’re mine.”
“I belong to nobody,” she snaps.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” he replies, his voice menacing. “Nobody, not even that rich prick you’ve been seeing, has any claim on you. You’re mine – you got that, bitch?”
“Leave me alone, Robert,” she snaps. “Just leave me the fuck alone.”
“I'm gonna find you, Emily. I promise you that. You have to come home at some point,” he goes on as if she hadn’t even spoken. “And the longer it takes me, the more upset I’ll be. And the more upset I get, the worse it’ll be for you.”
She and I exchange an uneasy look. The conviction in his voice, and the downright certainty that he’s going to get his hands on her is downright chilling. Surely, after hearing this, Lundgren will do something about it. He’s going to have to get Robert off the street. Right?
“Stay away from me, Robert,” she hisses.
“I'll see you soon, baby. Real soon.”
The line goes dead. Emily quickly disconnects the call. She sits back on the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, as if trying to make herself as physically small as possible.
I lean forward. “Did you get all that, Detective Lundgren?”
“Yeah, I heard,” comes the reply.
“And? That should be enough to get his ass off the street shouldn't it?” I press. “He made specific threats –”
“Listen, I appreciate what you're trying to do,” the detective cuts me off. “I do. And believe me, I get it. But –”
“But as usual, you're not going to do a goddamn thing,” I growl.
“Mr. Steel, my hands are tied here.”
“You heard what he said,” I snap.
“I heard what was said, yes. But I can't verify that it was actually Robert on the other end of the line –”
“You're fucking kidding me!” I practically shout. “We all know it was him. Who else would it be?”
Emily leans her forehead down on her knees, obscuring her face entirely. She obviously can't bear to watch this clusterfuck unfolding and I don't blame her.
