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Unable to refuse, both because I know she’s trying to help and also because I don’t want to make it look like I have issues with Jack, I nod. “Absolutely. Thank you for thinking of it.”
Irene gives a brief nod. “See you girls tomorrow. Good work today.”
Charlie elbows me in the side on her way to the mustang. “You sure you don’t want a ride?”
I smile. “No, I’m good. I want to walk.”
I need time to think about what I’m going to write Addy, and I can barely contain my excitement. We wave our goodbyes, and she gets in her car to leave while I walk to the motel.
After arriving back at the motel in record time, I toss my bag on the bed and settle in at the small table by the window. Firing up the Chromebook, I can hardly contain my excitement.
Being able to communicate with Addy regularly will be a breath of fresh air. It’ll also allow us to close in on Christopher and his accomplices, whomever they may be, while simultaneously creating the safest paper trail I can think of.
Andrew not helping Christopher find me makes me second guess everything I thought we’d uncovered about him. But I also can’t reason why he’d be involved at all if he wasn’t profiting or benefiting in some way.
I quickly create an email account under the name Professor Whitley, knowing that that isn’t close to a professor’s name that she has this semester. After our phone call I know she will be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. It only takes me a moment to know what to make the email name.“Paper due by end of week”I want it to be generic enough to not draw any attention if they by chance are checking her school email account without her knowledge but it needs to be something that will catch her attention. Hopefully she’ll know it’s me right away.
Addy,
I’m not sure where to start. I miss you more than words can ever explain. Leaving was the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but I knew it was the right one.
I think this will be the safest way for us to communicate right now. Our last conversation left me with one HUGE, burning question. One I’m not sure you can answer.
Why did Andrew refuse to help Christopher?
There is so much I need to tell you. I guess I’ll start at the beginning of the day I left. Christopher came home early from his trip, and he caught me packing to go to a hotel for the weekend. He was angrier than I’ve ever seen him. He said he knew I’d gone into his safe deposit box since my name was on the log.
I don’t even know why he would’ve checked his safe deposit box after coming from a trip, anyway. Seems strange, but I didn’t have time to think about anything right then.
I don’t want to go into too many details about this next part because I don’t want you to worry. I’m okay now, and you’re okay, and that’s all that matters. But that night, he brutally attacked me with the intent to kill me, and I had to defend myself. I hit him with the only thing I could grasp: my bedside lamp. He collapsed to the floor, unconscious, and I grabbed what I’d packed and fled. I had no choice.
I boarded a train to a ticket destination I still don’t know the location of because I jumped on the first available departure. I just knew I had to get out of Sacramento.
On top of that, Mr. Dark Eyes was at the train station when I left, watching me. I think he’s been following us all this time. Keep your eyes peeled for him. I’m still not convinced he’s dangerous, not like when he first confronted me. It’s hard to explain, but I will when we can talk in person.
I’m not giving up on bringing Christopher to justice. I’m still doing my own investigating from here. If you find anything, upload and send it to me here. Then hide it. If anything happens to either one of us at least the other has everything they need to turn it over to the police. I don’t want to think like this, but we have to. I’ll find a way to get everything printed and create a timeline of events.
As for me, I’m doing so much better than I imagined. The people here are great, and they’ve really helped me get my footing. It feels like home, maybe more so than Sacramento ever did. The only thing missing is my little sister.
I wish I could’ve brought you with me. We’d be together, solving this like we planned. I know this isn’t ideal, but we can work together through email for now.
I owe you much more of an explanation than this, and I promise you’ll get it one day. One day soon, I hope.
I love you so much, Sis. This is just the beginning.
All my love,
-A
I scan over the email, checking for mistakes and hoping my rambling makes some sense to her. I hitsend,silently saying a quick prayer she’ll receive it and respond.
Closing the Chromebook, I roll my head from side to side to relieve some tension in my neck. That email feels like the single most stressful thing I’ve done since I’ve been in Fraser. I don’t know if Adalyn will get the email, and all I can do is hope and pray it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
Panicked and borderline paranoid, I open the Chromebook again to double check the email address. A relieved breath rushes out of me when I see that I sent it to the proper “Shaw_Adalyn” school email.
Anxiety rolls me over as I close the Chromebook. I sit and drum my fingers on the table.
With a sigh, I stand and walk over to open the curtains to let light in. I wasn’t comfortable enough to do that when I first got here. I don’t think I’ll feel safe until Christopher is behind bars, but I feel better than I did when I first got here.
