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“She’s not home,” I replied. “So you can leave.”
“I don’t believe you. Is she in here?” He pounded on her door. “Eden? Eden! Open up, it’s your Uncle Darren. We need to go down to the station and drop these silly charges.”
I could feel the red haze of anger taking over. If this guy didn’t leave now, I would end up hunting him down and eliminating the problem sooner than I had intended. Someone was bound to call the police with all that racket, which would bring attention to Eden, and my ties to her not only as her neighbor, but as her professor. I had too many enemies in the area to be drawing notice to anything even within twenty feet of me and mine.
“Eden will not be dropping the charges,” I assured.
“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are,” her uncle snarled into the phone, “but Eden is my niece. If anyone doesn’t belong around her, it’s you. So give her the phone.”
I smirked. “I’m her fucking man, that’s who. And as I said, she willnotbe dropping the charges.”
He looked ready to explode. “This is why me and her mother want her home. It’s not safe here. There is a serial killer loose, and she obviously doesn’t know how to stay away from fuckers preying on young, naive girls—”
“She’s an adult—”
“Our lawyer is petitioning for guardianship again. And when Eden is back with us, we’ll make sure she never sees you again.”
Eden’s phone cracked under my grip, cutting off the connection. That was the wrong thing to say to me. Noting that I would have to buy Eden a new phone since I ruined her screen, I moved into the bedroom to use her biometrics to open her phone messages. I scrolled to her uncle.
Eden: I’m fine. I don’t need you checking in on me.
Uncle: I was worried about you. The choices you’ve made have isolated you from your biggest supporters. We’re worried about you.
Eden: I will not put my life on hold and come home just to make you two feel better.
Uncle: This isn’t about that. It’s about your mental health. After what happened with your sister… Well, we should’ve seen it coming. We don’t want that to happen to you, too.
Eden: I said I’m fine.
Uncle: I know you and your dad were close. He and I didn’t see eye to eye all the time, but I loved him like a brother. I was just as hurt as you were when we lost him. It was a freak accident. Nothing anyone could do.
Eden: Look, I left home because I needed space. I wanted to be as far away as I could. Mom makes that even harder with her constant calls. She blows up my phone at all hours of the day. She makes me feel guilty for trying to move on.
Uncle: Your mother needs you. Be a good daughter and come home to her.
I would have to risk going back to town to handle this.
???
Pulling the syringe out of my all-black suit. I sank the needle into Eden’s flesh. She didn’t make a sound. I hated that I had to do this, hated that I had to leave her, but I needed her out for a few hours while I dealt with her family.
I leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back soon, love.”
I made calls as I drove back to the city, moved funds, and called in favors. I swung by the bank and collected a cashiers check. Bypassing the university, I headed straight to the police precinct.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“Yes, I’m here to post bail for Mrs. Johnson.”
“One moment, please.” The receptionist held a finger in the air, her other hand cradling the receiver of the phone. “Fill this out.” She handed me a clipboard.
Two officers were making a cup of coffee. I sat in the chair closest to them so I could overhear what they were saying. Maybe they had something on Eden’s mom.
“They have called in the FBI,” the one cop said as he stirred in creamer.
“Ugh. I can’t work with them. Do you remember the last time?”
“When were they searching for that kid?”
