AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Friends for life, no matter what.’
‘So if there’s something going on with that guy – please just tell me.’
I stand up, trying to stem my anger. No matter what she’s saying, Sarah deserves my patience. ‘I’m not interested in Taylor. He’s a friend. Anything else is the last thing on my mind.’
Her questioning eyes rest heavily on me. ‘Okay. You’ve said it so I believe you.’
I turn back to the window to avoid caving in and telling her everything.
My chest tightens. The silver Golf is out there, parked across the road.AF23 NKT. I turn to Sarah. ‘I need to run out and do something really quickly. Could you just stay here with Poppy? I’ll be two minutes.’
‘Yes, but what?—?’
I’ve already left the room before she’s finished her sentence.
I fly down the stairs, almost tripping over in my haste to get outside. The street is quiet, and the car is still there, a man sitting in the driver’s seat, staring at his phone.
I hesitate at the entrance to Taylor’s building, unable to move. I’ve never felt fear like this.
But the man in that car is the only person who can give me answers.
TWENTY
I’ve never seen him before. There’s no stab of recognition as I stare at this man. He’s at least forty years old. Dark hair flecked with grey. Hazel eyes spread too far apart. A nose that turns up at the end. Even sitting down and dressed in a hooded top, I can tell that he’s muscular. Bulky.
He stares at me, his eyes bulging when he realises who I am. And that I’m right here in front of him. He mouths something:What the fuck?And then he’s starting the engine, grabbing the steering wheel. The car lurches forward.
I bang on the window. ‘Wait! Please! I just need to talk to you. Please!’
He ignores me and drives, so I have no choice but to jump on the bonnet, grabbing hold of the windscreen wipers. They’ll snap off in a minute, and I’ll be on the ground. Underneath this car.
‘Crazy bitch!’ he shouts, but still I hang on.
The car picks up speed, and again I wonder if this is it for me. But then we reach the end of the road and he slams on the brakes. My grip loosens and I’m flung to the ground. I land on my side, pain searing though my body. I’m only inches from the front wheels, and they’re edging towards me.
I try to scramble up, but I sink back to the ground. I need to crawl away. But even if I can manage it, he’ll just plough into me. I close my eyes, try to summon the energy to move.
This is how I’m going to die. And what will happen to Poppy now?
But then he kills the engine and silence falls. I hear the car door open and heavy footsteps approaching.
He crouches down. ‘What the fuck were you doing?’ His breath smells of cigarettes.
Only now do I open my eyes. He’s tall, looming over me, my life in his hands.
‘I need to talk to you,’ I manage to say.
He shakes his head, then reaches down and drags me up. ‘Get in the car.’
Every bone in my body hurts, and I force myself to roll onto my side, waiting for the dizziness to subside. Then I do as he says. I want answers. Even if I’m not around to act on them. I manage to hobble to the car, and as soon as I’m inside he speeds off, screeching around the corner.
‘Where are you taking me?’ I fumble around to fasten my seatbelt for fear of smashing through the window. He’s driving way too fast for this residential road.
‘You said you wanted to talk. So that’s what we’re about to do.’ His voice is deep, and there’s a hint of a regional accent I can’t place.
‘Where?’
‘Away from here. That’s all you need to know. Stop asking questions.’
