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It's nearly noon and all I can think about is getting back to the apartment and making sure my sister is okay, but I haven't heard anything yet.
I'm getting antsy just waiting, and it's not like I can curl up in the backseat and nap. I'm too wired to do that. I've had five cups of coffee in the last six hours and I'm jittery as hell.
Suddenly, my phone rings but it's not Gillian calling like I'd hoped.
Xander's name lights up the screen and I quickly answer it.
"Hey," I say, my voice shaking. "Have you heard anything?"
"You haven't heard from her yet?" he asks, his voice concerned.
"No. Has he shown up at the shop?" I really hope my sister is okay.
"No, but that's a bit normal for him. Just take a breath, darling. You don't know anything bad has happened."
"Exactly!" My fingers start to shake from the anxiety of this whole situation. This was all a bad idea. "I don't know what's happening. For all we know, he could've hurt her. You know what he's like. I can't believe I actually let her do this. If he hurts her—"
"She's a big girl, tough as nails. She knows exactly what she's getting into. I gave her a brief on things to avoid, a list of shit he might try to do. She knows how to handle herself. Plus, if things get out of hand, I left her with a panic button. It will send a signal to my phone if she needs help. She's doing fine."
That makes me feel a little better, but not completely. Until I know for sure that he didn't realize she's not me and bash her skull in, I'll be freaking out in my car.
"Do you want to meet me for lunch?" Just at the mere suggestion of food, my stomach growls in agreement.
"What if someone sees us out together?" I press, knowing how risky that could be.
Browning doesn't know I have a twin and Gillian is safer that way. If someone Xander knows sees us out together and tells Browning, this whole thing will blow up in our faces.
"Good thing I'm taking you out of town. The shop closed up early. All of our jobs finished up and everyone is being sent home except the receptionist. I'll get a call if another job pops up."
That sounds promising. If we go out of town, it’s unlikely we’ll be recognized.
"Okay. Where?"
"I'll text you the address."
We end the phone call abruptly and all I can think about is spending some time alone with Xander.
* * *
Xander broughtme to a taco truck in Mountain View, seeing as it's the closest town to San Jose so we're not too far from my sister.
We bought some tacos then got in his truck, safe from any prying ears that want to listen in on our conversation.
"Does this happen often? The shop closing, I mean.”
"Sometimes. We're pretty much on call when it does so there's that, I guess."
He doesn't seem bothered at all by the closing even though that probably means less pay.
I lift my gaze as a black car drives into the small parking lot and pulls up in front of the taco truck. Recognition flashes through my mind as I groan.
"Of all the fucking places," I mumble under my breath as I pick up my bottle of water.
"What?" Xander presses as the man in a pair of jeans and a silk button-down gets out of the car.
"That guy that just pulled up." I nod my head toward the car in front of us.
"What about him?"
