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And he’s watching.
In a hasty move of desperation, I press the green call button. The buzzing ring is barely audible on the other end.
Then, with a gulp, I throw the phone into the box. There’s a crack of glass, likely the impact breaking one of the framed photos.
Uncle Josh grips the steering wheel with both hands and keeps hurtling down the freeway. We’re heading toward West Emerald.
Think.
Dani always enjoyed watching true crime shows. Sometimes I’d watch them with her. In one of them, a psychologist was interviewed and gave advice about what to do if you’re ever kidnapped.
First, do whatever it takes to get away.
However, we must be traveling at about seventy miles an hour and I’m handcuffed in the back of a police car. Getting away isn’t an immediate option.
The next piece of advice was to talk to the kidnapper, remind him of your humanity. Attempt to generate some sympathy.
“I’m scared, Uncle Josh.” That’s no lie. I’m terrified.
He doesn’t look back again, but his shoulders suddenly sag. “You don’t have to be afraid, honey.”
“But I am.” I look out the window. We’re rapidly approaching a greener landscape and he switches lanes to get off on the next freeway exit. “We’re going to West Emerald, aren’t we?”
He doesn’t answer.
I try again. “Where are you taking me?”
“Home.” He spits out the word with exasperation, like he can’t believe he needs to remind me of this.
“Whose home?”
“Ours, Tessie Belle. Where we began.”
I don’t especially like the sound of that. He seems more unhinged with every passing second.
My beloved uncle has been like a second father to me. Now I need to come to grips with the fact that, like my father, I never knew him at all. I really have no idea what he’s capable of.
I swallow hard and breathe through the sting of oncoming tears. “Uncle Josh, why are you doing this? I don’t understand.”
He exhales loudly as we approach the neighborhood gates. “Like I told you Tess, you will.” The gates swing open. “It all has to be over now. And I promise you will understand everything.”
Chapter38
Micah
Total could use some training when it comes to walking on the leash. He zigzags and lunges and tries to devour every object he sees.
What should be a ten minute walk to Dani’s house gets stretched into twice that long. I don’t mind. It’s fun, listening to Charlotte make plans out loud about how she’s going to be the best aunt in history.
Dani is home alone, although she urges us to hang out for a little while because Gage is expected to return shortly.
She sets out plates with cheese and crackers on the back patio and the three of us watch Total defile the purity of Dani’s backyard lawn.
Charlotte gobbles up her snack like she hasn’t eaten all day and shares the very complex trials of the fourth grade.
“And Corey likes Adele but she’s not my friend anymore because she told Rico that I like him even though I stopped liking him when he spilled his chocolate milk on my ham sandwich just to be a jerk.”
Dani meets my eye and smothers a laugh.
