AllFreeNovel
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We let a reluctant Dan out of the truck when we pulled off the main road so that he could survey the nearby woods. There’s no way we’d be able to stay in a motel with a wolf without being noticed.
Caspian’s movement catches my eye as he turns to me with the key in hand with a nod, then heads in the direction of our room we’ve rented. As we enter, he checks the bathroom and closet, and the mirrors before he turns off the lights to look for any hidden cameras.
Once satisfied, he stores the bags inside the dresser on the lowest shelf, placing a bedsheet overtop of them. He holsters his gun and shoves his hands in his pockets before glancing at me.
“Are you up for exploring the town a little and grabbing a late lunch?”
I nod enthusiastically. The thought of food alone makes my mouth water.
We hop into the truck and drive to a small diner about 3 minutes away. The place is packed with locals and there’s a buzz of excited chatter humming through the dining area.
Taking a seat at one of the last available tables, the waitress pops up alongside us with a cheerful smile. Caspian gets a beer, I get a Moscow Mule, and we order some fries and onion rings for the table.
Caspian leans back in his seat as the waitress walks away to put in our order. “We’re getting drunk on this road trip?” I ask jokingly as I glance at a group of guys across the room, they’ve erupted with cheers and are high-fiving each other.
Caspian follows my gaze with a genuine smile, “A lot has happened recently, can’t stay uptight the entire time. We deserve some fun every now and again.”
I laugh and my eyes slide to him, “You’re starting to sound like Tammy.”
I watch his face flash with something unreadable just as the waitress pauses by our table, she drops our drinks off and looks between the two of us, “Anything else you want to order or is it just the rings and fries?”
“I’ll take a burger, please. Medium rare with a side salad and house dressing.” I say with a smile, she pulls out her notepad and starts writing down the order.
“And you, sir?”
“I’ll take the same, just the burger though.” The waitress nods, “That’ll be right up.”
We both watch her walk away before Caspian’s gaze falls on to me. “Tell me about her.”
My eyes drop to the table as I gather my thoughts back to my missing friend. I’m silent for a long while, recounting some of our greatest moments.
“Tammy is a fierce friend. Loyal, caring. She’s unapologetically honest, and she would do anything for those she loves. She works too hard and plays even harder. We met in California when I was still in university and I had taken a trip to study the wildfires and the effect on the local ecosystem.”
I mindlessly rub the still-healing wounds on my wrists as I continue.
“I went to a small grocery shop and dropped my card on the ground. She picked it up, and I’m not sure what she saw when she looked at me, but she asked if I was from the area or visiting, and we hit it off from there. Over the years I learned that she clawed her way into her corporate position. She wasn’t a foster kid or an orphan, but she didn’t have an easy upbringing by any means. Her mom was addicted to opioids and her dad to gambling.”
“When I started working with the government, I moved temporarily to California to continue my work and we continued to bond. When I moved to Florida to research environmental catastrophes andcancer reporting from local water sources, that was the first test of our friendship. You see, when you don’t live near one another it can really affect your relationship with them. Unsurprisingly, Tammy and I were close friends regardless of the distance between us.”
“Even while being such a workaholic, she saved her PTO to visit for every holiday and birthday knowing that I didn’t have a family. Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter. Any and all holidays, she was there.”
I fall silent while I think through old memories. Caspian clears his throat, his emotions guarded and unreadable.
“She seems like the kind of friend you deserve. We will find her. If she is as you say, I’m sure she’s found a way to make the best of her situation while she waits for us to find her.”
I nod my head but stay silent, afraid to speak more as emotion clogs my throat.
Our waitress comes back with our food in tow, placing the fries and rings on the table and my salad. “Your burgers will be out in a few minutes. Enjoy!” She chimes and hurries off to her other patrons.
I take a deep sip of my drink, then grab a fry and pop it into my mouth. It’s silent for a few minutes and I stand up without saying a word, walking over to the bar.
The bartender leans to me and raises an eyebrow, “What might I get you, miss?”
“Two shots of tequila, please.”
His eyebrows shoot up, and he glances at the clock, then back at me.
Clearly he’s not aware that it’s five o’clock somewhere.
