Page 37 of Whispers and Wildfire
Reverently, I uncovered the box and slid it from its place of secrecy. The lid snapped off, confirming the only things I cared about—my most treasured possessions—were still inside.
There was money, thick rolls of bills I’d managed to keep hidden. I set those aside. The childhood photos, old reportcards, and my first driver’s license were a ruse. I didn’t care about them at all. But if anyone had opened the box, the important items—the real reason I kept it—wouldn’t stand out. No one would notice.
With a slight tremble in my hands, I pulled out what I’d been longing for—a yellow manila envelope with the photos I’d taken and printed myself.
It was her.
Laying them on the floor, I lined them up in chronological order. The first photos I’d taken of her were from a distance. I hadn’t dared get too close. She was talking to friends or colleagues. In line to order a coffee. Getting into her car.
Another was at night, but closer, the outline of her face visible in the glow of the bar. There were more like that, taken without her knowing. Moments when I watched her, unseen.
But my favorite, the picture I coveted above all others, showcased my glorious triumph. And reminded me of my failure.
I’d managed one picture of her that night. Tied up in the trunk of my car. Gagged, bound hand and foot. All that fire in her, all that spirit I loved so much, restrained and controlled. By me.
Everything should have gone according to plan, but I’d made a fatal mistake. I’d underestimated her. And she’d gotten away.
I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
Fortunately, I hadn’t been caught. Not for that. Credit card fraud was nothing—even with a ten-year sentence. I didn’t know where she was—where she lived or what she’d been doing for the past ten years—but I wasn’t worried about that. I’d find her.
And when I did, I would finish what I’d started all those years ago. She was the one who got away.
I was going to take her back. And she’d finally be mine.
CHAPTER 10
Melanie
So far,the job was not the worst decision ever.
Granted, I’d only been working at Haven Auto Restoration for a few days, but I was already getting the hang of things. Luke was back doing whatever it was he did in the garage or sometimes in his office—not that I was keeping track—and we hadn’t fought once.
Okay, so there had been some snide comments here and there. But we’d poked at each other like that when we’d been dating. A little sarcastic banter was how we’d always communicated.
I’d toned down my outfit from the suit I’d worn to my so-called interview. It was a garage, not a corporate office. When I asked Luke if there were expectations regarding dress, he shrugged and said he didn’t care. That made me want to wear either a suit and heels every day or dress like the mechanics in old jeans and faded T-shirts.
Instead of using my wardrobe to provoke Luke, however, I’d decided on a business casual vibe. It was hot out, so I was wearing a lightweight blouse and linen pants, and my hair was up to get it off my neck.
The phone rang, and I answered with exaggerated cheerfulness. “Haven Auto. How can I help you?”
Luke had told me to be myself, but I’d taken some liberties with what that meant and came up with a character to play while I worked. I called her Receptionist Melanie. She essentially had my natural voice—no accent at least—but she was a lot friendlier than the real me. One might even call her bubbly.
It made the job a lot more entertaining.
“Uh, yeah, do you guys fix mufflers?” a male voice on the other end asked.
“Hmm, that depends. What kind of car?”
“It’s a 2017 Honda Civic.”
“Oh my goodness, no. We only deal with cool cars here. But you can try Dusty’s Auto. They work on the nerd mobiles.”
“What?”
“Thank you for calling!” I hung up and smiled. “I’m good at this.”
The UPS guy came in the front door with a small box. He set it on the counter in front of me and tipped his chin.
