He moves the lamp out of the room. Well, damn. But I take advantage of his absence and dump the rest of the water over the other side of the bed as best I can. Thankfully, this room is carpeted, so it soaks in.
I put the bottle back on the tray and lie down, hoping the water doesn’t leak into view from under the pillow.
He sits on the edge of the bed and ties my wrist back again. “Sorry to leave you, but the guys can be pretty insistent. I’ll be back soon.”
I slowly close my eyes and nod. I listen as he takes the tray and closes the door behind him. A minute later, the front door shuts, and there are voices outside.
He’s gone. But I don’t know how much time I actually have.
My right wrist is fairly loose, and with a few pulls, I’m able to free that hand. The left wrist isn’t as loose, and I work the knot, trying to undo it with only one hand. After ten minutes of very little progress, I lie back.
I can do this. Sitting up again, I continue to work on the rope until I notice a pattern. Working with that, I speed up and finally free my left hand.
My ankles are tied in the same way, and I manage to get those ropes off too. I stand up and realize I have no idea where to go. The sheriff is John’s cousin. My parents are probably ecstatic that I’m marrying John. Everyone in this town thinks he’s a great man. They haven’t witnessed the dark side of him like I have. I’m sure he’s made sure everyone here has seen that horrible interview about me.
Next to the front door, I find my shoes on the shelf where he keeps them. At least he’s predictable. Which means his keys should be where he always keeps them. I run to his laundry room and find them hanging from a hook.
His car is in the garage. I wait ten minutes before I open the door because John has security cameras all over his property. He’ll see me the minute I back out of here. While I should wait longer, I can’t. He could come back, and I’d miss my chance altogether.
I back out of the garage and drive down his driveway at a fast rate of speed. Right now, he’s likely yelling at his friends to take him back home. Hopefully, they won’t listen, but I have to assume they will.
Once on the highway, I don’t turn east. Even though that’s the way home, it’s also the way to town and where John will be. No, I head west. I’ll call my cousin from the next town.
Durango.
Tears well as I remember him on the floor. Drugged by John. You better be okay.
My sister. I can call her. She’ll understand better than anyone and help me. A light on the dash flashes. Shit, the car is almost out of gas. Not that I can do anything about it anyway; I have no money, no ID, nothing.
If the light just came on, I should be able to go about twenty miles. I hope. How far is the next town? As if my question was heard, a sign comes into view telling me. Forty-eight miles.
That’s too far. And there’s nothing between here and there. I’ll have to go as far as I can.
Twenty miles later, the car is still going. Hopefully, I can make it. My grip on the wheel is tight as the car starts making a sputtering sound. Or not. Knowing I don’t have much time, I try to find a driveway or any place to turn in. Woods surround the highway on both sides. Unfortunately, there is also a very deep ditch. But I need to hide this car so John doesn’t find me.
The sputtering gets worse, and the car loses acceleration. There are no turnouts, but there is also no ditch right here, so I pull the car into the trees as it finally dies.
Before getting out, I search the glove box and console. Dammit. John used to keep a gun in here. I check the trunk, but it’s empty. Slamming it shut, I realize the entireback end of the car sticks out. Even if I had gas, I couldn’t get it farther into the trees because they are too close together.
Well, this doesn’t leave me much choice. I need to go into the woods to stay out of sight. I cross the road and enter the forest on the opposite side of the car, hoping that will throw him off. I head west.
I walk near enough to the road to hear cars but not close enough to be seen. Car brakes screech in the distance. It’s him. That didn’t take long. I pick up my pace.
A car approaches slowly on the road. I double-check to make sure he won’t be able to see me.
“Piper!” John shouts from the road. “Piper!” His voice grows quieter.
He must have been going one hundred miles per hour to get here that fast. It’s just a matter of time before he’s in the woods looking for me. I run faster.
“Piper!” His voice is closer. He’s on this side of the road.
I run deeper into the woods, hoping he sticks to the path.
“I will find you!” he shouts.
He’s close. And he’s fast. I can’t outrun him. I have to outsmart him.
I scoot under some brush and hope he can’t see me.
