“Christ,” he said and there was the slightest hint of shock in his tone. “You’re lying, you’re not fine. I can hear you panting in my damn ear.”
“Little bit, yeah,” I admitted letting my tone fall serious. “How soon can you get to the cabin?”
“Fucking hell. A few hours.”
“Please,” I panted out.
“Yeah, let me get my shit together. I’ll be there as fast as I can.”
“Oh, and there’s someone else here,” I warned him knowing he’d shoot first, ask questions later when he rolled up and noticed someone he didn’t know. I never brought anyone to my cabin, so he would just assume Jessica wasn’t supposed to be here. “She’ll let you in.”
“Got it. Thanks for the warning.” I had expected him to disconnect right away but there was a long pause of dead air. “You going to make it?”
“Fingers crossed.”
“I’ll make it quick.”
Thenthe line went dead.
I really hoped he was talking about getting here and not ending me.
With him, you just never knew.
Jessica came back into the room, her eyes automatically going to the phone still clenched tight in my hand.
“Come on, let’s get you back into bed.” She wrapped her arm around me and did her best to get my struggling body across the room.
“Someone’s coming. It’s probably going to be a few hours. Will you let him in when he gets here?”
“Sure,” she answered as she pulled the covers up around me. “I’m not leaving you until then.”
She crawled on top of the sheets and took the empty side of the bed. I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. I felt her hand in mine before I drifted off again.
-23-
Jessica
Silas was out.
A few hours later, I heard a car creeping down the gravel driveway. I checked Silas’ head once again, feeling it burning hot against my fingertips. I wasn’t a praying kind of person, but I definitely said a little one as I took in a deep breath. Hopefully, someone was listening. Or something.
I went to the front door and watched as a man got out of his car. I would have guessed he was at least ten years older than me. He pulled out a large bag with him as he did. I wish I’d thought to get a description of the guy. Then again, Silas was pretty out of it.
I told myself that it had to be the guy as I walked to the door.
I stood there for a long time looking through the peephole waiting for him to knock. But he didn’t. He only stood there looking at the door like he knew I was right there behind it.
“You’ve got to let me in if you want me to help Silas.”
I jumped at his words. I hadn’t expected him to say anything.
“Right, sorry.”
I unlocked the door and stepped to the side to let him in.
“Where is he?”
This man was not a people person, that much was clear right away.
