Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 147545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
“Maybe she didn’t wait up,” I say, hoping that’s true.
Tor doesn’t say anything to that, but he does reach into the back seat and grab a plastic bag. He takes out a clear plastic package with a phone inside, and I frown.
“What’s that?”
“Burner phone.”
“You already gave me a phone.”
“I gave you a real phone,” he points out, handing over the newly packaged one. “Remember our stoplight system? We don’t need to keep these phones on us all the time—and we shouldn’t. Lock it away somewhere it’ll be safe unless you need to get it out, but if we have a fruit punch situation and there’s something urgent we need to talk about, we can use these. I don’t anticipate anyone ever knowing we own these, which means they shouldn’t be searched, but we should still be cautious just in case. Don’t say anything too crazy over text. We can be less cautious on a call. If you need to discuss explicit details, we should meet up somewhere and talk in person. Since we need to be careful about what we say on our actual phones, I wanted to have an emergency option available. If there is anything—and I mean anything—I need to be looped in on, you need to tell me. We’re co-conspirators in this now, and I can’t protect us if I don’t know everything.”
My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I look at it. On movies and TV, I thought I remembered burners being flip phones, but this one looks just like my regular iPhone. “So if I need to tell you something urgent, I text you on our regular phones and mention fruit punch, then you’ll know to switch over to the burner so we can really talk?”
“Exactly.”
Behind us, a car slows to a stop in front of my house, and my heart leaps to my throat.
Tor glances in the rearview mirror, but he’s not alarmed. “That’s my ride.”
“What?” I frown.
He drops the car key into my palm. “You won’t get your car back anytime soon, so you can use this one. Just keep the GPS tracking in mind and don’t go anywhere suspicious.”
Eyes wide, I stare at the key fob, then look back up at him. “Thank you.”
The corners of his mouth tilt up, his eyes glinting with light amusement. “I know it’s a lot. Do you have any questions before I go?”
“Um… I don’t think—Oh, yeah. When did you want to do the… do-over of that night?”
“I’m not sure. I have to see how things go, but maybe Thursday night?”
“Okay.”
“I’ll text you,” he says as he opens the car door.
I nod, watching him climb out, then I open my door and climb out too. I glance at the car as I gently close the door, trying not to make too much noise coming in. The more time I can buy myself, the better. Besides, I’m truly exhausted. Last night was crazy, and I barely slept today. I expect to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.
My gaze drifts to the car waiting at the edge of my yard, then to Tor. “Who is that?”
“A friend we can trust,” he says evasively.
“Is it the same friend who snuck into my house?”
He nods but doesn’t say anything.
Swallowing, I say, “He has my journal.”
“He does. It’s too soon to take it back,” he says, anticipating my next question. “We have to wait and see how this investigation goes. For now, it’s safest with him. He’s not connected to you in any way. There’s no reason anyone would ever look there.”
I nod. That makes sense, but it still makes me uneasy that someone else has it—especially someone I don’t even know.
Tor looks like he wants to say something, and then he does. “I know you have trouble trusting people now,” he says carefully, “but at some point, you’ll have to decide to risk trusting someone again, and I’m telling you that you can trust me. The same way he can.” He nods toward the guy idling, waiting for him. “Right now, he’s showing up for me—for us—in a big way, and I won’t forget that. It’s important to have a tight circle of people you know you can trust in your life. You’ll get a lot further a lot faster than if you try to make the trek alone.”
My heart races, and I’m not even sure why. What he’s saying makes me uncomfortable, but I force myself not to shy away from it. “I... I do trust you.”
“Good.” His lips tug up, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. “I’ve got your back as long as you have mine.”
I offer a tentative smile and a slight nod, then I watch him walk to his buddy’s car. He drops into the passenger seat and closes the door, then he looks at me through the window as the car pulls away.