Easy, Betsy. Maybe he doesn’t like touching people. You’d understand about that, right? Kind of ironic that she was wishing that someone would touch her rather than leave her be.
She huffed out a breath that turned into a cough. Yeah, it was real amusing.
Now that the wave of adrenaline was leaving her, she felt weak and cold. Could also be blood loss. She hated to think about how much dirt had gotten into the wound on her arm.
Don’t think about it. Nothing you can do right now.
She studied his back. He wouldn’t help her then turn around and hurt her, right?
For God’s sake, Betsy. Of course he could do that.
She swallowed. Watching Silence of the Lambs the other night with the boys had definitely not been a good idea. Her bottom clenched as she remembered the spanking she’d gotten for that.
Best not think about it. Because if she thought too much about Ink right now, she might just break down and cry.
She hated to think about how worried Ink and the boys must be.
“Can feel you panicking from here. Don’t worry, I’m not here to hurt you. If I was, I wouldn’t have pulled you out of that grave, would I? Simpler just to shoot you and leave.”
Amazingly, she actually believed him. Maybe she was just being a naïve fool. Maybe she shouldn’t be so trusting. But she didn’t have much choice but to follow him right now. If she tried to run, she wouldn’t get far. She also had no idea where she was. She felt like a two-year-old coming down from a massive sugar high.
She stumbled, managed to catch herself, clamping down on her bottom lip to stop the pained cry from escaping.
Ow. Ow. Owie.
He moved through the dark forest like he was gliding. Of course, he did have the flashlight. And he wasn’t injured. He also wasn’t recovering from a cold.
By the time the Fox stopped at a clearing, her legs felt like jelly and she was near collapse. The Fox swept his flashlight over towards what looked to be an old trail. “This leads out to the road. Give Ink these instructions.” He rattled off some directions that she hoped she could remember.
“D-do you have a p-phone I can use?” she asked through chattering teeth. This night felt so bizarre though that she couldn’t seem to grasp hold of a proper thought.
Why was he telling her the instructions when he could just tell Ink himself? Where was his car? How had he gotten here?
“Betsy?”
She gasped as she realized he was right in front of her. Shit. He moved so quietly. He had his flashlight aimed at the ground. And she looked down to find he was holding out a small cell phone. She held out her hand and he dropped it into her palm.
“Call Ink, Betsy. Tell him to get here quick. Anyone else turns up other than him, you hide, understand?”
“Y-yes.” But wasn’t he going to stay with her?
“And tell Sunny that the Fox says hi. And to call me. I miss her.”
He drew off his jacket and set it around her shoulders. She was so numb she barely felt the material touching her. But her shivers did start to die off. She tapped the screen of the phone, lighting it up as he moved away. She stiffened. Then a thought occurred to her.
“Oh no, I don’t know his number. Do you know anyone who could—”
She turned, her body swaying precariously at the movement, only to realize that the only light in the clearing was coming from the moon and the phone in her hand.
And that she was all alone.
“Hello? F-Fox? Are you there?”
He…had he left her? But now, he’d left his jacket and phone with her. He wouldn’t just go. Would he?
“Fox?” she asked in a higher-pitched voice.
Shit. Shit. Shit.