“Tilly, oh thank God I got through to you. Listen to me.”
“What’s going on? This isn’t your phone number.”
“I’m on a friend’s cell,” Miller whispered. “I don’t have much time.”
“What’s wrong?” Tilly asked, alarmed by the fear in her friend’s voice.
“I’m in trouble with the Vipers. But that doesn’t matter.”
“Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
“San Antonio. Listen, Tilly, you have to…oh no…”
“Miller? Miller?” There was just a dial tone and Tilly’s stomach dropped in fear. She gaped up at Dylan. “She’s gone. Oh God, she sounded terrified.”
She tried to call the number back, but it went instantly to voicemail. Someone called Tori told her cheerfully that she’d call her back as soon as possible. “What am I going to do?”
“Who was it? What did they say?”
“That was my best friend, Miller. She said she was in trouble with the Vipers. They’re a gang, aren’t they? What do I do? Should I call the cops?”
And tell them what exactly? She didn’t even have any real idea of what sort of trouble Miller was in.
“She said she was in San Antonio. I have to go there. I have to find her.”
“Wait a minute,” Dylan said. “Let’s just think about this for a second.”
“I have to help her, Dylan. She’s like a sister to me. She doesn’t have any family.” Her grandmother was dead. Miller’s mother had abandoned her when she was little and her father was a criminal who was in and out of jail.
“How would she get mixed up with the Vipers? Does she have some ties to the gang?” he asked.
“Not that I know of. She doesn’t even live in San Antonio.”
“Did she sound drugged?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe? She definitely sounded odd.” Tilly tugged the blanket tighter around her, needing its warmth.
“Could she have a drug problem?”
“Oh God,” Tilly said, running one hand through her hair. “I don’t think so.”
Dylan placed his hands on her shoulders. “We’re going to find her. We’ll help her.”
She knew he was just trying to comfort her, but she wasn’t fooled. “Do you think she’s in a lot of trouble?”
“Could be. The Vipers aren’t people to mess with.”
Tears dripped down her face and she wiped them away impatiently. There was no time to fall apart. “I’ve got to get to San Antonio. I’ve got to find her.”
She could call her brothers for help, but they’d insist that she wait for them and that would take too long. She pulled away from Dylan, glancing around her apartment frantically. She’d need cash and her phone. What would get her to San Antonio quickest?
“Tilly. Tilly!”
She jumped as Dylan grabbed her shoulders again and shook her. “Calm down.”
“Calm down? How am I supposed to stay calm?”
“Because getting worked up is not going to help your friend. You need to remain rational and think.”