5
EMMA
“Come on. We’ll get you new things.” Professor Wolff holds out his hand. “We have to get out of here.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I’ll tell you everything you need to know, but we have to get out of here first.” He goes to the window and looks out over the parking lot like he’s watching for someone.
His head whips around at the sound of footsteps in the living room. “Oh my god, Emma?” I know that voice and run to Olivia, who’s standing in the center of the room, looking shell-shocked.
“I’m okay.” I accept her fierce hug. “I wasn’t home.”
“I’m so sorry.” She runs a hand over her short blond hair, which looks like it was just slept on. “I pulled the overnight shift. I thought I heard a noise over here earlier, but I just got into bed and figured it was a dream. I should’ve gotten up to see what was happening.”
“Don’t blame yourself,” Professor Wolff murmurs from the bedroom doorway. “If you had, you might’ve been hurt. It was safer to stay put.”
“This is my friend, Olivia,” I explain. “She lives in the next apartment. Olivia, this is Professor Wolff from school.”
Her eyebrows jump a little at the mention of his name. I may or may not have told her all about him last semester. “Nice to meet you.” At least she’s discreet enough to leave it at that.
“Are you going to call the police?” she asks, staring at the mess. “Who would do this?”
“It might be better not to involve the police until we know for sure what happened.” When I shoot him a confused look over my shoulder, he shakes his head just enough for me to see it.
“But won’t the police be the ones investigating what happened?”
“It’s a long story,” I explain, grasping for something to say. It seems like there’s more here than I’m aware of, and I’m betting it has to do with the phone call that came through a minute ago.
Her already pale skin goes a shade whiter. “Is it about what you did last night? I knew it would be dangerous.”
He clears his throat. “I think we’d better get out of here for now. Just in case. And, Olivia, it would be safer to pretend none of this happened.”
“I don’t like this.” Tears swim in her eyes. “I don’t like not knowing what’s happening to you.”
“I won’t let anything happen to her,” he assures her.
“And I’ll check in with you. I promise.” I hug her as tightly as I can before whispering in her ear, “I’m going to be okay.”
“You’d better. You’re the only friend I have around here.” She gives Professor Wolff a look full of suspicion before stepping around the glass and heading back to her place.
Once she’s gone, I turn to him. “Who was that on the phone?”
“I said I’ll tell you once we’re out of here,” he snaps, which jolts me into following him. “Do you have anything here that you can’t be without? A laptop, any valuables?”
“Yes, my laptop is here.” Yet when I go to my desk drawer to pull it out, he throws an arm in front of me to block my way.
“No, on second thought. Don’t bring anything that could be tracked.”
“Tracked?” He only shakes his head, taking my hand and practically yanking me through the living room and out into the hall. He moves so fast that I almost have to run to keep up. The only thing that keeps me from asking more questions is the memory of how he barked at me. He’s normally pretty even-keeled, which tells me we are in a bad situation if he can’t control his reactions.
Once we’re in the car, peeling away from a complex, I have to ask. “Who was that on the phone? Is it the man you were talking about? The one who wanted me?”
“Yes,” he grunts. “And he’s also the man who vandalized your apartment. He went there looking for you.”
“Why?”
“Come on, Emma. You’re a smart girl. I know this is all new to you, but I trust you can put it together.”