Ghosted Read Online Free

not
slow.
    I pull into the garage as the door lifts. Once
the door is down, anyone passing by won't realize the wooden facade
is an actual carport, engineered and made by me for Chloe. I check
the alarm—everything is still set.
    I disarm, and then re-arm in dwelling mode so
I won't set it off. The place still smells like Chinese food when I
enter, but I know that no one else has been inside since Caroline
and I left.
    Caroline.
    She needs to know she's still in danger. Will
she believe me? I ask myself this as I grab my old duffle bag and
shove clothing inside of it. I take the cash I've saved for the
past five months as well as my own valuables. I remove anything
that connects my name with the apartment. Thoughts of Caroline war
in my head with thoughts of escape. Survival.
    I did a good thing and now I'm
running for my life.
    As always…no good deed.
    I make plans to find a hotel
outside the city and find a way to contact Caroline. I have to warn
her. I have to keep her safe. A thought comes to me to call the
police and tell them I saw her attacker speaking to Mr. Black. I
silence the thought because I am afraid. The Blacks have money…no,
the Blacks are money. And I am no one. I'm just ordinary. And ordinary never
really has power.
    The thought returns as I pack my car. I think
of Detective Hernandez. Of the ones standing in that room, he is my
choice. I must reach out to someone, if no other reason to protect
Caroline.
    His card is in my jeans and I look for my
phone. I placed it in my jacket in the alley. I find the jacket in
Chloe's room and my phone on the bed. I dial the card's number and
wait.
    "Central Station, Officer Hotes
speaking."
    I swallow and take a deep breath. "Is
Detective Hernandez available?"
    "He's on duty. But I can route you to his
voicemail…unless I can help you?"
    "Voice mail. I can do voice mail."
    "One moment."
    But voicemail does not answer the phone. A
woman's voice does. "Detective Pellis."
    I am not sure what to say.
    "Hello? I can hear you breathing."
    "I—I was going to leave a message for
Hernandez?"
    "Oh yeah…I picked up his phone. But I'm here.
I can take it down."
    I pause again.
    "Look, he'll get it faster if you give it to
me."
    "Tell him Dan called…and I saw the attacker
talking to Mr. Black. Tell him…tell him Caroline's still in
danger."
    "Wow…that's cryptic. You care to
elaborate—wait a sec. Mr. Black? The Mr. Gerome Black?"
    I start to disconnect.
    "Hey! Talk to me. I heard about the attack and
but I'm benched and I couldn't go check it out. How are you
involved? Are you saying he was actually talking to the guy that
attacked his daughter?"
    "Yes. Please…we're both in danger. Just tell
Hernandez." Time to go. I disconnect and shut my phone off. I
tremble as I finish loading the car. At last I am done but I do not
know if the one in the Mercedes is close. Chloe's security has
cameras, but they are limited in their focus. I turn on the
monitors in her room. The front door is clear. So is the garage.
But I can't see the back. The alley. I want to leave through the
alley in case they watch the front.
    But without knowing, I don't take a
chance.
    I get in my car. It cranks easily. I need gas
because there is half a tank, and it will take more to reach the
border. I lock the doors and press the remote button clipped to my
visor. The door opens.
    No one greets me. I wait a few beats before I
ease the car forward and onto the street. I watch the door close in
the rear view mirror.
    I believe I am safe.
    I have never been so wrong.

 
     
     
     
     
    5
     
    Cold water drips from a wide pipe above me. It
strikes the cold ground beside me and I hear its tap. I stare up at
the monochromatic sky. I have no memory of the rain, but the clouds
look filled with it. My head aches as I reach up to touch it. My
skin is hot and my hand, cold. My thoughts center around a series
of questions.
    Where am I?
    Why am I?
    How…am I?
    A flash of light blinds me, but I know the
images are