Page 143 of Shelter
“Yes, princess. Though why you order fries and an egg sandwich when Twin’s makes the best burger in town is beyond me.”
“Twin’s is the best burger within walking distance. Judice Inn is the best burger in town. We’ve been over this,” I teased. “And sometimes I just want a fried egg sandwich.”
The store was empty, so Ed and I stood at the counter, debating the merits of burgers and fried egg sandwiches while consuming each.
My phone buzzed on the counter, and I moved to get it.
Cole.
I smiled, but a flash of movement drew my eye back to Ed.
“Did you just steal a fry?”
Feigning innocence, Ed shook his head and chewed. “Your phone’s ringing,” he said, nodding to the device in my hand.
“I know.” I swiped the bottom of the screen and lifted it to my ear. “But I’m watching you. Hey, ba—”
“Something’s wrong.” The tension in his voice cinched my shoulders.
“What? What’s the mat—”
“Ava’s gone.”
I was aware of Ed’s alert stillness as I turned and moved to the back room, lowering my voice. “Well, maybe she felt well enough to go to a class or a meeting. I’m sure—”
“No, I mean, her car’s here. And her phone. But she’s just gone.”
My muscles uncoiled. Without her car and her phone, she couldn’t have gotten very far. “Maybe she just went for a walk?”
“No.” It sounded like he grunted through gritted teeth. “The last app she opened on her phone was Uber. Elise, it showed she ordered a ride last night around eleven. Just after I went to bed.”
Oh shit.
“Y-you think she’s been gone all night?”
“What else am I supposed to think?!” His words were clipped, angry. But even as they set my heart racing, I knew that behind his anger was the fear he didn’t know how to face. I wanted to soothe him.
“Cole—”
“How could I be so stupid to fall for her tricks again? A pulled muscle? Really?” he spat. “That’s probably her weakest story yet. And I bought it.”
I shook my head. “But you didn’t. You doubted. You questioned. Your gut told you something wasn’t right.”
I braced myself for the inevitable. To hear him say spending time with me had kept him from watching her.
“But leaving her phone behind…” The anger leached from his voice until all I heard was pain. “She’d agreed to let me track her, and she left her phone and her car so I’d think she was home. Elise, how many times has she done something like this since we’ve been back?”
I shut my eyes. “What does the app say? Where did she go last night?”
“The destination address was 500 Jefferson. That’s Jefferson Street Pub.” Defeat weighed down each of his words. “I’ve already called. They’re closed on Mondays.”
“Oh, Jesus.”
“Yeah, so she’s either with someone, or…”
Or.
My mind raced ahead of all the possibleors.Nothing I could imagine was anything I’d want for Ava. What if she’d intended to come home before Cole knew she was missing? Before he found out she’d even left? I kept those questions to myself.
