Slut - Woodruff Jettie - Страница 20

“She hasn’t talked to Izzy in over three years. She said she tried to help her, but Izzy wouldn’t take it. She lost everything, her house, her business, and her kid because of drugs.”

“But I was with her. I didn’t get that from her when Nick hypnotized me. She’s all better now,” I said while feeling an instant need to defend her. Like I knew her.

“I felt like that, too. Regardless of Izzy’s soberness, that lead is dead, but don’t worry. I’ve got someone looking for Vander right now. Where are you?”

“You’re not going to believe me if I tell you.”

“You’re not with him, are you?”

“No, not really. I planned on camping out at our little cottage, but Paxton had a camera in there. He found me before I had a chance to be missing.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. He wants me to come home, but I told him no.”

“Good for you. Is this your phone? He gave it to you?”

“Sort of. Paxton doesn’t do anything for me without personal gain. This is his way of tracking my every move.” I may not have remembered who the hell I was, but I was smart enough to know Paxton’s motives by now. Without a doubt, I knew his eyes were on a little red dot and a map. I was the red dot.

“Okay, so what now?”

“I’ve got to go see Candace.”

“The guy’s wife that you cheated with?”

“That hasn’t been confirmed yet.”

“Yeah, okay. I don’t like it. That’s not a good idea. Let me come with you.”

“No, I’m fine. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“She could break your nose. I’m a baby doctor, not a plastic surgeon.”

For a brief second, I thought about it, but I refrained. I didn’t want to cause any more riffraff between her and Nick. “I have to go right now while his car his gone.”

“That’s an even worse idea. She can feed you to the sharks without anyone even knowing you were there. You better call me as soon as you leave.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Turn your phone off until you leave.”

“Oh, smart thinking. You’re way better at this than me.”

“That’s why you should let me go with you.”

“I’m fine, Mi. Thanks for everything. I’ll call you later.”

“As soon as you leave,” she ordered.

The advice about not letting Paxton track me was the best guidance Mi could have given me. I hadn’t even thought about that. Paxton would be on Candace’s doorstep in no time. I powered off my phone, seeing the full battery in the top corner. I wouldn’t be using that one as an excuse.

I felt like a criminal, lurking in the woods as I zigged zagged my way in and out of the neighborhood. Ducking behind buildings, outdoor kitchens, and even a trashcan heightened my sneakiness, leaving me feeling like more of an outsider than I already was. If Tricia saw me she’d be on the phone with Paxton first, and then Candace. That’s why I ducked behind her trashcan. She opened her front door while on the phone, but only her hand and half her body stepped out for the mail, not me. That one caused adrenaline to pump wilder through my veins. Jesus. My heart couldn’t take much more of that. Those people who craved adrenaline like a junkie, were crazy. I hated that feeling, and it seemed like I felt it way more than the normal person did. Of course I did. I was sneaking through backyards and diving behind garbage. Gah.

I took a deep breath, willing courage into my lungs as I made it to the side door. I knew from the girl’s coming over that it led to a shower house for pool guests. The neighborhood women were the only ones to use it. Anyone else would have used the front door.

One push to the doorbell button, and two quick knocks. My fingers flailed with my rapid breaths while I waited, dancing back and forth from foot to foot.

Crap. I wasn’t expecting Chance to answer. I didn’t have any planned words for her mommy, this was worse. Thank God, Chance made it easy for me.

“Gabriella!” she called, excited to see me while she hugged my legs.

I smiled and ran my hand down her hair and back. “Hi, sweetie. How are you?”

“I didn’t see you for a long time. Where’s Rowan and Ophelia? I want to play with them.”

Just when I was about to reply, Candace spoke from a few feet away.

“They’re with their dad right now. Go finish your piano lesson. You have twenty more minutes.”

“I want to play with Rowan and Ophelia,” she whined with a frown while crossing her arms defiantly.

“Maybe Tricia can bring them over tomorrow. Go practice,” Candace ordered again, shooing her away with a light shove.

“Bye, Gabriella,” Chance said while giving up, listening to her mother.

“Bye, sweetie,” I said with a warm smile. I realized at that moment that I missed her, too. Not so much her mom, but definitely her.

“Well, you have a lot of nerve,” Candace instantly began.

The cocky attitude I’d assembled disappeared when I saw the look in her eyes. I hurt her and I didn’t even remember it. My shoulders dropped as I lost the last of my boldness.

“I’m so sorry, Candace.”

“Yeah, I know. You’re so sorry, but you don’t know what for, right, Gabby? Or is it Izzy?”

I didn’t respond because I didn’t know how to. What did one say to that? It was true, I didn’t really know what I was sorry for, and truth be known, I was a fraud. I didn’t deserve to be called Gabriella.

“What do you want?”

“I want to know what you know.”

“No you don’t.”

“I do. Please, Candace. I don’t know who else to turn to.”

“Did you try my husband? I’m sure he’d love to help.”

I took a deep breath and dropped my eyes to the sandstone tile. With my head nodded to the floor, I spoke with a quiet, yet desperate tone. “I know something happened between Lane and I, but I swear to God, I don’t know what. You said you hired someone. I heard you tell the other girls. At least tell me what he found.”

Candace stormed off, leaving me standing there alone, caught off guard. I looked around with wide eyes, wondering what I was supposed to do. Was that it? She was just going to leave it like that?

“Here, I told Lane I already got rid of this when I agreed to move away from here and give it another shot. This is all I’ve got. There’s more, but I’m not going to be the one to let that one out of the bag. Talk to your husband.”

I took the gold envelope and frowned at her. “You can’t do that. That’s like girl code or something. You can’t tell me there’s more, but you’re not telling me. How fair is that?”

“You broke the girl code when you fucked my husband. Lucky for you, I believe him when he says it was years ago when we first moved here. I don’t know what goes on between you and Paxton behind closed doors, and I don’t care to. All I want to do is leave this place and get the hell out of here. Goodbye, Gabriella.”

Again, I was left with no words. Why the hell couldn’t someone just be straight with me? I didn’t return the goodbye. I stared at her, speechless with the new information she gave me. Information that I knew would leave me wanting more.

My sneaking through the neighborhood ceased as I made my way back, using the sidewalk instead of the backyards. It didn’t much matter who saw me now, except the girls. I was careful to avoid my own house.

Just as I was about to walk behind Paxton’s shop the sunset caught my eye. The darkness was held up by the sun kissing the ocean, a few more minutes and night would fall all around. The reds mixed with purple and yellow glistened against the water, leaving me with a feeling of loss. Like when my mom died. I felt like an orphan all over again, alone and frightened.

The entire mesmerizing view was gone at precisely the same moment I felt the wetness between my legs. Not the good kind either. “Damnit,” I said aloud as I carried on my journey to the cottage, powering on my phone for the flashlight. Why hadn’t I thought about that? I was never late. Clockwork and my period were a team with a schedule. I needed tampons from the house. I rushed along, using the light from my phone to unlock the back door, praying to find at least one in my little bathroom.