Page 22 of Save You
“Yes, it’s fucking mine!” I snap while balling my fists over the insinuation, even if he is just trying to look after my interests.
“Calm the fuck down, Xander!” he says with a sigh. “What I meant was, is there any chance it could be Oliver’s? Has he…you know?”
“No!” I snarl because the idea is enough to turn my stomach. “The sick bastard has some weird obsession for breaking her virginity on their wedding night, so she’s been safe…so far.”
“Ok, well, that’s something, I guess.” He remains silent for a while longer, most likely mulling this over, so I choose not to probe him. “Right, Xander, leave it with me. You mustn’t go to any medical centers or hospitals. Lawence will have connections all over the place, especially now that he’s made her disappearance public. But I might know someone who can help you, a nurse by trade, but she has delivered babies before.”
“Really? Thank God!” I sigh and physically slump my body in relief, catching myself against the wooden post which is holding up the porch.
“Get onto those other things I advised you on,” he reminds me, “make a list and get as much as you can in one go. Leave Beth at the cabin, and onlyyougo out. There are three handguns hidden around the cabin; one of them is in the bathroom cabinet.”Christ, guns?“One is in the bedroom, under the bed, and one is in the shed outside, beneath the floorboards. All are fully loaded…you ever used a gun before?”
“No,” I reply breathlessly, my hand now sweeping across my mouth as dizziness threatens to land me on my feet.When the hell would I have needed a gun?
“I’ll call you at six tomorrow evening. Have one ready, and I’ll talk you through it,” he instructs, still without any emotion in his voice, “Xander?”
“Yeah?” My voice sounds muffled, and my head is now hanging low while I try not to be sick.
“Take care of her. Trust me, you can never get her back once she’s gone,” he says with the first crack of concern filtering through his otherwise steely voice, “and take care of yourself. I’m proud of you, Nephew!”
“Thanks…I guess.”
His words make me feel awkward, for he’s never been this affectionate in front of me before. My parents rain down love like I’m stood in the middle of a monsoon, but not Stephen. After Shelly, Mom said he didn’t know how to show his emotions anymore. The subtle nuances are there; you just have to recognize them for what they are. Still, I feel anything but confident in my abilities to handle the situation before me, but I have to sound like I do, for Beth’s sake.
“Over and out,” he says before there’s a long ring tone to signal he’s gone. I almost laugh…almost.