Page 91 of Finding a Melody

“What?” Bryan asked.

“My car or yours?” I asked, pretending I had to repeat my question.

“Let’s take mine. Maybe the Ryders won’t recognize it if we run into them.”

“We have to think about things like that?” I asked.

“Paxon’s suggestion. I definitely didn’t think about that.”

It made sense. It was weird to have to hide in my own hometown like that though.

Once we were inside, I settled into the passenger seat, sitting lower as my paranoia spiked thanks to Bryan putting it in my head that we could run into the Ryder gang again. And they definitely already knew that Laurens’ business was one spot to find me.

“How do you think they keep finding me?” I asked.

Bryan was silent before tapping at the steering wheel. “Shit. I didn’t think of that.” He carefully pulled out of the parking lot, making sure not to rear end the massive flow of other cars trying to leave school too.

Leaving always felt like it was an entire event of its own with how many people were trying to get out as soon as they could. It was a lot of idling around and inching forward and narrowly missing idiots trying to squeeze in front of others.

“Maybe they have someone following you without your knowledge. Or a tracking device.” Bryan’s face scrunched up. “It’s a disgusting thought. But how else would they know where you lived or that you were with Seth leaving the rec center?”

“Then that means they know I’m with you.”

We both paused to take in that thought.

Bryan shook his head. “I doubt it’s a tracker then. The tracker would have to be on your person since you took the truck.” He tapped at the steering wheel as he glanced around. “Most likely someone is following you.”

My stomach tightened at the thought and I fought against nausea.

“But they didn’t know what I looked like when they went to Laurens’ place. I pretended I wasn’t Cadence, and he believed me. He was confused, but he believed me.”

“And probably got in trouble for that mistake. We can assume they know what you look like now. An actual person watching you. Maybe the confusion of leaving school and taking my car will be enough to have lost them?”

Bryan kept looking around, becoming as paranoid as I was. No doubt if a motorcycle zoomed by us at that moment, we would have freaked out.

“We can’t assume anything though,” I said softly, curling my hands in my lap as I fought the growing dread inside of me. Was this what my life was going to be now? Paranoia. Always looking over my shoulder.

The police mentioned building some kind of case against them, but how long would that take. Didn’t building a case to arrest people take a long time? During that time, what did it mean for me? And if they couldn’t do it? If once again, the Ryders walked away from whatever crime they committed?

My mouth grew dry and I licked my lips, feeling like air was becoming hard to breathe in.

Bryan had to have sensed something from me because he rested his hand on my thigh to get my attention. I jumped briefly from the sudden touch and blushed hard in embarrassment. I was too jumpy.

“It’ll be fine. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said in such a soft voice that I wanted to desperately believe him.

But I also knew that he didn’t have the capabilities to keep me safe. If the police, if Davies, if none of them could keep me safe, then there was no way the guys would be able to do it. I kept those dangerous thoughts to myself. If it helped him feel better, then I’d let him think that.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Bryan seemed intrigued when we pulled up to the building.

“I heard about the business,” he said, looking at the fancy modern building with all the big glass windows. “They opened up only last spring. Focus on producing local media, so music, videos, shows. If an event is going on, they’re becoming the choice to film it. Their connections are growing and the owner has been making more appearances in the bigger circles.”

“Like the dinner party.”

“Yeah.” That anger seeped back into Bryan’s voice. I probably shouldn’t have reminded him.

“Sounds like Laurens is making a big name for himself then. Think he’ll take the town over?”