Page 40 of Poisoned Promise
“Call Alex,” I say to my phone fixed on the dashboard.
“Calling Alex,” replies the automated voice and the screen flickers as his name flashes up along with a picture of him. The call rings for a few long seconds before he finally answers.
“Hey Mom,” he answers with a stifled yawn that immediately triggers one of my own. “You on your way home?”
“I am honey. How’s Mary?”
“Asleep,” he chuckles quietly. “We were playing Snakes and Ladders for money and she fell asleep after I beat her twice.”
“Playing for money?!”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. Just dollars.”
“Do you feel good taking an old woman’s money?”
“You know exactly how she is, Mom. She’s ruthless.”
“That’s true. I was going to pick up some food on my way back. A little late-night snack. You hungry?”
“Oooo.” Alex’s excitement warms my heart but as he replies, headlights in my rearview mirror catch my attention.
I turn right. “Sorry Alex, I missed that. What are you hungry for?”
“Definitely Tacos,” he replies. “Can we get some?”
“Sure. Any preference?” The appearance of headlights once more makes me turn right for a second time.
“Anything. Chicken. No, beef. No wait… chicken. Can I get both? I’m hungry for both.”
“I’m not surprised,” I laugh softly, turning right again as the headlights once again appear in my mirror. “I’ll just get a selection and we’ll call it even. Anything else?”
“Cinnamon buns!”
“Got it. You just stay with Mary, okay. Make sure the doors and windows are locked. You never know who is skulking around an old person’s house.”
“Okay Mom. Love you.”
“Love you too!”
The call ends and silence floods the car as my fourth turn, a full circle, confirms what I already knew deep down. I’m being followed.
Fuck.
I’m unarmed.
These roads are far too quiet to lose myself and I can’t go back to the storage unit because that’ll cause a scene I really don’t need. My heart starts pounding as I ease off the accelerator and let the car come closer, just to get a better look.
Dark paint. Darker windows. No license plate.
I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and suck in a deep, calming breath, controlling my speed until the traffic light up ahead turns yellow.
A few seconds later, it turns red just as I speed through the intersection and the tailing car is forced to a halt by oncoming traffic.
It doesn’t buy me a lot of time but it’s enough to recreate distance. Keeping my attention split between the road and the mirror, I tap quickly at my GPS searching for anywhere public.
My best and only chance is to get back onto the highway but from there, where to go?
I can’t go home. No way I’m leading this cunt back to my son.
