Page 140 of Be With Me
I turned and swam back to where the car had gone under. I dived under the dark, frigid water, but it was as black as ink below the surface. I couldn’t see the car. I went under again. And again.
Each time, I came up empty.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. My limbs grew heavy, my lungs burned. It wasn’t until my body gave out—until I physically couldn’t keep going—that I realized…
She was gone.
I dragged myself out of the water with my last bit of strength and collapsed on the bank. My body was shaking, my wet clothes clinging to my skin.
I patted my jacket and felt the solid shape of my phone inside the inner zip pocket. It was waterproof and had done its job. The phone still worked.
Staring at the screen through blurry eyes, I called my mom.
"Come get me.”
"Where are you?"
I gave her my location and hung up.
It took her nearly three hours to arrive. When she did, she was flanked by some of my father’s men. By then, the rain had stopped, but the chill hadn’t left me.
She sat beside me and handed me a blanket. I wrapped it around myself, my teeth chattering.
She looked out over the still, dark water. Silent.
"Is she dead?" I choked out.
"I’m sure she is,” she said, sounding utterly calm.
My throat tightened, and then the tears came, hot and uncontrollable. “Mom, how did this get so fucked up?”
She lifted her hand and rested it lightly on my shoulder, but there was no warmth in the gesture. My body turned toward her, aching for something—comfort, solace, anything—but instead of pulling me in, she cleared her throat and stood.
A gaping hole tore open inside me. I couldn’t hold back the sob that ripped through my chest. “Tell me everything will be okay,” I pleaded.
“It’s a shame. We almost had him.”
“Him?”
“Her husband. He would have done whatever we wanted once he saw the pictures and video.” She made a thoughtful sound. “He still might to ensure her memory isn’t tainted by her misdeeds.”
For a moment the pain was too much for me to even breathe. It was everywhere—my lungs, my limbs, even my teeth.Everythinghurt.
“Mom,” I gasped, “I need?—“
“Next time, try to stick the landing, Rom. You ruined the perfect plan.”
I couldn’t listen to this. I ruined her plan? I ruined afucking person.
Entrapped her.
Killed her.
I pressed my hands to my ears and rocked forward, but her voice still sliced through.
“On second thought, maybe this was for the best.”
I pressed harder.
