Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
The front door opened and closed, and she turned when Zach entered the kitchen. “Morning,” he said, setting his phone down on the kitchen table.
She leaned against the sink. “Morning.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine.” His eyes moved over her face, as though searching for something he thought might be in her eyes that wasn’t in her voiced answer. She took a sip of coffee. “I think I need to call my friends. The ones I was close with during the time I was attacked.” She looked down, not wanting to feel the small trace of shame that still rose within her when she thought back to that time. “The ones I was close with when I was seeing Professor Merrick.” The ones she’d been with that last night in the before. The ones she hadn’t been able to bear seeing in the after when she’d become a completely different person and they’d remained the same. Their lives had continued on a natural orbit, whereas hers had derailed so significantly. Irreversibly. But had theirs remained much the same as she had initially thought? Reagan, God, Reagan. Her apartment had been broken into, her roommate had been taken from the bedroom on the opposite wall of hers. How did she live with that? Reagan had been drunk and hadn’t gone home with her. Had Reagan blamed herself for that, she wondered? Maybe their lives hadn’t been as unchanged as she’d thought.
“You don’t have to, Josie. If you have questions you think they might be able to answer, I can set up an interview. Or Jimmy will.”
She turned and placed her empty mug in the sink. “No. I owe it to them, Zach. They tried to reach out to me so many times, and I ignored their efforts. They might not remember anything that will be helpful as far as the recent abductions…murders. But maybe they knew something about the professor that I didn’t. Reagan was in his class with me. Even if it doesn’t amount to anything, I have to try.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. It’s something I can do.” She felt so helpless, so scared and confused, and calling her old friends was not only long overdue, but it was also a way she could assist in the case unfolding in horrifying ways right before her eyes.
He was silent another moment before he nodded. “Call them.”
Josie went to get her phone. She hoped their numbers were still the same. She hoped they were willing to talk.
She hoped they could find it in their hearts to forgive her.
* * *
Josie set the sheet of cookies on the stovetop and inhaled the sweet scent of melted chocolate chips. She heard footsteps behind her as she began to scoop the cookies onto a plate.
She turned and handed him a warm cookie with a smile. He took it from her and bit into it. “Goth that’s gooth,” he said around a mouthful. Josie laughed, turning back toward the stove and using the spatula to place another cookie onto the plate.
Zach leaned against the counter directly next to her. “You good?”
“Yeah,” she answered. She was nervous but excited too. Both Cooper and Reagan had sounded so happy to hear from her and agreed immediately to come over. Thankfully it was Sunday, and neither one had plans. Or if they had, they’d canceled them for her.
A vehicle sounded in the driveway, and Josie turned, running her hands down her hips. Zach gave her an encouraging nod as she walked toward the front door and pulled it open. She stepped onto the porch and stood waiting as the man getting out of his car spotted her. Their eyes met across the distance, and for a heartbeat neither moved. But then a wide smile spread over Cooper’s face, and he began walking toward her. Josie descended the two steps and covered her mouth as her own smile erupted. She rushed toward Cooper, and he took her in his arms, hugging her and spinning her around as she laughed.
“Josie,” he said, setting her on her feet. “You look good.”
She grinned, taking him in, his thick head of dark hair, deep brown eyes crinkled slightly at the corners as he smiled back at her. Cooper. My God. He was so beautiful, he almost stopped her breath. “So do you, Cooper. Thank you so much for coming. How are you?”
“Are you kidding? I was so happy to hear from you after all this time. I’ve thought about you so often, Josie. Wondered how you are. Worried about you.” Concern etched itself into his features. Her gaze fluttered to his lips as they turned down. Cooper had always been beautiful. But he’d also always been kind.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to get in touch,” she said. “I…it’s been hard for me.” She mustered a smile. “But I’m doing a lot better now.”