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Zach hugged me goodbye outside the store.
“You need anything, you call me. Even if it involves the F word.”
I laughed, and held on to him, ignoring Sam’s outraged glare. “Thank you,” I whispered. “For everything.”
He kissed my cheek and let me go. “We’ll have to compare notes sometime. See who ends up with the most strange.”
“Deal.”
I watched him jog out to the road, part teenage boy, part miracle. And another friend. One who understood the crazy turn in my life more than anyone else could. I’d only known him a couple of hours, and I already missed him. Just a little more crazy.
I think I’m getting used to it.
Sam took my hand, holding on tighter than normal as he led me to his beat up SUV. It still wore the scars of our rough and tumble across the brick planter divide on Main Street, trying to get to Jake.
“Alex.” I looked up at him. He sounded more serious than usual, his voice quiet. “I don’t want to leave.”
“Oh, Sam.” The ache squeezing my heart left me breathless.
I leaned into him, and he let go of my hand to wrap his arm around my waist, hugging me as we moved to the car—me slowly, since the colder weather and my ankle were not happy with each other.
He helped me climb into the passenger seat, and I glanced up in time to see Misty running after Zach. We were going to talk about that—once I got Sam and Jake far away from Mrs. Hyatt.
Jake hopped in the back seat, frowning at me. I had a feeling I needed to apologize, even though calling him wouldn’t have helped either one of us. Sam got in, and stopped the embarrassing apology I was about to make, just to get that look off Jake’s face. He finally stopped glowering at me once we were on the road, and I felt comfortable enough to close my eyes.
Five seconds later my phone beeped, letting me know I missed a call. So much for resting.
I pulled the phone out of my pocket—and froze when I saw the number.
It was Mom.
Oh, God—I forgot to call them back. I had been on the phone with her when Mr. Hyatt attacked me, and who knew how much of that she heard. Then I was so worried about Sam and Jake, I completely forgot about them. I was screwed.
Utterly and completely screwed.
~ ~ ~
The airstrip outside of town—the private airstrip, with planes owned by people who had enough money to let them sit around most of the year—was deserted when we pulled up.
I got a bad feeling. Mrs. Emmett was supposed to be here, the plane ready for them to hop on and go.
“Sam—”
“Not stopping,” he said. He swung around—and stomped on the brake when a white van swerved in front of him, blocking the way out. His fingers pressed on my seat belt release. “Get on the floor, Alex.”
“What—”
“Now.”
The glare of the sun bounced off Sam’s windshield, blinding whoever was in the van. He was protecting me, when I should have been protecting him.
My body protested, but I slid to the floor of the SUV, curling under the dashboard.
“Sam—”
“No matter what happens, promise me you’ll stay out of sight. Promise me, Alex.” He didn’t look at me, but his voice was deadly quiet.
“I promise,” I whispered. I looked over at Jake. His jaw was set, and he nodded when I caught his eye. “Sam—”
“Hold on.”
He slammed into reverse and flew backward, twisting the wheel with grim determination. There was only one road in and out of the airstrip. If you didn’t count the runway—
I knew what he was doing.
Twisting around, I grabbed the door handle. If he made it, Sam would have to ram the perimeter fence.
The SUV jumped as it hit the rough field. My head smacked into the dashboard, and I bit down on the scream in my throat.
Jake held on to the top of the passenger seat, his eyes a little wild. “Faster, Sam. You want to break through, you have to go faster.”
“Put your seatbelt on, Jake.” Sam didn’t even look at him. He just focused on our goal, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard they shook. “And don’t try what I think you’re going to try.”
I glanced from Sam to Jake—and my heart stopped. Jake was starting to change.
“Oh, God,” I whispered.
Sam’s head snapped around. “I said stop it. The last thing we want is—”
Sam never got to tell him. Our world flipped sideways as the van ploughed into the SUV.