Page 98 of Butterfly

“But if you were me, you’d stop, wouldn’t you?”

Captain didn’t answer.

“I know,” Ollie said. “I know I should.”

“Come home.”

“Home?”

There was another long silence. “Yes. Home. I can call Rory or Sebastian, get them to drive up—”

“It’s okay,” Ollie interrupted. “I’ll get a taxi.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“You call me as soon as you’re back, okay?”

Ollie smiled. He saluted with his free hand. “Yes, Captain.”

“Put your arm down.”

“How did you know?”

Ollie could hear the fond smile in Captain’s voice. “It was an educated guess.”

Ollie didn’t know why he changed route on the way home.

He didn’t know why he ended up outside Hollybrook.

And he didn’t know why he circled it like he had the hospital.

Teddy was inside, and he had so many questions he’d never get the answers to.

His phone began to buzz again, but this time it wasn’t Captain, it was Rory, who didn’t give up no matter how many times he rejected the call.

“Hello?” Ollie answered.

Rory blew his relief down the phone. “Jesus Christ, Ollie.”

“I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“You’ve failed on that front. Where are you?”

Ollie thought about lying but couldn’t. He slumped. “I’m outside Hollybrook.”

The line crackled.

“Didn’t catch that,” Rory said.

Ollie checked the signal on his phone, then cursed as he crossed the road.

“Hollybrook.”

“Where?”

Tyres squealed. Ollie’s head snapped towards the sound, and headlights blinded him. He dropped to his knees on instinct, clutching the phone to his ear and held his breath. The front of the car stopped an inch from his face.

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