Page 84 of Coast

The driver’s side window on her car.

Spiderwebbed.

“Were you in an accident?” I asked, my gaze moving over Lainey, then her mother, looking for injuries.

“They came after me,” she said.

“Who came after you?”

“Them. The men. From the parking lot.”

“What?” I asked, stiffening. “What do you mean they came after you?”

“Tonight,” she said, looking dangerously close to breaking down.

She’d clearly been trying to hold it together until she knew they were safe. It wouldn’t be long before she lost her battle with control.

“And I think… I think a while ago.”

“You think?”

“I came home from staying here that one night to find my room at the motel tossed. Everything had been pulled out. Every drawer opened. Even the mini fridge had been gone through.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that when we ran into each other again?”

“I thought it was just a random opportunistic criminal looking for cash or something to hock. Nothing happened again, so I figured that was all it was. Until tonight.”

“Okay. Tell me exactly what happened.”

“Lainey was being really… difficult tonight. So I figured I would take her for a ride to see if she passed out. I decided to stop for some ice cream at the convenience store. We were justlooking at the options when the door sensor dinged. And there they were.”

“You’re sure it was the same guys?”

“Well, even if I wasn’t sure at first, I was within a minute or two. They were talking about trying to find me. I ducked down and made my way away from them. When they went to check the bathroom, I just… bolted.

“I managed to get in the backseat and the doors locked. But as I was getting Lainey in her seat, then crawling up front, he was hitting the window. Eventually, it webbed.

“I reversed out, then threw it into drive and floored it. I think I hit him.”

“Good.”

“I don’t know how bad. I just needed to get out of there. I think… I think they followed me from the motel.”

“Why do you think that?”

“When I was leaving, I was talking to someone and he looked over my shoulder at, I think, a car parked there…”

“Black sedan, heavy tint, engine running?” I asked, feeling my stomach twist.

“I don’t really know for sure,” she admitted, shrugging. “Why?”

“I saw it too. Got a weird feeling, but just shook it off.”

If I hadn’t been so stuck in my head about shit, I likely would have checked things out further. And saved Zoe from another run for her life.

“I was afraid to go back to the motel and maybe put the other women and kids at risk.”

“That was probably a smart move.”

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