Page 101 of Protect Me
“Don’t call anyone.”
I ignored him, but felt the vibrant fear in his voice. The phone brightened, activating with a quick touch. To avoid taking my eyes off Timothy to dial, I commanded, “Call Vikram.”
By some miracle of technology, the command went through. Seconds later, a ringing phone broke the air. Spray pointed at Timothy, I kept a wary eye on him. He shuffled back another step.
“Hey,” Vik said.
“I’m at Tempest Lake,” I blurt out. “Timothy is here. I need you to come right now.”
A pause for less than a breath followed.
“I’m . . . way.”
The call cut out.
Relief swelled through me. If he cut through Daniel’s private land—which I had no doubt he would do—Vikram could be at the trailhead in fifteen minutes. I could handle this for that long.
Timothy lifted one hand in the air, as if that would fend me off.
“I don’t want to ever talk to you again,” he muttered. “I didn’t follow you. I’m just . . . here for a little time.”
Behind him, hints of a rough camp were just visible. An old tent. Draped bags that looked like water purifiers. A sleeping bag hung over branches.
“Is this what you were stealing from garages?” I asked.
His nostrils flared. “Sometimes.”
“What did you sell behind the coffee shop?”
A twisted expression crossed his face before he muttered, “All the rest. I have to eat somehow.”
“So you stole things and sold them?”
He shrugged.
My feet twitched to step away from him, to head back to the parking lot, but I couldn’t do that without turning my back. If I attempted to walk backward while keeping my eyes on him, I could trip over something and land in the water. It would be just the moment Timothy needed to do something drastic and stupid.
Never. Again.
Timothy’s nose twitched as I gazed around, then back to him. He hadn’t moved, frozen in position. Yet again, I had startled him as much as he startled me. I kept the phone in my hand, a wary eye on Timothy. He backed up one step, nostrils flared. It looked more like he braced himself than attempted to leave. He shoved a hand over his head, teeth clenched.
“How about we both leave at the same time?” I suggested.
“Was that your boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“Vikram?” His nostrils flared. “He’ll call Hernandez.”
I swallowed.
“Damn you, Kate! Now the deputies will come and my cover is blown.”
I edged backward. Memories threatened to surface, but I wouldn’t let them. I covered their simmering, hot forms and forced myself to think. This time, I wasn’t without advantage. Help was on the way. I had pepper spray to at least blind Timothy until I could get away. Daylight. Awareness. Years of classes to help me defend myself. This wasn’t the same Kate he took advantage of before.
Carefully, I shuffled a step back. A twig cracked under my weight.
“Let’s take this easy,” I murmured. “I’ll head back to my car, you stay here. Vikram will take me away as soon as he arrives.”
