Page 62 of Unmasking Secrets
“It was shot down somewhere they weren’t supposed to be. It’s been over a week since they’ve had contact.” He leads me out of the kitchen. “Mom is on the phone with Lee right now.”
“Archie’s dad? Then we should hang up. What if they’re trying to call his parents right now. You need to keep the line clear.” I turn to Mom. “Hang up!”
Her mom closes her eyes, and more tears fall.
It feels like all the air is being pulled from my body. I can’t catch my breath. All the air has been sickout and my legs give out from underneath me. I feel dad’s arms around me as I gasp for breath.
Not Archie. Not my Archie. It’s impossible. He’s supposed to be indestructible. He’s supposed to come back!
I push up and away and run out the door. I don’t bother shutting it behind me as I sprint down the street and around the block.
The Strykers only live a few blocks over. This had to be a misunderstanding. I’ll get there and they’ll tell me something else. This has to be a mistake. It’s someone else. Not my Archie.
He has to be okay.
I bang on the door as I attempt to catch my breath.
Lee opens it. “She’s here.” His eyes are puffy as he opens the door wider.
I walk past him to find Gracie leaning forward on the couch. Her head is in hands, elbows braced on her knees. She looks up at me with tears in her eyes.
I shake my head as I run over to her. Our arms wrap around each other as the tears fall.
I don’t want to believe. I can’t lose my best friend. I’ll never be able to survive a world without him in it.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
ARCHIE
“You know, I could see the way she looked at you. Even back then.” Ryan steps from the shadows, blocking my path. “It shouldn’t surprise me.”
I stop in the hallway. Everything is supposed to be happening in the basement, but he’s not down there yet. I know there’s a restroom nearby I can pretend to go to until he heads down there. But this? It’s like he was waiting for me.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I lie.
He laughs and his eyes darken. “Yeah, you do. You’re all I ever heard about, especially from her parents. My God! They wouldn’t shut up about how much they loved you. Even at our wedding, the best friend. I suppose it was only a matter of time before she wanted a divorce. It’s not like she could get pregnant and give me the one thing she was supposed to be good for.” He spits it out like venom. “Hope you aren’t planning on starting with a family with her, she’s useless.”
This asshole. I bike back what I want to say. He never deserved her and he never needs to know the truth of what happened in the end.
He steps closer to me. “Yeah, you probably have your own issues. Men in the military normally do.”
I know he means to offend me, but his insults don’t bother me. Not when it comes to me directly. I served my time and met some of the bravest and genuine people while serving.
“See you around.” He chuckles and walks back into the shadows.
Like it’s his creepy little hiding hole.
I keep my face straight and make my way to the bathroom. Once inside, I pull out my phone to text my team.
Me: Someone have eyes on Tabitha?
Brian: I do. I’m not letting her out of my sight.
Me: Ryan is in the hallway outside the South bathroom. I stepped inside to not make it obvious we’re on to him.
Tyler: The team is already in place downstairs.
We havetwo downstairs acting as servers for the underground event. Along with a few undercover agents Tyler has been in contact with thanks to Ryan’s mom. I still can’t believe his mom is throwing him and his father under the bus. You’d have to massively screw up to not have your own mom watching your back.
