Page 132 of Out on a Limb
Instead all I heard were muffled voices.
Male muffled voices.
“Get it.”
The sound on the line cleared.
“Shut it off.”The words were sharp and angry.
Then the line went dead in my ear.
“Shit.” I shifted into reverse, phone slipping from my hand as I whipped out of the spot using the backup camera.
Right now I didn’t care who I hit.
Because there was only one explanation for what was going on.
Collette was in that fucking van.
I punched the gas as I exited in the same direction the van had taken less than thirty seconds ago.
The tires screamed as I turned out of the lot and onto the main road, horns honking as I shoved the Jeep into a gap about a half a car too small. I didn’t care if I got hit.
Didn’t care what happened to anything but Collette.
I’d buy her a new Jeep. Sell my house to make it happen.
Work for free until I died.
Whatever it took to get to her.
I caught a glimpse of the van ten cars ahead of me.
I needed to get closer.
Unfortunately, no one else on the road was driving with the same urgency. I was caught behind an old man in a sedan, and the lane to my right was moving even slower.
But the oncoming lane was free.
Free enough.
I jumped across the yellow line and put my boot to the floor, accelerating as I passed the old man to the left. Right as my back quarter panel passed his front bumper a box truck moved into the oncoming lane.
He immediately laid on his horn.
Like he thought I gave a shit that he was about to crap his pants.
I jerked the wheel to the right, making it out of the oncoming lane and in front of the old man just in time to save us all.
Hopefully that included Collette.
I slapped around the console, looking for the phone I’d dropped.
The van made a right turn, forcing me to make another lane change.
This time I cut off a woman in a minivan drinking an iced coffee. Instead of using her horn she held both middle fingers up at me, her mouth working animatedly.
Good thing I couldn’t read lips.
