Page 13 of Lose to Win: Lost Trilogy: Part 3
She hesitates for a second too long. “At my house.”
“How did that happen?” I speak through clenched teeth. I try not to lash out at her, but it’s so fucking hard.
“After I visited with my mom,” she mumbles, and I struggle to hear what she’s saying, “I just needed some time alone. So I came here.”
I don’t point out that she was in my bedroom at my house for somealone timewhen we got there after her shift at the hospital. How much more alone did she need to be?
“What number are you calling from?” I don’t want to snap at her, but goddamn it, this is bullshit what she’s doing to me right now.
“Oh, I… I couldn’t find my phone anymore, so I stopped by the store and got a new one.”
Nothing that she tells me is making any sense. I calm down for a bit so that I can process things better.
“You left the cemetery, then drove to a cell phone store, got a new phone and number, then went to your house?”
Malone watches me carefully when I recount to Emily everything she’s supposedly done after leaving my place. His eyebrows climb up on his forehead.
“Uh, yes,” she fumbles with her answer. “I just need a change in my life. Why not start with a new phone number, right?” She laughs when she says it, but she doesn’t sound amused by anything, not in the true sense of the word.
“I’m on my way to get you.”
I bring the phone from my ear without waiting for her to respond.
“Something is up,” I tell Malone as I start running toward the truck I left parked in the alley.
I drive back to Sunny like my ass is on fire, and my tires are squealing when I pull into her driveway.
There’s no other car here.
I pop the door open and run to the front door. I don’t even bother to try the doorknob. Instead, I kick it, and it flies open way too easily.
“Emily,” I yell into the house, but there’s no response. I run from room to room, angry with the fact that the house is so small, and I don’t have more places to look for her.
“Puck,” Malone calls my name. “Calm down, brother.”
“Emily,” I yell again, knowing full well she’s not here.
Malone puts a gentle hand on me, getting my full attention.
“She’s back at your place, Puck.”
I am about to explode and take all my anger on him, even though I am aware there’s no way I can take him out. I try to regroup and pay attention when he leans into me.
“Don’t let them see you like this.”
It is a reminder of all the cameras placed strategically around Emily’s small home. I nod and start walking back outside. I don’t say a word until I’m standing by the truck.
“Something’s up,” I murmur in Malone’s direction when he joins me here.
“No doubt,” he grumbles.
“Let’s go.”
We each get into our respective vehicles and leave Emily’s driveway. As I drive, my mind is going into a million directions. I decide to call Sully. He’s my best friend, he’ll know what the fuck I need to do.
“You got her?” he asks as soon as he answers.
“She wasn’t there.” I proceed to tell him all that happened from the time I left Becca’s house until this very moment.
