Page 42 of Truth & Lies

“Hey, you can’t—”

“Sorry, but this is an emergency. I need to get to my mother’s house ASAP,” I tell the driver. His eyes go wide, not missing the urgency in my voice, before he quickly faces the road and pulls out into traffic.

“Is everything okay? Do we need to call an ambulance?” he asks, his gaze meeting mine in the rear-view mirror.

“I just need to get there fast,” I rush out, wringing my hands in my lap and silently praying that Gavin hasn’t hurt Barrett. Then it hits me, Mom is coming home today.

Without another thought, I press redial on Marlee’s number and she answers within two rings. “Alyssa? Did you get hold of him?”

“Marlee . . . Detective . . .” I clear my throat and will myself to keep my emotions in check. “Do you know when my mother is due back?”

“I have it somewhere. Just give me a moment and I’ll be able to find it on my desk.” The line goes quiet bar the distant sound of shuffling papers. “Here it is; her flight was landing at three p.m. at McCarron. Is something wrong? You sound scared.”

“I . . . I can’t tell you but you need to stop her from going home.”

“What do you mean? If something’s wrong, I can help.”

“He said no cops and no FBI,” I whisper. “Shit. Forget it. Forget I said anything. I’ve got to go.” I hang up and quickly turn my phone off.

My only hope is that I can get there before anything happens to Barrett.

Twenty minutes later, the cab pulls into my mother’s street, only to be met by a police car blocking the road.

“No, no, no!” I cry, slamming my hands against the safety glass and scaring the driver. He turns to look at me then gets out, standing beside the car with his hands held up.

“She just told me to drive here. I know nothing!” he shouts at the two police officers approaching him.

I jump out of the cab and run to one of the officers. “I have to get to my mother’s house. It’s an emergency!”

“Ms. Jacobs?”

“Yes. I know Detective Manning sent you, but you need to leave.” I look around the street, the sidewalk, and then down the road where my mother’s house is. “I don’t even know if he’s there, but I have to check. I have to try!” My voice cracks as I wrap my arms around my waist, hugging myself as I stand in the middle of the street. The three men stand there watching me with wide eyes.

“Let me make a call. We’re just first responders to an urgent request for assistance. My only instruction was to block access to the street and wait for back-up.” He gives me a curt nod and walks back to the police car, sitting in the passender seat and lifting the radio to his mouth.

With no other option, I pull out my phone and turn it back on, quickly dialing Marlee’s number again.

“Alyssa, I need you to stay where you are. We’ve tracked Gavin’s phone and we know he’s at your mother’s house.”

“He said no cops! No FBI! He has Barrett!” I’m hysterical now as I desperately wrack my brain for a way to get to Barrett and keep the police away.

“You need to tell me exactly what he said to you, Alyssa. I’ve gotta know what units we need.”

“He has a gun and he has Barrett, and unless I come alone, he’s going to shoot him,” I sob, pacing back and forth like a mad woman. “Marlee, I need to go. He told me to get there.”

“You can’t help Barrett if you go in there and getshot,Alyssa. I need you to take a deep breath and think if there’s anything else you can tell me.”

“I don’t know anything else!”

“If you don’t think you can stay there, I’m going to get an officer to bring you in. Just until we know it’s safe,” she replies.

“No!I can’t leave. I need to get to Barrett.” My heart is racing, my hands so clammy my phone keeps slipping in my hand.

“I’m five minutes away and S.W.A.T. is seven minutes behind me. I just need you to hang tight a little longer.” Her words are reassuring, especially knowing that help is on its way. I try telling myself I just have to wait five more minutes for her to arrive, and she’d be here.

Or else I have five minutes to make a run for it and hope like hell I don’t get shot in the process.

I choose the latter.

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