Escaping Reality

allow me to travel inside the States. At fifty dollars, it wins me
    over and I decide getting one is on my Wednesday agenda as a safety
    precaution.
    It’s nearly nine o’clock when Derek stops by again. I greet him at the
    door, feeling rather hostile at his presence. “Why are you here to check up
    on me for him but he can’t call me?”
    “Amy—”
    “Answer the question.”
    He scrubs his jaw. “He’s dealing with his father’s trash talk and it
    messes with his head more than you can possibly know.”
    “Exactly, because he’s shut me out.”
    “He’ll come around. Let me take you to dinner.”
    “No. I’m staying here. Thank you, though.” I don’t invite him in.
    “Liam says you need a job.”
    “I have one.”
    He studies me a moment. “Then why does he think you don’t?”
    “I’ll ask him if he calls me.”
    He sighs heavily. “Call me if you need me.”
    Guilt over my shortness is instant. “I’m sorry. Thank you. I will.”
    He leaves, and while I’m no longer hostile, I’m determined. The
    silence has to end. I call Liam and he doesn’t answer. That’s it. I’m taking
    action. I text him. Call me or I’m getting on a plane and finding you. And if
    you think I won’t do it, you don’t know me well.
    My cell rings instantly. I answer to hear, “Amy.” His voice is
    sandpaper rough, almost brittle.
    “I guess your quick call means you really want to stop me from
    showing up there.”
    “I don’t want you in this part of my life.”
    He thinks he’s bad for me. I think I’m bad for him. “You aren’t your
    father.”
    “You won’t convince him of that.” Bitterness and pain ripple through
    his words.
    “Let me come there and be with you.”
    “No. You will end up in the newspapers.”
    “And you don’t want me there.”
    “I don’t.”
    I flinch. “Okay. I get it. I’m going to go back to my apartment—”
    “No. Shit. Don’t. Please. I’m handling this all wrong, just like I did the
    other night in Earl’s. Look. Amy. I’m not the person I want you to know right
    now. That’s why I haven’t called.
    I don’t know what will come out of my mouth, but thinking about
    being back there with you is all that keeps me sane.”
    My eyes pinch. “Just come back,” I whisper. “When can you come
    back?”
    “Soon.”
    “Promise. I know how you feel about promises.”
    “I promise.” He hesitates. “Amy—”
    “Yes?” I hold my breath and wait, not sure what to expect.
    He lets out a breath. “Tell me you won’t leave.”
    “I won’t leave.”
    “Promise.”
    I squeeze my eyes shut. If I make this promise I have to tell him
    everything when he gets back. He can’t protect himself from a danger he
    doesn’t know exists. And I’m pretty certain he’d come after me if I left
    anyway. “I promise.”

    ***
    Wednesday morning I am at the bank when it opens to discover my
    account is as empty as my inbox remains. I’m frustrated with Meg’s “out
    with a client” and “haven’t had time to check the listings” text messages.
    Surely her boss has to have returned to town, and I head in that direction.
    When I find the office closed again, I do not feel good about this. I decide to
    walk to the back door and see if I can get into the building to look around.
    Once I’m in the small alleyway, I knock on the door to be safe, and
    receive no response. I try the door but it’s locked. There is a window that
    has to be Luke’s office and I decide to try it, praying I don’t get myself
    arrested. I peek in the window to find an empty office, without furniture or
    even boxes. The window is locked, so I move to the window on the
    opposite side of the building to find it’s vacant. Unease ripples through me.
    Something is very wrong about this.
    There could be another office, but from the lobby it looked very
    small inside. I don’t know what to do.
    As much as I dread it, I know I need to stop by the apartment and
    look for any notes. I still have no mail key since I can’t connect with Meg,
    but I’ll check my door.
    I arrive to find nothing on my door or under it. Hesitating, I turn to
    Jared’s door and decide to knock. He doesn’t answer. Figures.
    Deciding it is Meg and Luke I need to be researching, I stop by INK
    coffee shop near the hotel to splurge on a mocha to take with me to the
    room. I’ve just ordered when I hear, “Amy.”
    I turn and find Jared sitting in a corner chair with his computer in his
    lap, his long, light