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Carla
“I’m starting to get nervous.”
I glance at the time before sending another text to Kimmie. It goes unanswered, like my previous texts and calls.
TJ’s pacing his office like a caged animal. “Tell me one more time what she said at the nail salon.”
“We got our nails done. I said I had to go back to work for a few hours. I told her to meet me here at five. She said okay. She seemed excited.” I swallow past the lump in my throat. “What are you thinking?”
TJ rakes a hand through his hair for the tenth time, pulling at the ends. “You don’t want to know what I’m thinking.”
I stand from the chair in front of his desk and grip his shoulders. “Stop pacing. Please. I need you to talk to me.”
His eyes slam shut, like it pains him to say the words aloud. “I think something’s wrong. We should go to her house.”
“I have her address on file.” I run out of his office and return in seconds with Kimmie’s file.
TJ types the address into his phone and grabs my hand.
Without a word, we climb into his truck. TJ follows his GPS and in ten minutes, he pulls off the main road. Gravel crunches under his tires while we search for Kimmie’s mobile home.
“There!” I point out my window and fling off my seatbelt.
TJ’s hand wraps around my wrist. “Carla, I need you to wait here.”
“No way. I’m coming with you.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what we’re walking into. I’d rather you stayed in the truck.”
“I said I’m coming with you.” I yank free from his grasp and hop out of the truck.
TJ beats me to the door and knocks. “Kimmie? Are you in there?”
I cup my hands around my eyes as I squint through the window. “There’s a light on, but I can’t see anything.”
His knocks turn to pounds. “Kimmie! It’s TJ. Open up!”
I push past him and try the doorknob. The door swings open, but I remain frozen where I stand. Closing my eyes, I inhale a shaky breath.
“I’ll go in first,” TJ says.
The lights are on in the kitchen, but nobody’s there. Two bowls with milk sit on the kitchen table beside an opened box of cereal.
I follow TJ into the narrow hallway. There’s not much space, and he looks like a giant.
“Kimmie?” I call. “Are you here? We have to get you ready for the dance tonight.” My hands are shaking. The deafening sound of blood pounding in my ears fills the eerie silence.
The bathroom door is open, but empty.
TJ points to the bedrooms. “Let’s check this one first. Stay behind me.”
I nod, hoping my face looks braver than I feel. Holding my breath, I count to three while TJ’s turns the knob.
One.
Two.
Three.
