Page 91

COLTER
I love you.
Sorry I was too big of a coward to tell you in person.
-A
Two sentences. That’s all she gives me in this pathetic excuse of a goodbye. Two sentences to haunt me the rest of my life.
I stare at the note in my hands, left on my bedside table, and my mind goes completely numb. It’s what I do when my mind can’t seem to take what’s happening. It’s what it’s always done.
I love you.
I read the sentence over and over and don’t dare move. My lungs get heavy and a lump forms in my throat. My face remains blank.
“She’s gone.” Ethan’s voice breaks through the haze, and I turn my head toward him. He frowns. “Sorry, boss.”
My hand tightens around the note until one side crumples. “When did she leave?”
“This afternoon… They waited until the car out front left.”
“Car out front?” I toss the paper down and stomp over to Ethan. “What car out front?”
Ethan’s face contorts into pity, and he shakes his head. “I’m not sure who was in it, but it was a black Nissan. Abi watched it through a pair of your binoculars until it left.”
“And you let her leave?!” I grab him by his suit jacket and yank. “Why wouldn’t you call me?”
Ethan shoves me off him and backs up a step. “Because she didn’t want me to. What did you want me to do? Hold her prisoner? She was going to leave whether you wanted her to or not, sir.”
I rake my hands through my hair and tug, my mind racing a hundred miles an hour. Tomorrow we were supposed to talk to a lawyer. We were supposed to wait this out, use my contacts, pay off the police if we had to, just to buy us some time. I was willing to do anything,anythingto keep her safe.
Why would she run?
“She didn’t want to ruin your life. She...” Ethan sighs, and I narrow my eyes as I stare at him, waiting intently on his explanation. I didn’t realize I asked the question out loud. “She knew how being with her would make you look. She knew it would ruin your career.”
“She told you this?”
Ethan shakes his head. “She didn’t have to… I would have done the same for my wife. I would have doneanythingfor her.”
The way he says it doesn’t sit right with me, but I give him a knowing nod anyway. I feel bad for Ethan, but I can’t afford to right now.
I need to find Abi.
I start toward the door but Ethan doesn’t move from it. My brows pinch and I give him a pointed look, but he doesn’t budge.
“There’s something else,” he says.
“What?”
“I’m putting in my resignation.” Ethan swallows the emotion filling his words. “It’s been an honor to work for you, and I appreciate the opportunity.”
I take a step back and tilt my head, studying him. A sickening feeling takes over me, and dread sits heavy in my gut.
No.
“Ethan, what did you do?”
He says nothing. Guilt is written all over his expression, and I pray it’s guilt from letting Abi leave. For waiting to tell me about it.