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I almost burst into tears but quickly regain my composure.
“What about Lars or Vaughn or Christian or–”
“Oh, wait, I think Christian is here.”
“Put him on please, Vita.”
“Okay.”
I hear a stall door open and then the woman’s voice who lent me the phone soon after.
“Excuse me, are you still here?” she says out loud. The two of us never have exchanged names.
“Yes, I’m in here,” I reply. “Can I just have another minute though?”
“Uh, sure.”
Finally, Christian picks up the phone.
“Megan?”
“Hi, Christian!”
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay. Naomi’s dad made me get in the car with them basically at gunpoint and we've been driving for hours.”
“We know.”
“You know?”
“There are cameras positioned all around the perimeter of your apartment building. But why are you calling here? Hunter is going to burn this city down if you don’t contact him.”
“Believe it or not I don’t know his number by heart and I’m using someone else’s phone. Listen, I don’t have a lot of time and I can't make another phone call. You’re going to have to reach him for me.”
“Megan, where exactly are you?”
“I’m at a rest stop in Arizona.”
“Do you know what part of Arizona?”
“No.”
“Can you run?”
“No, a man is waiting very impatiently for me to finish in this bathroom.”
“Don't leave that bathroom and tell someone in there to go get the police.”
“I thought about that but Christian but I haven't seen anyone out there. Plus, even if there is someone, I’m pregnant and I’m scared. I think this guy Eddie would hurt me and other people if he caught me talking to an officer. I just need you to tell Hunter that I’m fine, that I’m sorry, and that Mr. Fabre is hell-bent on taking me to New Orleans with them.”
Then I start to cry.
“Don’t cry, Megan," Christian says. "Just play along and keep calm if you can’t get away from them.”
“I’m just getting so tired, Christian.”
“We’re going to get you back.” His voice wavers with emotion. “I promise you. Hunter knows you’ve been taken. He knows it’s Fabre. And he’s ten steps ahead of him. We’ll bring you home soon, okay?”