Page 104

Then there’s food. I definitely need that. At this moment, I am thankful for the account that I have set up with the fund from my father’s death. At least I can take care of myself, find my mother, and figure out what the fuck is going on.
As I walk through the snack aisle, I grab a bag of peanut butter M&Ms. My absolute favorite. I turn to go put it in my basket when a body suddenly bumps into me. The sour smell of his body odor assaults my nose.
“Oh, sorry, miss. I didn’t mean to run into you.” He smiles at me, and I wish he didn’t. His teeth are rotting away all the way to the gums.
I offer no words, but a slight smile as I place the bag in my cart. Las Vegas can be filled with some shady characters, and being in the part of the city I am, there’s definitely a higher chance of that.
But the creep factor is high with this one. As I push the cart away, I hear him laughing.
Did I mention the creep factor was high with him? Weird.
When I finally get checked out of the ridiculously long lines at the checkout lanes, I grab the few bags that I have around my arm and head toward the bus stop. Once there, I grab the pamphlet and check to see what time the next bus is coming.
About ten minutes later, a bus pulls up and I get on. The bus ride is a couple minutes from Walmart. Once I reach my destination, I hop off the bus and head onto the Motel Sunrise property which is right next to the stop.
When I reach my room, I immediately lock myself in and get to putting my stuff away.
Once I am done, I plop on my bed and set up my phone. After I get the plan loaded, I bring up the keypad and dial my mom’s number.
The phone goes straight to voicemail.
“Mom, it’s me. Rory. Well, actually you would probably just figure that out because I am the only one that would call you mom. Anyway, look, I am in Las Vegas. I am okay. But I needed out of Texas. Something is going on. I swear I heard Dad. I-I can explain when you call me back. I don’t want you to worry.
“But… Look, can you please just call me? You have been MIA for too long now. And I-I am starting to get really worried for you. Aaron keeps saying you’re on vacation, but he won’t tell us where.”
The phone beeps and cuts me off, so I call back.
“Sorry, got cut off. Just call me. At least let me know that you are okay. I really miss you, Mom. Shit is fucked up. Sorry, I know I’m swearing, but I don’t have a clue as to what’s going on. Look, I’m okay, just know that. But I am not coming back to Texas. I am going to try to get into UNLV and get an apartment near campus.”
I pause for a moment and sigh.
“I am staying at a crappy Motel Sunrise for now. Off of Boulder. Yeah, not the best, but it’s cheap. Call me, Mom. The number to this phone is 702-407-2502. Love you.”
I hang up the phone and throw it on the mattress beside me. There is a serious need for a shower and brushing of my teeth. Jumping out of bed, I grab a pair of clothes to change into and a couple towels. I turn the knob to the shower and get it as hot as a Motel Sunrise shower will get.
Once I slip under the shower head, I try to let everything just go.
My mind immediately jumps to the three assholes who completely had me falling for their Romeo bullshit.
And I hate that I did. Get a couple dicks and bam! Apparently, I think they walk on water.
I roll my eyes. I need my vag to keep it together.
But then my mind goes back to the three pieces I can’t make sense of. The kidnapping outside the drive-in, the kidnapping at the fraternity, and the fire in my dorm.
None of those seem like it would be something the guys would do. In fact, they looked genuinely concerned after each incident. But if they wanted me gone, scaring me would have been a way…
But my dad’s voice. There would have been no way they got that. Unless they had it from when he went to school at Groveton College.
And that’s a whole other can of worms. I rub my forehead. All of this is so confusing. Where the fuck does it all come together?
There is no way the guys would have started the fire, knowing they could have killed me. They wanted me to go back to Vegas, and not in a body bag.
Or in ashes.
It’s why I need my mom. She has to know something that can explain something, anything. Like that picture of my dad in the frat. Maybe that’s the answer. Maybe figuring out why my dad had a different name is the key to solving at least one piece of this puzzle.
David Grey. That name has to mean something.