Page 57 of Angels & Whiskey

“That was the tricky thing.” I took a quick sip of my coffee. “I thought long and hard about it. It had to be a place Rich could never find, but where I could still get to it.”

“Right. So where is it?”

I looked at Gabe briefly. He and Paul were staring at each other. They weren’t talking, but I knew they were listening. I’d never told Gabe that Rich had security cameras in the house. He probably never thought to ask me where I hid the gun, assuming I hide it in my underwear drawer or in a shoe box in the closet likenormalpeople.

“I had to make sure to cover my tracks since there’s a camera in the garage. So as I looked for the Gorilla glue, I found someheftyVelcro and quickly waded it up in my hand and continued looking until I found the glue.”

I paused and looked at all three. They all didn’t say anything as I continued to whisper to Brandi. “Then I went into my closet—which I’m almost positive doesn’t have a camera in it—and stuck the sticky side of a piece of the Velcro to the gun sleeve for the gun. Then I stuck it in the pocket of my black hoodie I was wearing that hid my bruises.”

“I’m following, A, but if Rich watches the camera feed, won’t he wonder why you needed the Gorilla glue?” Brandi asked, looking from me to Gabe as if to ask him if he were wondering the same thing.

“It was a coincidence really, but it gave me the idea for the Velcro. My laundry basket just happened to start cracking the same day, so I grabbed the basket, sat on the floor by the bed and glued the crack.”

“Okay, go on,” she said, gesturing for me to continue.

“While the basket was drying on the floor, I sat there as if I were waiting for it to dry while Ireadon my ereader. But really, I stuck a piece of the Velcro on the underside of the wood frame on my side of the bed. I don’t think … well I hope they couldn’t see what I was doing.” I shrugged. “Anyway, I slowly grabbed the gun in the holster and stuck it on the Velcro under the bed.”

“You better hope Rich couldn’t see that,” Brandi warned.

“That was a few days ago. I’ve checked since and it’s still there. I assume he watches the camera feed daily to make sure I’m not doing anything I shouldn’t be doing.”

“All this makes me sick to my stomach,” she moaned, giving me a worried look.

I sighed. “I know.”

“Autumn,” Gabe called. I slowly turned my head, but he was looking at Paul. “I bought the same gun so you could leave that one there and still practice how to shoot.”

It took me a few seconds to realize he was talking to me and not to Paul. “You did?” I asked, looking at Brandi.

“Yeah—”

“Wait … how are you two even a thing?” Brandi asked, nudging her head toward Gabe.

“Walk with me and I’ll fill you in,” Paul said as he stood.

Brandi got up a few seconds later and walked over to where Paul stood by the merchandise. They talked for a few minutes as Gabe and I didn’t say anything. Our next meeting was going to take place in the racquetball court because I hated not being able to talk freely.

A few more days passed and Rich was spending more and more time at work—or so he’d said. If his routine was changing, so was mine.

Me:Hey! Rich isn’t home and I’m bored. Want to go get a drink?

I waited for Brandi to text me back. It didn’t take long.

Brandi:Can you?

I sighed and responded back.

Me:He can’t expect me to stay locked up in the house while he’s working. I do that enough already. One drink won’t hurt.

Brandi:All right. I’ll pick you up in twenty.

I did a little happy dance as I made my way to my bathroom to do my makeup and change into something besides my pajamas. I put on a pair of tight, boot-cut jeans, a plain black tank top I’d paired with a long silver and black necklace with large beads. Since I hadn’t been out with Brandi in what seemed like forever, I took it as a special occasion and slipped on my black Louboutins.

As I was putting my finishing touches on my makeup, Brandi texted that she was out front. I grabbed my purse and left.

“Hey!” I greeted, slipping into her car.

“I feel like we’re teenagers and you’re sneaking out of your parents’ house.” She put the car in drive and I turned around as she drove to see if anyone was following us. I didn’t see any other cars and breathed a sigh of relief.