Page 49 of The Familiar Stranger

“It’s not here,” he said. “She has to have it on her. If she’s in trouble, she’ll use it. We practiced a million times.”

Assuming she could get to it—a thought I kept to myself. All in all, this was great news. Andi was a scrapper. If she had been taken, and if there was a way out, a means of escape, she’d find it.

“Mike, hold on to that hope,” I said.

“I sure will. See you soon.”

We said our goodbyes, and I called Maddie, telling her about the discussion I’d just had with Mike.

“Oh, please let the Birdie sing,” Maddie said through a yawn. “Sorry, I’m tired.”

So was I.

Exhausted.

And then she screamed, and I slammed my foot on the brakes, frozen at the wheel.

CHAPTER33

I pulled over to the side of the road, my movements robotic.

“Maddie!” I shouted into the phone. “Maddie, answer me right now!”

All I could hear was a car door opening, shuffling of … feet? I could hear her screams, but they were farther away now. She must have left her phone behind while she …

Did what?

Things were getting out of hand, and I was helpless to stop any of it.

“Maddie!”

She was still screaming, short bursts …

Wait, that’s strange.

On second thought, they didn’t sound like screams of pain or horror.

More like a squeal, the sound she made when she was excited about something.

More car doors opened and closed.

I heard Maddie’s rapid breaths, then she giggled.

“Maddie? Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Holy crap, Sloane,” she said, huffing and puffing. “I-I found Andi.”

“What? Where is she? Is she okay?”

“She’s right here. She looks good to me. You good, Andi?”

I heard Andi say, “Sure am!”

“Where was she? How did you find her?”

“She ran right in front of me. I was stopped at a corner, about to turn, and then there she was there,bam,bam,bam, pounding on the hood.”

“You need to get out of there.”