she knows what's happening and shove it down in my pocket. Looking back over my shoulder, I back my truck up away from her car and speed onto the main drag.
"Why'd you do that? I just wanted to make sure it's locked. That was the whole point of this," she says, her voice unusually high.
"Your tires are slashed. Can you be sure the car's not rigged with an explosive?"
"A what? You're crazy. No one would do that."
"Crazy, huh? Bet you never expected to find your tires slashed either."
She turns from me and looks out the window.
"Tell me about your ex," I order while speeding away. "How long has he been stalking you?"
"Bailey? He's not stalking me. And he wouldn't do this. He has no reason to. He's the one that broke up with me."
Allie's too dismissive. She's not grasping the severity of the situation. "He broke up with you?"
"Yes."
"What exactly did he say?"
"I don't know. It was months ago, and I don't remember much after he told me he knocked her up."
"Think. Did he actually break up with you, or did he tell you she's pregnant and you broke up with him?"
"It's the same thing."
"No, it isn't. He said he's been calling you for months and you haven't returned a call. Tell me about his messages."
"There's nothing to tell. It's just him apologizing and asking me to call back."
"When was the last call?"
"I don't know. Weeks ago. I didn't even listen to the last few. I just deleted them."
"Then you have no read on how desperate he's become."
"He has nothing to be desperate about."
"Unless he wants you back or if he wants you on the sideline waiting for him."
"I didn't sit around waiting for him before we broke up. He did his thing and I did mine, which is how we ended up..." She stops suddenly, runs her hands through her hair, and sucks in a deep breath before continuing. "He knows he has zero chance of me hanging around or getting back with him. Not when she's carrying his baby." I don't miss how her voice cracks on the last few words. "Seriously, Bailey might be a jerk, but he's not violent. He wouldn't do this."
She's defending him. That doesn't bode well for her. Or for me.
"Who've you been out with since? Anyone that seemed a little off to you? A little too possessive or someone that wanted to move too fast?"
"No."
"Anyone acting weird that won't take no for an answer."
"Besides you right now?"
I shoot her a warning look. This isn't something to make light of. Unless she means it. I've been doing my best to keep things light, but it’s possible I'm too intense for her and she's not ready for me.
She shakes her head. "I haven't been on any dates."
"Then it comes back to Bailey."
"It doesn't have to be personal."
"Yes. It does. Someone's sending you a message, and if you can't think of anyone else, then Bailey is the likely suspect."
"Why are you harping on this?"
"Because you're in danger!"
"Again, we don't know that."
"Fine, then tell me, when was the last time someone did you a solid and slashed your tires?" I don't mean to yell at her, but I'm already uptight, and her lack of reason is starting to piss me off. I feel the tension in my grip on the wheel and hope I can keep it confined to my hands.
She shakes her head, "Never."
"Never. And it just so happens tonight when he sees you out with another guy."
Her eyes narrow at me. I'm sorry she's pissed that I'm stating the obvious, but she needs to deal with it. I hear the tight hard tone of my voice. I need to bring it down a notch. "Look, I'm sorry, but he's the most likely suspect. This was not a random act. Trust me on this."
I can't tell if I swayed her any, since she doesn't have a retort to my last comment, and she's looking out her window instead of in my direction. She's quiet, and I don't want to push her any further right now. We drive for the next five minutes in an uncomfortable silence, with an invisible barrier rising up between us.
"This isn't the way home, where are you taking me?"
"To my place. You're not spending the
"Why'd you do that? I just wanted to make sure it's locked. That was the whole point of this," she says, her voice unusually high.
"Your tires are slashed. Can you be sure the car's not rigged with an explosive?"
"A what? You're crazy. No one would do that."
"Crazy, huh? Bet you never expected to find your tires slashed either."
She turns from me and looks out the window.
"Tell me about your ex," I order while speeding away. "How long has he been stalking you?"
"Bailey? He's not stalking me. And he wouldn't do this. He has no reason to. He's the one that broke up with me."
Allie's too dismissive. She's not grasping the severity of the situation. "He broke up with you?"
"Yes."
"What exactly did he say?"
"I don't know. It was months ago, and I don't remember much after he told me he knocked her up."
"Think. Did he actually break up with you, or did he tell you she's pregnant and you broke up with him?"
"It's the same thing."
"No, it isn't. He said he's been calling you for months and you haven't returned a call. Tell me about his messages."
"There's nothing to tell. It's just him apologizing and asking me to call back."
"When was the last call?"
"I don't know. Weeks ago. I didn't even listen to the last few. I just deleted them."
"Then you have no read on how desperate he's become."
"He has nothing to be desperate about."
"Unless he wants you back or if he wants you on the sideline waiting for him."
"I didn't sit around waiting for him before we broke up. He did his thing and I did mine, which is how we ended up..." She stops suddenly, runs her hands through her hair, and sucks in a deep breath before continuing. "He knows he has zero chance of me hanging around or getting back with him. Not when she's carrying his baby." I don't miss how her voice cracks on the last few words. "Seriously, Bailey might be a jerk, but he's not violent. He wouldn't do this."
She's defending him. That doesn't bode well for her. Or for me.
"Who've you been out with since? Anyone that seemed a little off to you? A little too possessive or someone that wanted to move too fast?"
"No."
"Anyone acting weird that won't take no for an answer."
"Besides you right now?"
I shoot her a warning look. This isn't something to make light of. Unless she means it. I've been doing my best to keep things light, but it’s possible I'm too intense for her and she's not ready for me.
She shakes her head. "I haven't been on any dates."
"Then it comes back to Bailey."
"It doesn't have to be personal."
"Yes. It does. Someone's sending you a message, and if you can't think of anyone else, then Bailey is the likely suspect."
"Why are you harping on this?"
"Because you're in danger!"
"Again, we don't know that."
"Fine, then tell me, when was the last time someone did you a solid and slashed your tires?" I don't mean to yell at her, but I'm already uptight, and her lack of reason is starting to piss me off. I feel the tension in my grip on the wheel and hope I can keep it confined to my hands.
She shakes her head, "Never."
"Never. And it just so happens tonight when he sees you out with another guy."
Her eyes narrow at me. I'm sorry she's pissed that I'm stating the obvious, but she needs to deal with it. I hear the tight hard tone of my voice. I need to bring it down a notch. "Look, I'm sorry, but he's the most likely suspect. This was not a random act. Trust me on this."
I can't tell if I swayed her any, since she doesn't have a retort to my last comment, and she's looking out her window instead of in my direction. She's quiet, and I don't want to push her any further right now. We drive for the next five minutes in an uncomfortable silence, with an invisible barrier rising up between us.
"This isn't the way home, where are you taking me?"
"To my place. You're not spending the
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