Good Boy... Bad Man: The All-American Boy

“No problem, your ride is two minutes out,”

“Thanks, Dottie,” I whisper before heading outside to wait.

“Maybe so, but it’s not our problem either. She wants to be this way, Evie. You’ve got a good heart, but only an addict can say when the time to quit is. If we try to do it for her, she’ll get worse.”

“So we do nothing?” I ask as I climb into the backseat of the blacked-out Escalade that pulls up in front of me. The doors lock, and the driver pulls out of the driveway. I am way too excited to get to the set, especially now that I know I was made for this role. I hope I do it justice.

“Right. There is nothing we can do.”

“I’m sure you’re right, Jenna, but it sucks.”

“Don’t worry about it. Enjoy your man and your movie,” she says.

“You too. I can’t believe I have a brother in law now. Congratulations, Jenna.”

“Thank you but I’m sure I will have one soon too.”

“What? We just met last night.”

“So what?”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I’m always right, little sister.”

“You never let me forget that do you?” I ask, giggling.

“Hell no. I gotta go, but call me soon, okay?”

“Sure. Love you.”

“Love you too,” I tell her before hanging up. I look around and realize I don’t know where we are. Not that I would, but it doesn’t seem right. “Excuse me, sir? Where are we going?” I ask the driver, but he doesn’t answer me. “Sir?”

“Do you ever shut up?” he growls, and I know something is very, very wrong. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. “Give me your phone.”

“No,” I say, about to dial 911.

“Now, or I shoot you.”

“You’re not going to shoot me.” I’m about seventy percent sure of that. I hit the emergency button on my phone, but it doesn’t connect. Shit. No service. This is supposed to be 5G, and of course, it doesn’t work when I need it to.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“You have your reasons for kidnapping me. Whatever they are, I am sure I need to be alive, at least for now.” The man doesn’t say anything for the longest time.

“Do you?” he asks. He pulls the car over on the longest, loneliest stretch of highway I’ve ever seen and turns slightly to face the backseat. He’s a classically handsome man with an angular jaw. He’s got a short, dark crew cut and a scar that’s shaped like a river on his right cheek. I’ll never forget his face for as long as I live. I hear a gun cock. He points it at my face before moving it slowly down my body. I jump at the loud sound the gun makes in the confined space. The next thing I know, I’m in searing pain. The sick bastard shot me in the foot. I look down, watching as the leopard print pattern of my shoe gets covered in blood. “Phone. Now.” I toss my phone at him, wishing I could try to knock him out with it. I know that if I miss, he’ll shoot me again.

“What do you want?” I ask, wondering what this is all about.

“Your sister, but you’ll do for now.” Of course, I think as the butt of the gun draws nearer to my head before he hits me with it. My vision starts to blur, and I know that I am fading. My last thought is of Adam, and I can’t help thinking that my life is over and it just barely began.

Chapter Seven

It’s half past eight and Evie still isn’t here. Where could she possibly be? I called the Abernathy and she left an hour ago. Something drops into the pit of my stomach and I know that something is wrong. The table read doesn’t go as scheduled because most of the lines are Evie’s. Did she change her mind about the movie? About us? No, there’s no way that’s it. Last night proved that she’s mine. After several more hours, I call Evie’s manager, Erik, who put me in touch with Jenna ,because she is also his client. A few hours later, Jenna, her new husband, Darren, and Erik show up on set. The police get involved and I start to lose my mind. Her parents show up. It takes everything in me to not confront her mother. It won’t be helpful now.

Hours turn into days and there has been no word on Evie. Her phone was turned off barely a mile from the Abernathy. Her purse is still in her room so robbery wasn’t the motive according to the police. The only we can do is wait for a ransom because that’s what this is, it has to be. But nothing has come. It’s been five days and none of her family has received anything about her. I overhear some asshole federal agent talking about how she’s probably dead but I can’t believe that. I’d know. Somehow, I’d know that she was gone, wouldn’t I?