“Where are you meeting him? I’ll meet you there. Don’t go in until I get there. You can’t be that far ahead of me.”
“Don’t go in? What do you mean? I have to wait for you? I’m not meeting him in his room. I told him to meet me in the lobby. He’s staying at the Hampton Inn in Fredericksburg.”
I was stunned into silence. He’s in Fredericksburg? He’s been forty minutes away this whole time?
“Jessie, turn around and come home now.” I had the worst feeling in my gut.
“Scott, he was talking about hurting himself. I’m sorry…I just feel like I have to help him.”
I tried to stay calm. “Jessie, you don’t think it’s strange that he’s been staying in Fredericksburg?”
“I mean, I guess I was a little surprised he was there, but he is so afraid to go home and face his family, Scott. He said his dad kept telling him how much of a failure he was. He just needs a friend. I promise that we will sit in the lobby and talk until you get there.”
I squeezed my cell phone as I lowered it. I just wanted to throw it. Damn it! I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and turned to walk back into the house.
I put the phone up to my ear again. “Jessie, I’m so fucking pissed-off at you right now. Don’t go anywhere with him, and please don’t go up to his room.”
I ran up the steps two at a time and saw that Lark’s bedroom door was open. He was zipping up his suitcase, and he just looked at me.
“I’m not going to go up to his room! My god, Scott.”
“I really wish you would just come back and let me go with you,” I said as I held up my finger to answer Lark’s questioning look. My hands were shaking because I was so pissed-off…and worried.
“Just meet me at the hotel, and we can talk to him together.”
“Fine. I’m leaving now. I’ll call you when I get on the road,” I said.
“Scott?”
I didn’t say anything. The bad feeling in my stomach was growing stronger and stronger.
“Scott, please don’t be mad at me. I love you, baby. I love you more than anything. I just felt so bad for him.”
I slowly nodded my head even though she couldn’t see me. “I’m calling Josh now. I don’t want you meeting with him alone. I’m telling you, Jessie, I don’t think this guy is who you think he is.”
“If calling Josh will make you feel better, I’m totally fine with that until you get there.”
“Jessie, let me know when you get there. I’m on my way.”
“I will. Love you to the moon and back, baby,” she said.
My heart broke in two. “I love you to the moon and back, too.”
I hung up and immediately called Josh.
“What in the hell is going on, dude?” Lark asked.
“Give me two—”
“Josh! Are you in Fredericksburg? That fucker Trey called Jessie. Told her a bunch of shit that scared her, made her think he was going to hurt himself. She panicked and left while Lark and I were down at the stable. He’s staying at the Hampton Inn there. Jessie is going to meet him in the lobby. I have a really bad feeling, and she won’t wait until I get there. Can you hightail it over until I get there? Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Josh. I just don’t have a good feeling about this. The fact that he is still around and staying in Fredericksburg just sits wrong with me. Thanks. I’ll leave here as fast as I can.”
I hit End and looked at Lark.
He nodded his head and said, “Let’s go. I’ll drive my truck.”
As we walked down the hall, Azurdee came up the stairs.
“Where is Jessie?” she asked.