Insubstantially Me

Chapter 32

What's taking him so long? I wanted to scream as I made my obsessive circuit around the tiny apartment the way I had been for the last excruciatingly long forty-eight minutes.

My compulsive path began at the living room window, checking for David to come back before I moved to the kitchen to peer out of that small window as an extra check. When that failed to produce any new information, I found myself in the bedroom, debating whether or not to just pack up my things and get out through the fire escape before it was too late.

But then I'd remind myself that I had exactly nowhere to go and that if I moved too far in any direction, that man would be on me in a few minutes. Besides, although my ankle was much better, it wasn't going to support any great exertions like running.

And then there was David. I was desperately trying to have faith in him. I had no one else and I really wanted to believe I didn't need anyone else.

Those thoughts would bring me back to the living room, where I'd sit anxiously on the couch for about five minutes before getting up and doing the whole thing again.

As I was coming out of the bedroom for the millionth time, I heard the front door being unlocked. My breath caught because I didn't hear David's keys jingling the way I normally did. I had no idea what he said, but the man on the other side of the door had a deeper voice than David.

There wasn't time to make it back to the bedroom, so I ducked behind the door instead. My best option was going to be to take whoever it was by surprise and then escape. I held my breath as the knob turned and the door opened.

"You'd better not-"

The man was saying something, but I didn't hesitate. His light brown, slightly graying hair and deeper voice was enough to tell me that it wasn't David. Anyone else had no business coming through this door. Intending to knock the man out cold, I swung as he advanced through the doorway.

David surprised me by appeared behind the man, and instinctively I tried to hold back. But I had too much momentum and wound up hitting the man with less force than originally intended. He fell against the wall, holding his eye.

"Sarah!" David dropped the box he was carrying to attend to the man I just hit. "What the hell?" He shouted, throwing me an angry look.

"I'm sorry!" I covered my mouth, horrified that I attacked someone that David knew. "I didn't expect-" Suddenly, I wasn't sorry at all and I wanted to throw David's question back in his face. Not to mention another fist.

"What is this?" I crossed my arms. This was David's help? What was this guy, a shrink? He looked like he might fit the role. Or maybe he actually was one of Wescott's men. Just because I didn't see a remote, didn't mean it wasn't there. Probably in his pocket.

David ignored me and helped the man to his feet, kicking the door shut behind him. I stood back, watching for any sign of foul play.

"You so owe me for this." The man threw a stern glance at David. "How am I supposed to explain a black eye to Michelle?"

I scowled at the two of them. He was lucky not to be unconscious. I hadn't decided whether I'd be making him that way or not yet.

He turned to me after a minute of tending to his eye. "And you must be our emergency. That's one heck of a right hook you've got there." He sounded friendly, but I wasn't comforted.

"Sarah, this is Tim," David said. "My brother." He seemed to think that would explain his actions perfectly. All it explained to me was that David ran to someone else and told him about me. Whether this man worked for Wescott or not, it was just plain stupid. I had a hope that David would believe me because he knew me. Anyone else was going to think I was crazy or dangerous, or both.