Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“This is Reed Sanders.”
“It’s Agent Davis, we’ve found her, sir.”
There’s a ringing in my ears and I’m dizzy when I stand up too fast, but I try to focus as my feet begin to move on their own.
“Say that again.”
“Cami Evans, the woman you’ve been searching for. We’ve found a woman fitting her description with the same name and date of birth you’re looking for. We’ve done the scans and the program has matched her one hundred percent. She checked into a women’s shelter just outside Phoenix, Arizona.”
“What?” I have a million questions ready to jump out of my mouth, but my lungs are burning because I’m running through the park as hard as I can and I can’t ask them.
“I’m emailing you all the details, but we’ve used your program and we’ve done the digital scans and it’s a match. When can you be ready to board a plane?”
“I’m on my way,” I say as I jump in my car and speed away from the curb.
Chapter 7
Cami
I lick my dry lips as the two officers stare at me. After giving them my name they didn’t find anything on me and now they’ve asked if there’s someone they can call. The nice woman, Sherri, hands me a glass of water and I take a big gulp before handing it back to her. I try to clear my dry throat and I wonder how many miles I ran until I found that little store. They called the women’s shelter to come and get me and basically saved my life.
Everyone’s been nice since they brought me here and it’s put me at ease. Apparently I wasn’t the first girl who ran away, but I have a feeling from how the cops are acting that the other girls wouldn’t talk to them.
When I said who they should call they all looked a little shocked. They acted as though they knew who he was and maybe while I’ve been gone Reed made it big. He was good at football, but I only made it one season cheerleading before I decided I’d rather be in the stands cheering with Kathy and Mike. I always wondered what he might be doing with his life since I’ve been away and maybe that’s it.
I wanted him to be happy, but the selfish part of me hated the idea of him moving on without me. We were supposed to have a life together and it was going to be the two of us forever. What if he’s married or has kids now? The thought overwhelms me and I begin to sob.
“You’re safe,” Sherrie tells me again for the millionth time.
She thinks I’m crying over my escape or that I fear going back. I’ll never want to go back, but today I’ll find out how much that place has taken from me.
I look down at the scrap of a wedding dress I’m wearing. I would never marry another man besides Reed because he’s the only love I’ll ever have. I don’t care if I can have him or not, I’ll never want anyone else.
The day my dad died was bittersweet. I became fair game to any man in that crazy cult he had us living in. I was being forced to marry to the leader Eugene Mass, and that’s when I had to run. Death would’ve been better than belonging to him and I still can’t believe I made it out of there alive.
“Reed Sanders,” the officer says again, making sure I said the name right. I nod and the phone rings. “Ah yeah, she’s right in front of me.” He’s silent for a moment as his eyes come back to me. “No, sir, we won’t let her out of our sight.” My eyes widen for a moment at his words. Am I in trouble? He hangs up the phone and looks at me with curiosity. “Seems he’s already on his way here.”
“Thank you.” I had no doubt Reed would come. Of course he would, I just wonder if he’s still mine. “Did you want to go ahead and question me?”
I fidget with my fingers in my lap. They wanted to know everything about Lando Movement. The two officers who came to the shelter to talk to me kept calling it a cult. They’re not wrong.
“We’ve been advised not to ask you anything until Mr. Sanders gets here.”
“Reed’s dad is coming, too?” I missed him and Kathy so much; they were my family.
My eyes start to water as the loneliness threatens to swallow me whole. Since the day my dad took me away from them it’s all I’ve felt.
“I meant Reed Sanders, ma’am,” he corrects.
“Oh.” I look to Sherrie, who is watching me. “Why?” I finally ask when no one says anything else. I want to answer their questions so I can be done with it. I don’t want that place taking any more time from me then it already has.