Shit.
I run scenarios through my brain. What will I do if they wreck us? What will I do if he has a gun and starts shooting? What will I do if aliens crash down in front of us?
I'm ridiculous. I have no idea what I'm going to do.
I close my eyes and try to think of a plan.
"Um, I think the dude just got out of the cab," the driver tells me.
"What?!" I say, my eyes opening as I rip off my seatbelt and turn to look out the back window.
Holy shit.
Vincent has gotten out of the cab in the middle of New York City traffic and is slowly walking toward me.
Not running like you would think he would be.
Or maybe everything just feels like it's moving in slow motion.
"He's getting closer!" I yell.
"Don't worry. I've got this," the driver says. "The light is going to turn green just about . . . now."
I'm jostled as the driver cuts across traffic, but my eyes never leave Vincent.
Our eyes are locked on each other even though I know he can't possibly see me through the tinted glass.
He knows I'm looking straight at him. I can feel it.
He mouths Abby then slowly puts his index finger up to his lips and kisses it. Then his hand forms a gun and he shoots the kiss at me.
I want to scream.
I put my hand over my mouth and shudder instead.
Vincent just did what Cush did to me that day at his soccer tournament when he scored. I remember thinking how adorable it was. How he stopped in front of everyone and shot me a kiss. There were no photos of me that day in the batch he sent after he tried to kidnap me, but now I know that he was there then too.
He was everywhere.
He's chasing Abby in a cab. Yelling at the driver to go faster. To not lose that car. Throwing money at him, begging.
He can't lose her.
She needs to take him to Lacy.
Their eyes lock. He can feel it, even though the windows of the car she's in are tinted. But then he realizes that she's getting away. She can run, but she can't hide.
He raises his index finger to his mouth, kisses it, then forms a gun and blows it in her direction.
I cross my arms in front of me, grab my shoulders, and give myself a hug.
"I'm sure we lost them," the driver says, breaking my thoughts. "Even if he gets back in the cab, they will cut over at the next block. But I doubled back the way we came from."
"Back to the store?"
"Yeah. I have to pick up my ride."
I realize I've been holding my breath and let it out in a whoosh.
"So what's the deal? You don't look like a thief. "
"I'm not a thief."
"So why's that guy after you?"
"Uh, bad breakup?" I say with a laugh.
But then I keep laughing. Uncontrollably laughing. Then I start laughing and crying at the same time. This guy's gonna think I'm a lunatic. Probably will turn me over to Vincent himself.
I pull myself together. "I'm sorry. Thanks for getting away from him. You're like my hero."
He shrugs his shoulders in an aw-shucks way. "It's okay. So, what do you do?"
"I'm a dancer," I say wondering where the hell that lie came from.
He gives me a lascivious grin. "Oh, really? Exotic?"
"No, I'm a Rockette."
He nods his head at me. "Damn, that's cool." He makes another turn and I can see we are back on the street in front of the store. I notice the cameras are gone, which means so is Mom.
I sigh with relief. Not only did I lose Vincent, Vincent lost Mom. He had to have been following her.
I get a call from Garrett.
"Are you okay?" he shouts.
"Yes. I think so."
"Your mother just called me in a panic. Call her. Then call me back."
I call her. "Mom!"
"The photographers told me that my decoy and the guy running after her out of the store yelling Abby didn't work. Tell me that wasn't you. And please tell me the guy running after you wasn't Vincent!"
"It was him, but it's okay. We lost him. I'm fine."
"We?"
I smile at my driver. "What's your name?"
"Allan," he says.
I say into the phone, "Allan just drove better than Tommy Stevens did in that car chase in Trinity."
Allan beams at me.
Mom laughs uncomfortably, so I say, "I gotta go. Be safe."
I hang up and say to the driver, "Do you think you could take me down to that coffee shop?"
I'm a little nervous about going back in the store, just in case Vincent would think to go back there.
"Sure," he says.
I open my wallet. I have no cash.
Shit. I never have cash. "I want to pay you something, but I don't have any cash."
He shakes his head. "You don't owe me anything. That was the most fun I've had in a long time. Unless, of course, you can get me a part in Tommy Stevens' next movie. That's the only thing that could top this." He pauses. "Speaking of that, you do kinda resemble Abby Johnston. Did that guy mistake you for her?"
"Sorta. He has a thing for her. Thought I looked like her. Used to call me Abby. He's a little off his rocker. One of those rich guys that thinks he can have anything he lays his eyes on."
"But he couldn't get you?"
"Not today, thanks to you."
He studies my face again. "Yeah, I don't see it. Like when you had your sunglasses on, you kinda resembled her, but as soon as you took them off, it's easy to see your eyes are very different."
"Do you have a card, Allan?"
"Sure." He pulls a card out and hands it to me.
I read it. "Allan Broadmore, actor. Thanks."
His phone buzzes with a text. "Obviously, not a full-time actor. That's my boss. I've gotta get back there."
"Thanks, Allan."
"I didn't catch your name."
"It's Maggie."
"Fun times, Maggie. Maybe I'll come see your show sometime."
"That'd be cool. I'll be the one, um . . . kicking."
I get out of the car and stand outside the coffee shop.
There's a text from Annie and the girls asking where I am. I text back and ask them to meet me here.
I take a photo of Allan's card and send it to Tommy with a text.
Me: Please call this guy and give him a job in your current endeavor. He has excellent driving skills. When you call him, tell him Maggie the Rockette suggested him.
Tom: That's kind of a weird request, even for you.
Me: He may have just saved my life.
Tom: Hang on, your mom's calling me.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to slow down the adrenaline coursing through my body.
Then I say a prayer. Thank you for letting me get away. Please keep my mom safe. My family safe.
My phone buzzes.
I open my eyes and look down at it. It's Tommy.
"Hey," I say.
"We're bringing you home. This isn't working."
"No, you aren't. I'm sorry, but you're not."
"We can make you."
"How? I'm emancipated, and I have my own money."
"Don't get smart with me."
"Well, you try getting chased through the streets of New York City by a psycho and see what kind of mood you're in."
Tommy laughs just a little. "You know, I did that in Trinity."
"Yeah, I know. I didn't mean to snap at you. I love you and Mom, but I love my sisters more. Vincent called me Abby today. He's different. Worse, I think. Mom's not safe either. You worry about them, and I'll take care of me."
I start to get tears in my eyes as I see my friends walking down the street toward me.
Tommy says, "We've got to do something."
"I agree, but you'll have to excuse me now, my friends are almost here and I have to go pretend to be a normal teenager."
Garrett is calling me back, but I don't answer.
I can't deal with him right now. I can't deal with any of them right now.
I have to act normal.