Meeting Danger (Danger #1)

by Allyson Simonian

  “How did it go tonight?”

  “Great. Beverly gave me booklets to start studying for the GED.”

  “See that? You’re already working on your high school diploma.”

  “Equivalency.” She grinned. “But I’m still excited, even if I don’t understand it all yet. And math . . . oh my gosh. I have so much catching up to do!”

  “You’ll get there,” he said as he reached out to tug at a strand of her hair. “But don’t ask me to help you with math.”

  She smiled. “How much longer do you think it’ll be before I can get a license?”

  “A little more practice and you’ll be ready as far as driving goes. It’s the written portion we need to think about.”

  Autumn’s lips parted in surprise. “I didn’t realize there was a written part.”

  “It’s not written exactly. It’s a multiple-choice test. But you’ll want to get a little more comfortable with reading before you attempt taking it. And we’ll need to work on getting you familiar with road signs and traffic rules.”

  She frowned. “Right.”

  He gave her a reassuring smile. “You’ll be able to take it in no time.”

  When they reached his SUV and were buckling up inside, she asked, “Did you get a lot done on your project?”

  “I did.”

  Guilt crept in as Camden looked over his shoulder and pulled away from the curb. He knew he should tell Autumn right away about what he’d learned about Wade, but he wasn’t even certain that it was Wade since the last names didn’t match. But the guy was the right age and had former addresses in Chicago, one of which matched the address Autumn had given him. It was a pretty sure bet that this was who he’d been looking for.

  Yet something still held him back . . .

  “How’s it going?” she asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

  “It’s on track, but I’ll probably be up for a while tonight.”

  As he drove them home, he was lost in his head, going through the pros and cons of coming clean with Autumn before doing more research. By the time they pulled into his driveway, he’d convinced himself that he was justified in holding off. He’d wait and see if the Saint Louis police called back before telling Autumn what he’d learned.

  “Camden, are you okay?”

  “Huh?”

  They’d arrived home, but he’d been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t made a move to get out of the car.

  “Are you worried about your project?”

  “A little, yeah. I should probably get back to it.”

  In truth, it was almost finished—a good thing considering he couldn’t get the e-mail he’d received out of his mind.

  “Want me to make you some coffee?” she asked as they walked inside.

  “That would be great. Uh, listen, Autumn . . .”

  “Yes?”

  Camden forced his guilt aside as she gazed at him, her blue eyes so guileless and trusting. He had to protect her, no matter what, and doing that meant sticking to the decision he’d made.

  He shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

  CHAPTER 33

  The next day, Autumn set her notebook down and glanced at Camden’s laptop. Deciding he wouldn’t mind if she used it for her assignment while he was in town buying groceries, she walked over. She’d watched both Camden and Beverly use the Internet. She’d even seen Butch use it. Since her reading skills had improved dramatically, she should be able to do this. Right?

  She sat down and jiggled the mouse. She was about to click on the browser icon as she’d seen Camden do when she noticed a document icon labeled WADE. Recognizing her brother’s first name, she clicked on that instead.

  When the page opened, she read it and then read it again, biting down hard on her lip. It was a copy of an e-mail. The words were basic, so she had no trouble getting the gist of what this was.

  Wade Aaronson

  Age: 27

  Address: 763 Stone Street, Apartment 3E, Saint Louis, Missouri

  Autumn read the page for a third time, and when she scrolled down to see a photo, she began to shake. The features that stared back at her were older than she remembered, but this was definitely her brother.

  Camden had found Wade. When? And why in the world hadn’t he told her?

  Just yesterday she’d asked him how the search was going. But all he’d said was that there was no news. He definitely hadn’t mentioned this file.

  She scanned the page again and her gaze zeroed in on the phone number listed below the address in Saint Louis. With trembling hands, she picked up the phone and dialed the number.

  There were two short rings before the singsong voice of a recorded message came on, stating that the number was out of service.

  Autumn hung up the phone and squeezed her eyes shut. Her head pounded as the thoughts inside it rushed around at a dizzying speed. She forced herself up and retrieved a piece of paper and pen from the kitchen. Carefully, she copied Wade’s address before tucking the paper inside her pocket.

  A band tightened around her head, filling it with pressure as she moved to the couch and took a seat. The minutes ticked by with the pain inside her head intensifying. By the time Camden’s car pulled up, she was cradling her head in her hands.

  He walked inside with a frown. “Are you okay, Autumn? What is it?”

  She sucked in a breath, trying to fill her lungs as she looked up at him. “I was using your computer and . . . I saw the information on my brother.”

  Had she jumped to the wrong conclusion? Maybe there was an innocent explanation for all of this. But as Camden glanced away, not meeting her eyes, she knew her first instinct had been correct. He had purposely kept the file hidden from her. Her insides knotted at the betrayal.

  “Just yesterday, you told me you hadn’t found anything.” She hated the pathetic quiver that had come into her voice. “Why?”

  Camden opened his mouth and closed it again.

  In a whisper, she repeated the question. “Why?”

  He blinked hard before sitting down on the edge of the sofa with a heavy sigh. “I was going to tell you.”

  Clenching her hands into fists in her lap, she choked out, “When?”

  “Soon.”

  Autumn shook her head in disbelief. What kind of an answer was that? She’d trusted Camden, and what had he done? Kept things from her. It was something Butch would have done.

  “You knew how badly I wanted to find him.”

  Camden closed his eyes briefly, as if what she’d just said had cut into him. He reached for her hand but she jerked away.

  “Just listen to me, Autumn. Wade has a criminal record, but that’s not all that concerns me. He’s a gambler and . . .” He raked a hand through his hair. “I wanted to find out more before I said anything to you, plus I wanted to be sure that this was the right guy. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

  “You could have just shown me the picture!” she cried out.

  “You’re right,” he admitted. “I could have. But there’s more.”

  He stood and began to pace as Autumn twisted her hands in her lap.

  “You said you wondered why your brother left you with Butch. Well, I think I know the reason.” When he stopped pacing, his eyes were filled with what looked like a mixture of fury and pity as he met her gaze. “I think your brother had gambling debts with Butch, and that Butch forgave those debts in exchange for you.”

  The pounding inside Autumn’s skull picked up with a vengeance. She shook her head, not wanting to process what Camden had just said.

  “What?” she whispered. Bile rose in her throat when he repeated his words, and she swallowed it down. “No.”

  “I’m sorry, Autumn.”

  Horror and anger mixed together. She glared at Camden before standing on trembling legs. “You’re wrong! What you’re saying—Wade would never do something like that!”

  “Autumn . . .”

  She backed away from him, holding up her hands in warning. �
�Don’t!”

  Camden stopped moving. His chest was heaving as he stood in place. “Autumn—”

  But she didn’t stay to hear his next words. Instead, she bolted from the room and ran up the stairs. Inside the guest room, she threw herself onto the bed and curled into a fetal position, trying hard to manage the waves of pain crashing around inside her head.

  Would Camden follow her up here? She needed some time to calm down. Time to think. She wouldn’t be able to face him.

  But as the minutes ticked by, the house remained silent and she remained alone.

  • • •

  It was hours later when Camden finally knocked on the door. Autumn was still lying on the bed, curled into as tight a ball as she could manage. The pain inside her head had eased, but not by much.

  As Camden opened the door, he looked ashamed. “I’m very sorry, Autumn. It was wrong of me to keep that information to myself.” He took a step forward. “Are you hungry? I can—”

  “I’m not hungry,” she whispered before sitting up to face him. “Why? Why did you do it?”

  “To protect you.”

  She shook her head. “That wasn’t protecting me.”

  When Camden didn’t respond, her anger bubbled up. Before she knew it, the awful thoughts she’d been having tumbled out of her mouth. “I thought you were different from Butch, but you’re not. You’re just as controlling as he is.”

  Camden grimaced. “Autumn—”

  She lay back down and squeezed her eyes shut. Her voice was flat to her own ears as she whispered, “I want to be alone now.”

  Seconds passed before the floorboards creaked. Camden quietly closed the door as he left the room.

  Autumn rolled over, chastising herself. What she’d said wasn’t true; Camden wasn’t like Butch. In his mind, Camden had probably thought he was protecting her.

  But for him to think that about Wade? How could he believe her own brother would sell her? The very thought made her want to throw up.

  She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to rub the pain away. There was a reason Wade had left her with Butch, but it wasn’t what Camden thought. It was just as Wade had said—he’d been unable to support them both. And had he known what kind of man Butch was, he never would have left her with him.

  For the hundredth time, she prayed that the pressure inside her head would ease. It had been such a reprieve since she’d been staying with Camden, two whole weeks without these awful headaches. It was more than disheartening to experience them again when she’d hoped they were gone for good.

  Autumn looked toward the open closet and spotted the borrowed duffel bag she’d put away after their trip to Allentown.

  She’d waited five years to see her brother. And now that she knew where Wade was, she had to go to him.

  She sat up slowly and began planning how she’d get to Missouri.

  • • •

  In the early morning hours, Autumn opened the guest room door. Its hinges squeaked, causing her to stop in her tracks, but the master bedroom remained quiet.

  She slipped on her old jacket, and carrying her shoes and the bag she’d packed, Autumn tiptoed down the hallway and moved down the staircase. She didn’t have much, just the clothes Camden had bought her and the ones she’d been wearing when she helped Camden escape.

  When she reached the kitchen, she turned on the light and carefully wrote out the note she’d worded inside her head, needing to use the limited vocabulary she’d learned so far.

  Waning moonlight streamed through the windows as she moved to the entryway and quickly put her shoes on before opening the front door as silently as she could.

  A pang of sadness hit her low and sharp when she stepped outside. Would she ever come back here? Would she ever see Camden again?

  The thought that she might not sent misery spiraling through her. The last thing she wanted was to leave. But she’d thought of her brother constantly over the years. She couldn’t wait a minute more to reconnect with him, to assure herself that he was okay.

  She also needed to prove—to herself, mainly—that Camden’s theory was incorrect. But the irony of the situation didn’t escape her. If it weren’t for Camden, she wouldn’t even be able to make this trip. Because of him, she knew how to read a little now. Because of him, she felt confident enough to travel alone.

  She sighed. And because of him, she had a credit card. A few days ago, he’d given her a card on his account. It was the same day he’d let her know she now had a Social Security number. As she walked down the driveway, she vowed to herself to pay him back every penny for the bus ticket to Saint Louis she’d need to buy.

  When she reached the road, she gazed into the darkness. It was going to take a long time to walk into Shavertown, and from there, she needed to find her way to the bus station in Wilkes-Barre, about eight miles away. Now that she could read enough to navigate the phone book she’d found in a drawer in Camden’s kitchen, the information wasn’t too hard to find.

  Since there were a couple of hours left until dawn, she’d be walking in the dark. Steeling herself, she clutched the strap of her duffel bag tightly and started down the road, keeping close to the shoulder.

  She’d been walking for nearly two miles when a car approached from behind on the highway. As brakes squealed, Autumn turned her head. Headlights from a pickup truck momentarily blinded her.

  The truck rolled up beside her and Autumn tensed. She gave the man inside a sidelong gaze and continued walking.

  “You headed to town?”

  The driver had rolled down the passenger window and was keeping pace with her in his truck. As he rolled under a streetlight, it illuminated his profile. He was older, his hair and beard gray and neatly trimmed, and his tone and expression were friendly, almost grandfatherly.

  Autumn hadn’t answered, so he raised his voice and called out, “Let me give you a lift, sweetheart. It’s cold out here.”

  She pulled up the collar of her jacket and looked straight ahead. “I’m fine.”

  “You don’t need to be afraid of me.”

  When Autumn stopped walking abruptly, the man slammed on his brakes, stopping beside her. She debated for another moment before reaching for the door handle of the truck.

  “Where you headed?” the man asked as she settled herself into the passenger seat and buckled her seat belt.

  “The bus terminal in Wilkes-Barre.”

  The man looked over his shoulder and pulled back onto the road. “Bus terminal it is.” His curious gaze returned to her a few seconds later. “What are you doing walking by yourself in the dark?”

  “I don’t have a car, and I need to get to the bus station so I can go visit a relative.”

  The answer seemed to satisfy the man. He spent the next few minutes chatting amicably about his grandchildren. They lived outside of Scranton. He had some work to do, but was then going to get an early start on visiting them for the weekend.

  “You’re not going to Scranton, are you?”

  “No. I’m going to Missouri.”

  Ten minutes later, the man pulled into the parking lot of the bus station in Wilkes-Barre. A group of men loitered outside, some smoking and others simply standing in the darkness, their hands pushed deep into their pockets.

  The man gazed at the group with a frown before looking back at Autumn. “Will you be okay by yourself?”

  “Yes.” She thanked him profusely for the ride, gathered up her bag, and got out of his truck.

  “Glad I could help you, sweetheart.”

  Autumn held up her hand in a wave after she shut the door. She walked past the men and through the terminal’s revolving glass doors. Gripping the credit card Camden had given her, she stepped up to the ticket counter.

  CHAPTER 34

  A pang of sadness hit Camden when he woke and remembered why Autumn wasn’t in bed beside him. He could try to justify what he’d done until he was blue in the face, but it wouldn’t change anything. He’d done the wrong thing
by keeping information from her. And when she’d confronted him, he hadn’t even been honest.

  Yes, he’d kept the information a secret to protect her. But he’d also kept it a secret because he’d been afraid she would leave.

  He was going to make things right, though. He’d apologize again, and if she wanted to visit Wade, he’d take her there. His mind made up, he showered and dressed before heading down to the kitchen.

  Autumn wasn’t in the kitchen or living room, even though Camden was sure the upstairs rooms had been empty since the doors were all open. Could she be outside?

  He searched the backyard. Trying to keep his dread at bay, he ran back to the house. He must have missed her upstairs. But as he ran up the staircase, he knew in the pit of his stomach that he wouldn’t find her there.

  He gripped the railing after he searched the upper level and trudged back down the stairs. When had she left?

  Back in the kitchen, he caught sight of her note.

  Camden,

  Thank you for everything. I’ll never forget it, but I need to go to my brother now.

  I’ll call when I can.

  Autumn

  Camden sucked air into his lungs as he tried to think, rather than panic. How would she get to her brother? The train station made sense, but the bus station was closer. He’d try there first.

  Grabbing his keys from the hallway table, he raced out to his SUV. Fifteen minutes later, he was speeding into the bus station’s lot. His tires squealed as he turned into the first available space.

  “If someone wanted to get to Missouri, which bus would they take?” Camden shifted from foot to foot as he waited for a reply from the ticket agent.

  The clerk pointed to a schedule taped onto the counter. “They’d take that first one.”

  “Has it left yet?”

  “Hours ago.”

  Damn it. Camden pulled out his phone and swiped his finger across the screen. An image of Autumn appeared, one he’d asked the waitress to take of them together at dinner in Allentown.

  He turned the screen toward the man. “Have you seen her this morning?”