Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 109096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
I see the girl before she sees me. She seems feisty, with bright blue eyes and dark, chestnut brown hair. She approaches me and nods to the photo in my hands.
"Looking for Willa?"
"Yes," I nod. "Do you know where she is?"
"Who sent you?" The little girl cocks her head to the side and gives me a doubtful look.
"I..." I furrow my brows. "Nobody, well, I suppose... Nox."
I swallow his name. Fuck. That hurt more than I'd anticipated. Is this what it's going to be like now that he's away?
Unable to bear the weight of that question, I turn back to the brunette. "Are you Mercy?"
"That's me," she beams. "I'm Willa's best friend."
"Mercy, you have to help me," I beg her. "Willa is in trouble, isn't she?"
"Yes," she nods gravely.
"Where is she staying? Can you take me to see her?"
She shrugs. "I have to ask first."
"Please. Is she okay?"
She just stares in return.
"Look." I kneel down next to her. "Did Willa mention her friend Nox?"
She nods slowly.
"He's my friend, too. But Nox had to leave again, so he asked me to take care of Willa. Understand?" Mercy nods again, then glances over my shoulder, nervously biting her lips.
"My mommy's coming to take me home."
"Okay, Mercy," I nod. "Tell me where Willa is."
"I don't know," she shakes her head. "But she will come by my house tonight. I live on the same street she used to."
I think of the fancy new development that I saw earlier. They're tearing down those community apartments to build more expensive properties. I guess Willa's family was just one casualty of that.
"Her mommy died," Mercy suddenly says.
"What?"
"Willa's mommy. She never came back from the hospital."
"What happened?" I ask.
"I have to go now," Mercy goes on nervously. "Find my house, the white building with a cactus in front. Willa will be there tonight."
"Thank you," I nod carefully just as someone calls her name. She disappears and I do my best to blend into the crowd on the playground as Mercy's mother takes her home.
At least I'm a step closer to finding Willa.
***
That night, I'm waiting on Willa's former street at six p.m.
I didn't know what her friend meant, but I'm hoping she was right about Willa, and that she'll trust me enough to let me take care of her. I'm also trying to get my mind off the fact that Nox hasn't called once. I suppose they'll have to film the confession and get it on tape, but I'm still nervous as hell something terrible has happened. Thinking and looking for Willa has helped distract me.
I get lucky a couple minutes after eight when I see a nanny arriving at a white house and a couple driving off in an Aston Martin. A moment later, Mercy appears on the doorstep, nervously glancing around. And then, lightning fast, a small figure runs up to the door. Mercy hands her something and closes the door. The whole thing doesn't take longer than a minute. You could miss it in the blink of an eye, but I don't.
"Hey!" I call out after the girl and she slows down, risking a look over her shoulder. Her eyes and hair are wild, but her face is that of a child. "I'm Nox's friend. Are you Willa?"
She stops in her tracks. I see it. How much she wants to believe me. Then the pull of every lie she's been told by people she was supposed to trust, flashing in her eyes. She wants it to be true, but she knows it's probably not.
"Please, he told me about your teddy, and the phone he gave you."
Willa cocks her head to the side. "Did they tell you about my mom?"
She sounds so much older than her age.
"I'm not sure," I admit. "What happened?"
"My stepdad beat her," she mutters. "She died in the hospital. I ran away after he called home."
"Has he been looking for you?" I ask.
The girl shrugs. "He hasn't found me so far."
"Where have you been staying, Willa?" She shrugs again, her eyes heavy with pain. "Are you hungry?"
"Mercy gives me some food every day," she points to the bag in her hand.
"Would you like to take a shower? We can go to my place. Or, I can take you to someone else who'll take care of you," I rush to say. I want to help her so badly, but I can tell the little girl doesn't trust me.
"Where do you live?"
"In a small house," I smile shakily. "We'd have to take a taxi there. I can bring you back here tomorrow night, if you don't want to stay with me."
She stares at me critically. Her eyes settle on my scar and I feel my old demons coming out to play. I want to cover up, hide the scar.
"You have the same scar as Nox," she finally says. "Did you have it first?"