Chapter 7: A Unlikely Savior
1490 Words
Evangeline
“Okay. Stay with me, Evangeline. Are you in a vehicle right now?” The dispatcher asked, but I almost did not hear her over the sound of my own beating heart.
“Y-yes, yes. I'm in a taxi right now.”
“Okay, so you're not driving.” The dispatcher quickly established. “Can you give me your current location, Evangeline?”
“We're on a highway.” My voice shook as I turned wildly to watch the SUV that was now closer than ever.
“Can you give us a precise location so we can send help right away?”
“Cypress Express.” The taxi driver yelled without looking away from the road.
“Okay, noted. Evangeline, do you mind sharing where you're headed?”
“The Westbrook Women's Clinic. We're r-ten minutes away from there.”
“Okay, that's alright. Can you please put the phone on speaker so I can speak with the driver?”
The sudden screeching of tires behind drowned out the voice of the dispatcher, and a bloodcurdling scream tore out of my throat as the SUV rammed into us from behind.
“Evangeline, can you hear me? Help is on the way, Evangeline. Stay with me.”
But a second collision knocked the phone right out of my hand. And a tearful sob tore out of me. I grabbed the phone from the footwell of the taxi floor, quickly scrolling through my contacts.
I pressed the dial on the last person I should have been calling.
“Dane Calder.” Dane's voice filtered through the speakers. Cold. Brusque.
“Did you send people to tail me?” I screamed as the taxi driver managed to swerve away from another collision.
“You must think of yourself as really important and me as jobless.”
Dane's words, even though spoken with contempt and barely repressed anger, sounded nothing like a lie.
If he wasn't the one trying to ram the taxi off the road, then who were these people who were trying to make an attempt on my life?
“This is not the best time for a verbal war. I'm being attacked right now, and I need help!”
“Then call 911.”
I looked back at the monstrous SUV, fresh panic swelling in my throat as it sped head-on towards the small yellow taxi again.
“I did that.” My voice quivered. “They might take a while. I think someone wants me dead.” I whispered.
There was silence on the other end of the line, and then suddenly, the line beeped in my ear. Dane had hung up on me.
The phone fell out of my hands again, and this time, I made no attempt to pick it up. Maybe this was the end of the road for me.
I felt truly hopeless. Completely abandoned. As my life flashed before my eyes, I thought of Mother. She might be self-absorbed and cunning, but she was still my mom. And she did not deserve to be alone.
The taxi driver was now pressing hard on the pedal, eyes filled with fearful panic.
“What the hell did you do, woman? Did you steal something?” The driver's angry voice filled the car. “Why are you trying to get me killed?” He thundered.
“I don't know these people!”I cried. “I don't know why anyone would want to attack me.”
“And I'm supposed to believe that?” The taxi driver yelled.
“I do not have any reason to lie to you!” I hollered, breaking down in the backseat of the taxi.
My life had begun to fall apart the second I had allowed rage to override common logic. And now, I was about to be run over by an SUV whose driver couldn't be identified.
“Hey, something is happening. Take a look.” The driver's relieved voice caused me to turn back quickly. Sure enough, something was really happening.
Dane's white Audi was now side by side with the SUV, slamming hard into it, repeatedly, and managing to make the driver lose control.
I almost hugged the taxi driver in joyous relief.
“Who is that?” The driver asked. Voice awed.
“That's my stepbrother.” I murmured in a low tone of voice, wondering why I sounded a little proud.
Suddenly, the abandoned phone began to ring, and I quickly picked it up. It was Dane.
“Tell the driver to park. I want to see what they try to do.”
“He says you should park.” I told the driver without hanging up.
The driver's fearful eyes met mine through the rearview.
“Do you think it's safe to?”
“I don't know. But I think it's best to try.”
Slowly, the driver eased off the main road and parked. The SUV slowed down behind us, but so did Dane's Audi.
“If I don't die today, I'm following my memaw to church.”
I ignored the driver's words and turned to eye the SUV. “Do not get out of the car.” Dane's low, commanding voice said.
“I do not plan to.”
“Good.”
The moment Dane stepped out of his car the SUV roared to life and sped away.
But Dane did not slow his stride until he reached the taxi I was in. He pulled the door open in one swift motion.
“Step out of the car.” He ordered without glancing at the driver.
This time, I had better sense than to query his command.
My legs were wobbly as they landed on hard concrete. And for a second, I was certain my ass was going to kiss the hard ground as I tried to find purchase.
But strong arms held me up, and scalding warmth exploded in my belly at the unexpected contact.
I looked up, eyes sinking into Dane's dark ones. My throat strangely dried up as I realized he was still holding onto me, and my shivering body was more than happy to absorb the heat his body was throwing off.
Suddenly, Dane stepped away, taking his body heat with him. The sudden loss of contact left me feeling oddly empty.
“Man, that SUV did quite a number on my car.”
I turned to find the taxi driver observing his bumper. Guilt snaked through me. I was the reason this had happened.
“I'm so sorry about your car. Let me cover all the expenses that come from this as a way of showing how truly sorry I am.”
The taxi driver's gaze flickered between me and Dane.
“Get in my car and wait. I'll sort this out with the driver.”
“I do not have to wait in the car like a child. I can pay to get his car fixed.”
Dane's dark eyes flashed and his jaw locked. “Still want to be stubborn after the little road war you just survived?”
“It's my fault, Dane. His car got ruined because of me. I'm taking responsibility for it.”
“You're one to talk about taking responsibility when you're running from the responsibility that truly matters.”
Dane's words stunned me into silence. I stood there, opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water.
“Get in the car, Evangeline. I won't repeat myself.” There was a warning note in his voice that told me I'd better obey.
And so, I stepped towards the driver and hugged him. He seemed shocked at first but, after a couple of seconds, returned the embrace.
“Thank you for saving my life.” I said as I stepped back.
The driver's lips quirked up in a smile. “You remind me of my daughter. There's nothing I wouldn't do for my little angel.”
Smiling, I began to walk towards Dane's SUV.
Earlier today, I was convinced the only way I'd enter Dane's car would be through a body bag. But look how the tables had turned.
I pulled the car door and stepped in. Dane's car was so spotless, I was half afraid I would stain the seat by just sitting in it.
Several minutes later, Dane finally made his way back into the car.
The car was silent as he fired up the engine and eased into the driveway.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere we can talk about your current situation and how to keep you alive.”
“Keep me alive?” I spluttered as I took a hand to my heart.
“Yup. You've managed to piss off someone who wants you to end up in a morgue. And if you don't follow my orders, you'll end up in a body bag faster than you can say jack.”
- Writer
