[Umiko Sato POV]
I glanced at my watch one more time as I paced the newly furnished living room of Ellie’s house. I’d been waiting nearly three hours for her to get back, and I got bored. Sue me. I was meant to be watching her, not sitting here worrying and wondering where she was. Thank the Lord I’m not a parent, because this was a horrible way to live.
Her dog was napping near the door after barking for nearly a half hour straight when I first arrived. I frowned at him, wishing he would just take me to her. You know, follow her scent or something. I already asked nicely, but nothing happened. Stupid dog.
Pretty soon it would be getting dark, and I really didn’t want to start looking then. With an aggrieved sigh, I slipped back into my Uggs and went outside. Fletcher perked up as I opened the door, and followed me out. I had two options. Either I would have to ride into town and start asking random people if they’d seen her, or I could search the woods. Honestly, I wasn’t especially sold on either of them. Stalling, I pulled out my phone, quickly dialing Alexandre Rousseau. Hopefully he would have seen something.
It rang twice before he answered. “Hello?”
“Alexandre, hi.” I took a deep breath. “It’s Umiko.”
“Yes, and?”
“Well—I have a problem and I was wondering if you could help me out.” I silently crossed my fingers.
He laughed. “Of course you do.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just,” his chuckles faded, “that the last time you and I talked on the phone, you threatened to castrate me. It’s not something a man forgets.”
I rolled my eyes, scoffing into the phone. “All water under the bridge, Alexandre. Now, about my problem…”
He gave a heartfelt sigh. “Yes?”
“I lost Ellie.”
He was silent so long I almost began to regret using the Band-aid method. It seemed the easiest way to get it out in the open. But that was before he started yelling. “You WHAT?!”
“How could you lose her?! “ I held the phone slightly away from my ear to prevent hearing loss. “Didn’t Katherine specifically state that you were to be with her at all times? They’re going to kill you!”
I interrupted reasonably. “Yes, you’re probably right. Why do you think I called you?”
“Why did you call me? What do you expect me to do about it?”
“Well,” I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers again, “I was hoping you’d seen something about her, something that might help?”
He went silent for a beat before I heard him gasp. “Oh, God no.”
“What?!”
“She’s in the woods, “ His voice sounded odd, filled with an emotion I couldn’t place, “You’ll find her in the woods. Just…..Hurry, Umi. Please.”
YOU ARE READING
Black and White
ParanormalEleanor Parks is far from normal. Crowned princess of a secret race, she has lived in isolation for nearly eight years for the murders of her parents, and the accidental injury of the human boy she grew up with. Now, released from her punishment...
