Face the Music

Chapter 2

I made my way back up the beach to my spot. It was still empty. I sat down to finish my burger and to think about Ella.

I couldn't quite figure her out. She'd been anxious about something, that was for sure. Was she just being cautious around me - a stranger? Maybe. Was she running from someone? An ex-boyfriend maybe? Or perhaps she was just starting her own life, and didn't want to make the mistake of trusting the wrong people? She looked young. Too young to be completely on her own, at least.

I watched the sun set over the Pacific and realized that I didn't have a place to sleep for the night. I pulled out my cell phone and saw an unread message from Collins.

GOT HELD UP. LANDING AT 9 AM. TEXT ME RENDEZVOUS POINT. MEET YOU THERE WHEN I LAND.

I texted back.

MEET AT BURGER JOES, SAND CITY BEACH. BRING CASH - I'M BROKE.

I shoved my phone back in my pocket. It was a nice enough night, and I didn't want to spend more of my dwindling cash supply, so I decided to sleep on the beach. I got up and moved to a spot deep in the shadows under the pier. I spread out my towel and sat to watch the sun finish setting.

***

Not long after the sun dipped below the horizon, my night became significantly more interesting.

I was laying on my back counting the planks of the pier in the fading light when I saw a figure running at me up the beach. I immediately froze, glad that I'd chosen such a dark spot.

I began thinking of anyone who would be coming for me in the darkness. My mind first went to Gabe and his pals. I knew I'd pissed him off, but I wasn't sure if he had it in him to come looking for me in the dark.

Collins would be coming, but not until the morning, so it couldn't have been him. I thought about anyone else who knew I was in California. None came to mind.

That's as far as my thought process went because at that moment, I realized that the running figure wasn't a he, but a she. And she was someone that I'd already met.

Ella.

***

I stayed motionless to keep her from seeing me. Unless she had a flashlight, or knew I was there, I was confident that she wouldn't.

I watched her get closer, noticing that every so often she turned to glance behind her. I wondered what she was looking for. And I wondered if she was running from whatever she was looking for.

When Ella got underneath the pier, she stopped, breathing hard. She looked around and I willed myself to stay invisible. I'd had plenty of training on how to blend in. Ella never saw me.

She leaned back against one of the posts supporting the pier, breathing hard, and checked her watch. She stayed there for only a moment to catch her breath then began walking towards the brush at the edge of the beach. She bent down and pulled a small hiking backpack from underneath a bush. She pulled off her work shirt, and shoved it into the backpack. Under her work shirt, she wore a jogging tank top.

With one last glance behind her, Ella pushed the backpack under the bush again, making sure it was out of sight, then she took off up the brush covered hill, running on a footpath that I hadn't seen before. I rolled onto my stomach quietly and watched her disappear over the crest of the hill. It took me all of two seconds before I decided to follow her. I left my towel where is was.

I stayed low going up the hill, not knowing if she'd stopped at the top. I peeked over the overgrown brush and saw a faint trail winding through the bushes. I couldn't see very far, because there were hills all around but I didn't see Ella. I figured that she had gone over the next ridge. I stood up and sprinted all the way to the top of the slope.