Walking With The Outcast

Chapter 29 - Ace

Ethan slams his fist down on the arm of the chair. "I'll kill him."

"You and me both." I stretch my sore legs. "You ready to find that sick dog?"

Standing up, he strides to the door, slipping on a jacket that hung on a coat rack near the exit. "Let's go. The longer she's with him, the more likely he'll hurt her."

In agreement, I follow behind, determined to find my girl.

We climb into Ethan's truck, peeling out of the driveway at breakneck speed. He drives us through town, even running a couple red lights, which in this town is not all that dangerous, considering the low population numbers. I raise an eyebrow at him. "You do realize you just ran your second red light?"

Ethan grins. "So? If I'm pulled over, we'll speak to the police sooner."

I smirk back. "Fair point."

Ethan speeds up, and soon enough the police station comes into view. He slows down, pulling into the first open parking spot he sees, and I jump out, hurrying towards the entrance. Ethan follows suit, slamming the weathered building's door behind us.

With that dramatic entrance, all eyes are on us. Officers' hands slip to their guns, instinct driven into them to do so. The secretary, a nice little old lady with a fondness for cats, climbs to her feet. "Ace, are you okay?" She comes around the desk, pulling me into a hug that was surprising strong for her bony arms.

I nod. "I need to see Westly."

She slides the glasses up her crinkled nose. "Oh, he's in the sheriff's office, dear." I head in that direction. "But wh–"

Her voice fades behind Ethan and me as we enter the office, which previously belonged to my father. Westly looks up at our entrance, eyebrows raising nearly to his hairline. "Where were you, Ace? You just stormed out of the house. You didn't even tell the Kersivats where you went."

I lean over his desk, placing both of my palms against the pine surface. "Lucilia Donovan has been kidnapped."

Westly' brows now dip down into a furrow. "This again? Listen, we got a call from her parents already, but let's be honest, Ace, there has never been a kidnapping in this town."

My aggravation rises.

"There's a first time for everything," Ethan pipes in, anger coating his voice. "And living with the belief that something won't happen because it never has before is stupid and irresponsible."

Westly' face twitches at being admonished.

"The kidnapper called me today when I was at the Donovans' house," I admit.

Westly straighten, appearing more interested now. "What? Why would he call you?"

I tug on my black hair. "Because I'm pretty sure that his problem is with me. Not Lucilia."

"Why do you think that?" Westly questions, rubbing his chin.

"Because first of all, he called me just to taunt me and make sure I know he has Luce, and second of all, we've been at each other's throats since we first me."

"Why does he hate you so much?"

That is something I don't have an answer to. Before our first fight in the betting ring, I had never met him before. "I don't know," I state softly. "I only met him a few weeks or so ago."

Deputy Westly looks thoughtful for a moment, considering our words. "Okay. You say you know who the kidnapper is?"

I nod, relieved that he is finally paying attention. "His name is Nikoli. I don't know his last name."