48

"Edward? Edward!" Rosalie's voice is shaky, laced with panic and verging on hysteria.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Glancing up at the clock on the office wall I see it's three fifty-five. I have a client due any minute. She doesn't answer right away, but I can hear her heavy breaths and strangled sobs. My heart pounds as I realize something's very wrong.

"I got away but I know he's going to try to find me and I'm scared he'll kill me."

"Who?" I ask, wading through the thick clouds of confusion that fill my head.

"Royce."

"Royce?"

"He locked me in the house, but he left to go to the store and I got out." The pitch of her voice is rising as she rushes through the words. "He'll be back any time and he'll be looking for me and I'm scared he's going to kill me. Edward, he's crazy!" The sounds she's making are breaking my heart as I try and think of a solution.

"Shit, Rose, I'm at work. Even if I leave now I can't get to you for at least an hour."

Rose's parents are out of state and I'm her closest friend, although even I've not seen much of her in recent weeks.

"I can't think, I can't…" Her breathing is loud and fast and I realize she's letting anxiety get the better of her.

"Rose, you have to slow your breathing down, do you hear me? You can't help yourself if you're panicking."

"Okay…okay." I can hear she's trying to get it back under control.

"Alright. You need to call nine-one-one and tell them where you are."

"I don't know what street I'm on, I just ran," she wails.

"Rose, just knock on a door, somebody will help you."

My office phone begins to buzz as Charlotte on reception tries to call through.

I'm thinking over various options in my head. My mom's out of town for a few days visiting her sister, Kate has taken Sasha out on a playdate and my dad will be at work.

"Wait! I see a sign, I'm on Eighth Avenue."

An idea hits me.

"Rose, you're right around the corner from Chief Swan's house on K street. If he's not home, I'm sure Izzy will be. I'm going to call her and tell her to keep a look out for you, okay? It's seven-seven-five K Street. You think you can find it?"

"I'll try," she says, tears breaking through again.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," I promise.

~S~