Elliott and I were about an hour away yet. We had pulled over to get gas and switch seats. I had driven most of the way, but I was exhausted after working all night with only a couple hours sleep. We had just gotten back onto the highway when Elliott's phone rang.
"Bancroft," Elliott answered.
"Elliott, it’s me. Tatum was supposed to be here over an hour ago. She hasn't shown up yet. She called me after she got Parker’s message. She was pretty panicked."
"Did you try calling her?" Elliott asked.
"I have. There was no answer."
I felt panic rise in me.
"Jen, are you okay to go over to the place she is staying?" Elliott asked.
"Yep."
"All right, we are still about forty-five minutes away. We'll be there as soon as we can be. Call us back once you get there."
"Sure thing, Elliott."
Elliott hung up his phone as I sat staring down at mine waiting for a response to the text I’d sent her. A bad feeling hit my gut.
"It'll be okay, Parker."
"Do you think you can drive faster, Elliott?" I asked. Staring down at my phone, I felt the truck speed up. The last time I had rushed to her side was back in college, and I had the same sick feeling in my stomach now as I did then.
"I can't make the game tonight, Parker. I have to head back to my dorm and study. Plus, Mom and Dad are going to be calling me before we head out to the party," Tatum said as she loaded her books into her bag.
"Okay, sweets. I will text you as soon as the game is over. Then I will come and get you," I said, placing a kiss on her lips. I brushed a strand of hair from her face as I looked deep into her eyes and leaned in for another kiss.
I sent a text to Tatum as soon as I hit the changing room. I decided to shower there instead of going back to my dorm room. I had to pick her up in an hour anyway. After my shower, I checked my phone. There was nothing yet, so I took my equipment and headed to my car.
After loading everything into my trunk, I sat down behind the wheel and pulled my phone from my pocket. It had been forty-five minutes; this was odd for her. I dialed her number. Again, nothing. A sick feeling came over me. Something was wrong. I started my car and popped it into reverse and headed over to her dorm.
I walked down the hall to her dorm room, people giving me strange looks and whispering to one another. Frowning, I stood outside her door. I went to knock when I heard a deep, strangled sob from the other side.
"Tatum?" I called, my heart in my throat.
The door opened, and Tatum stood on the other side facing me, tears running down her beautiful face.
"What is it, baby?"
She ran into my arms, crying into my chest. I held her for a while, until I noticed a bunch of eyes on us. I walked into her room and shut the door behind me, so we could have some privacy.
"What’s going on, baby?"
"It’s my parents. There was an accident."
"I can take you home tonight. Does Elliott know?"
She was freezing as I rubbed her arms, trying to calm her down. She nodded her head.
"They're dead."
The words rang through my head, the emptiness in her eyes scaring me. Grabbing hold of her, I pulled her against me and wrapped her in my arms. As she cried against me, I wished at that moment I could take every ounce of pain she was feeling away from her.
I picked her up and carried her over to her bed. I placed her down on the mattress, kicked my shoes off, crawled in behind her, and pulled her against me, holding her as tight as I could. I wanted to let her know I would never let her go.
A phone rang, bringing me out of my memory. I glanced down to the screen on my phone and saw there was still no response.
"Hey, Jen," Elliott answered.
"Elliott, I'm at the Marriott. I walked in and almost ran into Dean. He was leaving the elevator as I came in. He had blood splattered across his white T-shirt, Elliott. I ducked out of sight, praying he didn't see me. He went out front and climbed into a black Audi that was waiting at the side of the road."
We looked at one another when we both realized what Jen had said. That was the same color and make of car that had been following Tatum.
“Is Tatum okay?”
“Honestly, I don’t know, Elliott. I called you as soon as I saw him.”
"Were you able to get a plate, Jen?" I asked.
"I got a partial plate. I called the police, Parker."
"Jen, get hotel security to go up to the room with you," Elliott suggested. "We should be there in about twenty minutes." Elliott hung up and sped up.
"Man, I can't take this, Elliott. I hope to God she is okay. I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to her."
Elliott was quiet as he concentrated on the road. I kept dialing her number to keep my mind occupied. I couldn't take it anymore. The phone rang and rang, and I sat there praying that she would answer. Hanging up to dial again, the phone rang once and suddenly she answered. A faint voice was all I heard on the other end.
"Help me."
"Tatum?"
Again, the same faint voice came over the phone. "Parker. Help me."
I could hear my heart beating in my ears. "I'm almost there. Hang on, baby." I looked at Elliott and saw relief wash over his face as he sped up more. I finally heard Jen's voice in the background with paramedics and police.
"Parker, it's me," Jen’s voice came over the phone. "They are taking her to Johnson's Memorial over on Fifth Avenue," Jen said.
Relief washed over me that they had gotten to her. "We’re on our way. Meet you there."