Chapter Twenty-One
Instead of stopping at Kristen’s house, Spencer instructed the driver to drive further down the road in search of Kristen. Dave had already called him and told him that he was out searching for Kristen and that Hannah would call if Kristen showed up at home.
He stopped scanning the surroundings and turned to his phone. “Kurt, not now.”
“I may know how to find Kristen.”
“How?”
“If she has her phone with her, I have her Find My iPhone login and password. I asked her for it and swore I would only use it for the worst case scenario.”
“This is the worst case scenario.”
“I’m texting you the login and password. Do you know how to use it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Kurt ended the call, and his text message came in right after.
Spencer fed the information into the Find My iPhone app. He ran his hand through his hair when the location came up.
He was close!
He directed the driver toward the spot the GPS was showing.
The driver made the turn without slowing down, and they shouted when a shadow dashed across the road. The driver slammed on the brakes and Spencer flew into the back of the driver’s seat the same time he heard a loud bang.
Spencer suppressed his groan when he saw the driver’s face in the rear-view mirror.
The driver was staring through the windshield, his eyes wide, his hands clutching the steering wheel.
Spencer opened the door and stepped out. He flinched when he saw Ana pinned under the car. If Ana was here, where was Kristen? “Kris!” He stepped forward and saw Kristen on the ground, staring at Ana.
“Kris.” He ran to her and pulled her up into a tight hug. “Are you okay? Kris?” He lifted her off his chest and tipped her chin up toward him as he cupped his hand against her neck. “Kris, honey, talk to me.”
“I’m okay.” Her gaze shifted to the side.
“Don’t.” He pulled her into his arms again. “Don’t look.” He heard the car door open and the driver cursing before moving away and throwing up.
A red van pulled up, and Dave hopped out.
“Oh, Lord.” Dave ran his hand through his hair. His eyes immediately paused on Spencer and Kristen.
“She’s fine.”
“I’m calling Hannah and the cops.”
Spencer helped Kristen to her feet, but she could barely stand, so he took her in his arms and carried her over to Dave’s van.
“We found her. She’s all right.” Dave opened the passenger side door, and Spencer put Kristen into the car. “Spence’s bringing Kris back now.” He ended the call and gave Spencer a pat on the back. “Take her home. I’ll stay and wait for the cop.”
Spencer nodded. He ran over to the driver side and got into the car. He reached over and stroked Kristen’s hair after pulling away. “What did Ana do to you? What did she make you drink?” He could smell the alcohol on Kristen, probably from her shirt that was stained red.
“Wine.”
“Did she make you eat or drink anything? I’m taking you to the hospital.” After her poisoning, he didn’t want to take any risk—especially since Ana had used cyanide before.
“I want to go home.”
“Kris—”
“I know, but it was just wine.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “She made me drink two bottles of wine. I saw her open the bottles in front of me.”
When Spencer got back to Kristen’s parents’ place, Kristen was asleep. Spencer shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over Kristen before carrying her into the house.
Mark and Eric were standing by the door, their heads down.
He wasn’t interested in laying blame right now. He put Kristen down and told Hannah what had happened. Kristen woke up when the EMTs and police came into the house.
“Where’s Kristen?” Ben asked as he strode into the house in his dark blue EMT uniform.
While Ben woke Kristen up, Spencer gave his statement to the police.
“I’m fine,” Kristen said and looked up at Spencer when he returned to the couch.
“I think you should let a doctor run some tests to make sure nothing’s wrong,” Ben told her.
“Nothing is wrong. I had too much to drink.” Kristen closed her eyes and rested against Spencer’s shoulder.
Ben turned to him.
“Kris,” Spencer stroked her hair. “Ana put cyanide in your chocolates. She could’ve added something to the wine.”
“They were new bottles.” Kristen pressed her hand against her forehead. “She wanted to make it look as if I drove myself into a tree. She wouldn’t have put anything in the wine.”
“Just let me get you to the hospital,” Ben said.
“No. I’m fine.”
Spencer sighed softly. He agreed with Ben, but if Kristen didn’t want to go to the hospital, he wasn’t going to make her. “If I think there’s anything wrong with her, I’ll take her to the hospital myself.”
Ben nodded after a moment. “I’ve drawn some blood. We’ll run some tests to make sure she wasn’t drugged with anything else.”
“I wasn’t,” Kristen said with her eyes closed.
Spencer couldn’t help but grin. He took a deep breath and kissed her hair. “I’ll keep an eye on her,” he said to Ben.
Ben nodded again before he stood and left.
Spencer stood in the first row, next to Dave. The seat on the other side of him was empty.
Despite what she’d been through this morning, Kristen decided she wanted to be in church. He didn’t mind coming along with her. Knowing that he could’ve lost her hours ago, he would go wherever and do whatever she asked, though he thought she would be better off sleeping in. She did down two bottles of wine and had only two hours of sleep.
They were early, and the pastor had spent a few minutes chatting with them before telling Kristen that the worship team missed her and they would be happy to have her lead worship.
Kristen had glanced over at Spencer and asked if he would be all right with her parents before agreeing.
She didn’t step on stage until the first song was over.
Though there were barely any lights on stage, from where Spencer was standing, he could see her standing right in the middle.
She had on his black suit jacket over her white tank top, the jacket he’d draped around her on the way to church. It made him strangely proud to have her wearing his jacket on stage. It made him want more than anything to marry her. He wanted the whole world to know she was his.
Kristen began singing. Two lines in, the spotlights on stage were switched on and focused on her.
She didn’t have any makeup on, her hair was down in a relaxed, slightly messy way. Her eyes were closed, her hands raised.
Spencer had always thought Kristen came alive when she sang, but right now on stage, there was something more. Her voice sent a shiver through him, and he felt how strongly she connected with the words of the song.
She threw her fear into the song, and she glowed as she drew strength from the very same song.
Kristen was beautiful. Despite what everyone had been saying about her, that was an irrefutable fact. But Spencer had never seen her like this, so certain, so strong—yet so calm and feminine.
She stopped singing then, allowing the congregation to take over. Spencer closed his eyes as he felt the same strength and calmness going through him. He listened as Kristen took the microphone again, and he felt such strong comfort from the song that he wept.
All those years he thought God had turned his back on his mother and him were washed away by the warm comfort in that one song. All the years he’d thought God didn’t care, forgotten.
And in that moment, he understood why Kristen wanted so badly to be here. Because here, in the Father’s house—as Kristen had called it—she knew she’d find whatever she needed for her heart. Just as he’d found what he needed for his.