Meadow sees the worry on my face, though. When I look at her, her eyes are wide with concern.
揈verything okay, E??
揇estiny抯 late and she抯 not answering her phone. I抎 better go to Sweeter Grind and find her. Probably nothing, but I抣l be right back. Sorry to leave you hanging.?I say it lightly, but inside, I抦 freaking.
Wyatt walks up. 揥ho are you leaving hanging??
揗eadow…and now you, too,?I say. 揝orry, I have to go!?
He gives me a firm nod. 揥e抳e got this. Go right ahead.?
揟hanks!?I don抰 even look back as I sprint through the park toward Sweeter Grind. When I close in on the shop, I pass a narrow alley along the way.
I抦 three steps past it when I hear a decidedly pained moan coming from the alley, followed by a sob.
I wince, half expecting to see a group of kids messing around.
But when I double back to look, there抯 a slim figure crouched against the brick wall, straining to breathe. Their face is hidden by a hoodie.
Damn it, not now. Cole trusted me with his daughter.
I抳e got to find her, but I can抰 just leave someone hurt and alone in an alley.
Sighing, I walk toward the crumpled form.
I抣l be quick. Just make sure the person抯 okay, call 9-1-1, and then go find Dess.
揌ey there, are you okay??I ask.
I抦 not even in front of them yet when I hear a familiar voice.
揈liza??
Destiny shoves her hood back, lifting her head.
Holy shit!
Her face is red and tear-streaked. Every bit of her shakes as she lurches toward me so fast she almost falls over.
揙h my God!?My heart drops through my stomach. 揇estiny, what happened? Are you okay??I grab her hand, fighting down my panic so I can help her up. 揅an you stand? Don抰 try if your legs are hurt. What happened??
She staggers up, sure, but I抦 terrified of making anything worse.
The poor kid heaves a few rough breaths and wipes another tear from her eye.
揑-I think I抦 okay, y-yeah.?She grips my hand, falling against the brick wall for support.
I hug her tightly. 揥hat happened, honey? Did you fall??
She shakes her head and pulls out of my embrace, dabbing her cheeks.
揘-no. These two guys…？She pauses, drawing a shaky breath. 揟hey came out of nowhere and pushed me down. One dude stepped on me, so I couldn抰 get up. His asshole friend grabbed my necklace and they took off. I tried to chase them, give them money, give them my credit card for the necklace, but they ran so fast. When I got too close, they threw me on the ground. Knocked my breath out and I just桰 couldn抰 get up. I couldn抰 catch them.?
Oh my God.
It抯 not much better than my meth-and-switchblades scenario.
This fifteen-year-old sweetie went after two psycho thieves to get back her dead mother抯 necklace. Thank God she couldn抰 reach them.
揇estiny, promise me if this ever happens again, you won抰 try chasing anyone棓
揃ut they took Mom抯 necklace!?Her voice cracks again, her mouth peeling open as sobs wrack her body.
揑 know, baby. I抦 just afraid you抎 be a lot worse for wear if you抎 followed them. You抮e way more important than any jewelry.?
Her eyes are so wide with shock, her mouth a gaping ring. 揃ut…but she抯 gone and now the turtle is too. Now I have nothing.?
My heart breaks for her.
I抦 torn between being grateful she isn抰 hurt and hating these people for stealing something so precious.
揑 know. I抦 sorry. But your mom will always be with you, Dess. No one can take away her memory, I promise you.?I scan her up and down. She抯 still standing and looks brittle now. That抯 a good sign. But my eyes stop on a nasty gash going down her leg, the blood already crusted over. 揇oes that hurt? Anything feel broken??
揘o. Not really.?She stuffs her hands in her pockets and turns her face down.
揝tretch your arms out and wiggle your wrists for me.?
Destiny blinks. 揥hat??
?it抯 what my dad did when he picked me up from school in fourth grade after I fell off the monkey bars. Just do it.?
With a frustrated sigh, she holds out her arms, rattles them, and then rolls her wrists.
揝ee? No permanent damage. I think.?
揟ry rolling your ankles, too,?I say, watching carefully as she steps away from the wall.
揂nd then I do the hokey pokey and turn it all around??She raises one foot and moves it around in a circle for me. 揧ou抮e acting like Dad.?
揌umor me, please.?
With a trademark teenager eyeroll, she raises her other foot and turns it.
揋ood, good. You抮e a lucky girl.?I grab my phone then and dial Cole抯 number.
揥hat are you doing??she asks.
揅alling your father,?I mouth as his phone rings in my ear.