Chapter 39

Danika missed James terribly. She hadn't lived in California for long, so it wasn't like she'd grown used to living with him, but with him gone, it was like a huge part of her life had been stripped away.

Somehow, she made it through the first weekend, but as the week wound down, she didn't want to face the hours alone. In the back of her mind, she worried that if she picked up a shift, James would come home, and she wouldn't get to spend any time with him. But all weekend, sitting in the apartment with no one to talk to weighed heavily on her.

On Thursday, before she left work, she asked if there were any shifts available. Her boss told her there weren't, but he would keep her in mind if someone called in sick. At least there was hope she wouldn't have to spend the weekend alone.

After work that evening, she thought about heading out to do something, but worry heightened her anxiety and she couldn't come up with the desire to leave the house. What would she do anyway? She didn't want to go clubbing or to a bar. Maybe the library, but they closed at six.

She wasn't trapped in James's place like she'd been trapped with Ezra. James hadn't restricted her movements, but she couldn't break out of the funk, which kept her from leaving.

One thing she needed was friends, but finding people to hang out with was hard. Everyone was busy and had already filled their lives with things they enjoyed doing. There wasn't really anyone she could call. It was the one thing she really disliked about what she'd allowed Ezra to do to her. Everyone important to her had been abandoned. Their numbers and contact information were lost, and getting on social media scared the crap out of her. One misstep would alert Ezra to her location.

After spending a restless night, she woke way too early on Friday but tried to pretend she might go back to sleep. Frustration had her rolling like a rotisserie chicken tangled the sheets. She finally slipped out from under the covers and headed into the kitchen, wishing she could leave behind the baggage she carried with her.

When James was around, it was easier to ignore the twisting thoughts that still plagued her. As the sun rose, she sipped her coffee, contemplating her future. If she hadn't been brave enough to plan to leave Ezra, she would still be there, or maybe be six feet under, but she wouldn't be here.

James cared for her, and that was easy to see with his actions. She had no doubts about him, but she wanted to change other parts of her life to become more vibrant like she used to be. Before she'd succumbed to Ezra's plot to erase her, she'd loved dancing and music. She'd enjoyed hanging out with friends and spending the weekends getting in exercise.

There had to be something she could do to get her out of the house. Going dancing at a club didn't sound appealing. If James was with her, she would jump at the chance, but going clubbing alone didn't entice her at all.

Worry for James hit. She wanted him back for more than just selfish reasons. After meeting Thario, she understood how wrong everything could go, even when it seemed like everything was on the right track.

In the middle of her shift on Friday, she received a text from Thario. He wanted to confirm some stuff about Ezra. When she finished with her shift and was walking to the apartment from the bus stop, she called Thario.

"Hey, Danika, it's good to hear from you. How are you doing?"

"Good."

He was silent for a few seconds, like he was either distracted or didn't believe her. "So I texted James, but he didn't call back. I just had a few questions."

"Um, sure. They're—" she glanced around, making sure no one was close and could overhear her conversation. "He is out on a mission. Got called last Friday. So they've been gone for a week."

"Oh, I should have known that. I've been down a few rabbit holes and not paying attention, I guess."

"It's okay. I should have texted and told you they were gone."

"Yeah. I'd appreciate it if you did. That way I can keep watch. I know you're an adult, but I'd like to keep my eyes out since I know this Ezra character is bad news."

Danika keyed open the door, taking a moment to make sure the apartment felt empty. There were no stray sounds or smells, so she closed the door and locked it as she let go a heavy sigh.

"I miss James. "

"I'm sure you do. It's hard staying at home, at least it is for me."

She'd been so wrapped up in her own mess she hadn't thought how Thario would feel about being left behind. "How are you doing?"

"We'll get into that later. First, I need to know if Ezra ever went by other names?"

Danika stepped away from the door and set her bag down on the counter. "Um, maybe. I mean, he would lie about who he was if there was a meetup with a potential mark. He would use random names, or I always felt like they were random. I don't know if he had another identity that he could travel on."

"Okay, so maybe not another name. I'm trying to find out information on him, but he's scrubbed his name from everything."

She made her way into the kitchen as Thario talked, wondering if she should get herself some wine and eat cheese and fruit for dinner. "I'm sorry I can't be more help."

"Well, you could be some help. Would you like to come over on Saturday and help me do some looking into Ezra?"

"I-I don't know much about computers."

"It's not hard to learn. All you have to do is just search and go through the information. It takes time, is all. And honestly, if you're here, I know you're not in danger."

"Do you always look after everyone?" Danika appreciated his concern. It would give her something to look forward to.

"No. Actually, I don't really have that many people who come around. I get that it's hard for them to watch me struggle with life."

Seeing him was easy compared to being locked up by Ezra. "I'll be there. What time? "

"After one. I don't wake up early. Frog will be excited to see you."

"And I'm excited to see him. I'll get a ride over there, and I'm looking forward to learning how to search for someone."

"Good. Enjoy your evening. As far as I can tell, Ezra isn't anywhere near California. But keep the doors locked anyway."

"I will. And enjoy your evening."

They ended the call, and Danika felt lighter than she had this morning. She was looking forward to doing something other than sitting alone all weekend. Worry for James still sat heavily on her heart, but at least she would have a focus instead of sitting around the apartment doing nothing other than letting her worry run wild.