Free Highways & Hostages by Jax Abbey

he’d gotten it from did a great job. He placed it on the coffee table and looked up at Stella. Her eyes were wide, as if she had seen a ghost, and she seemed to be gasping for air. He hoped she wouldn’t faint or something. He didn’t know CPR.
    “Oh my God, get that off my coffee table.”
    “It’s one of Phoebe’s fingers.”
    Stella took her eyes off the severed digit to glare stonily at Finn. “No, it’s not.”
    “Yes. It is,” Finn said, calm and collected.
    Stella shook her head, never taking her eyes off of the coffee table. “That is NOT Phoebe’s finger. She painted her nails an ugly shade of blue the other day. That is CLEARLY not her finger,” she said with increasing volume.
    “Are you sure?” Finn asked.
    “WHOSE FUCKING FINGERS ARE ON MY COFFEE TABLE AND WHY AREN’T THEY ATTACHED TO A HAND? AND WHY DO YOU HAVE SEVERED FUCKING FINGERS?” Stella shouted.
    Finn sat forward and threw his hands up. “Keep it down! Fine, since you’re so damn difficult. No, they aren’t Phoebe’s fingers, but they very well could be. Phoebe is being held hostage by one of my friends.”
    “What the fuck, dude?” Stella said. “I am so confused. Is this some kind of shitty-ass prank? Am I on a hidden camera show?” Stella glanced around and waved as if expecting a cameraman to pop out of her minuscule kitchen.
    “This isn’t a joke,” Finn said through gritted teeth. He was beginning to lose his patience.
    Stella was silent for a moment. “You’re really serious?”
    Finn nodded, glad she was finally understanding the gravity of the situation.
    Stella sank into one of the shabby armchairs flanking the couch. “Is it Mr. Hot—one of those guys who always comes into the bar with you? Why did you take Phoebe? What do you want from me? I’m broke.”
    Finn held his hand up to silence her. “I need you to join me on a road trip for my job. I’ll return Phoebe safe and sound—not that she’s being hurt or tortured or anything,” Finn blurted out.
    “Let me get this straight. You’re holding my sister hostage…and you want me to go on a road trip with you?”
    “Phoebe’s in great hands. And ‘hostage’ is such a harsh word. He’s more, like, babysitting her.”
    Stella stared at the fake fingers on the coffee table and crossed her arms. She lifted her eyes to meet Finn’s gaze. “You can keep her.”
    “What?” Finn asked, unsure if he’d heard correctly.
    “I said you can keep her.” Stella leaned back against the armchair and studied her nails as if bored by the topic of conversation.
    Finn sat forward, hands on his knees. “What?”
    “This is way more work than I’m willing to put in.”
    “Are you serious?” Finn leapt from the sofa. All of his plans hinged on Stella being willing to help him. He hadn’t thought for a second that she would turn him down.
    “The kid’s a brat. You can have her.”
    “What the fuck? I have your kid sister!”
    “And I said you can keep her! Besides, I’ll call the police,” Stella declared, looking him straight in the eye.
    Finn towered over the seated Stella and channeled Julian’s intensity. He imagined the look on his face was dangerous.
    “You do NOT want to do that. Besides, I have your phone, and what on earth makes you think I’d let you leave this trailer without me?”
    “Wait a second, how do I really know you have Phoebe? Let me talk to her.”
    Finn threw back his head in frustration, ready to tear his—or Stella’s—hair out. “Phoebe’s alright. But here.” Finn retrieved his own phone and dialed Billy’s number. The phone rang three times.
    “What’s shakin’?” Billy answered.
    “Stella wants to speak to her sister.”
    Billy murmured something. Finn passed the phone to Stella. She listened for a moment, then her eyes widened and slid back over to him.
    “Oh God, it’s true,” Stella said in a small voice. She listened again and then held the phone out. “He wants to talk to you.”
    “I’m back,”