Free Unwritten by Tressie Lockwood Page A

the man who owned the apartment had this magazine mailed, there would be a cover for privacy. The address label would be on that. No other papers were inside the drawer, and she sighed in defeat.
    She closed the drawer and sat back on the bed, looking around. The dresser might have a clue, but after searching, her frustration grew. Only clothes occupied the neatly arranged drawers, and she cursed the idiot who owned them. Where was he anyway? Did he decide to move out just long enough for Anthony to occupy the house, or were they both staying there? If the guy was out running errands, she might soon have not one but two kidnappers to deal with, and her chances of escape lessened.
    A sound drew her to the door, and she pressed her ear against it. Anthony talked to someone, and her heart rate increased thinking her fears had just been realized. She eased the door open a crack and peeked out. Her cousin paced the living room, a cell phone up to his ear.
    “An hour?” he said. “Okay, yeah, the sun will have gone down, and we can move easier. I want to take care of her first. Then I’m going after Leo.”
    Bile rose in Evie’s throat. Common sense told her Anthony didn’t intend to kill her, but the way he said he wanted to take care of her first terrified her. Also, if she didn’t do something quick, Anthony would kill Leo. She had no way of knowing if he had somehow gained information about the safe house.
    She eased the door shut and turned the lock. Let that slow him down. Of course with his muscle, he could break the lock, but she’d have some warning at least. One last area presented itself for searching—the closet. Most people forgot something in their pants or jacket pockets. If she figured out the address of where she was, then she could think of the next step.
    The first suit jacket and pants held nothing, the second and third the same. In fact, she made it all the way through the line and found not even a lint ball. Hopelessness made her sink to the floor, her limbs weak and shaking. Images of living as a virtual prisoner in a foreign country flashed through her mind, and she lay her head against the closet doorframe and shut her eyes. Maybe she could convince him to let her lead her own life. He could go alone.
    Nature called, but she didn’t want to go out there just yet. She tried distracting herself, but it didn’t work. Across the room, the bedside clock indicated fifteen minutes had passed since she’d checked on Anthony. He’d said they were leaving in an hour. Now she had just forty-five minutes. Shoulders slumped, she stood and started for the door and then stopped. Slowly, she pivoted. The full laundry basket!
    Her throat dried as she approached it, and she cringed when she spotted the boxers on top. “Gross.”
    You have to do this, Evie. Just get it over with. She dumped the basket on the floor and used the container to shovel the disgusting underwear out of the way. With fingertips, she picked through the other clothes and came across a T-shirt with a bulging breast pocket. Tissue. Still, this gave her hope to keep going. Three pairs of jeans presented themselves, and she picked out several button-up shirts with pockets. These few were her last hope. She searched all and dumped the contents in a pile on the floor, too scared yet to examine them closer.
    Time, Evie.
    With trembling fingers, she straightened a business card and at last knew where she was. Greensboro, North Carolina. With a small cheer, she discarded the rest of the junk as useless and stood up. Now that the darkness had lifted somewhat, she got the idea to check the top shelf in the closet. The shelf had been made for a giant, apparently, because she had to stretch to her toes to even feel up there. Rummaging around, she met with a box and drew it down. Nothing but shoes. She threw them on the floor and checked again. Then her fingers touched something that made her head spin with anticipation.
    She drew the device to the edge