Creature of Unknown Origin

50

Dr. Richards turned wild eyes on Spencer now. “THIS IS WHY I TRIED TO HIRE YOU

IN T HE FIRST PLACE, YOU NITWIT!”

“You’ll help us?” I asked shyly, absolutely terrified by the untamed wrath the woman

seemed capable of.

“If it gets you out of this world, then absolutely!” Dr. Richards nodded eagerly, “Don’t get

so excited,” she tsked at Spe ncer’s sigh of relief, “I’m only doing this on two conditions, that one,

and you’ll ‘take care of’ Simon Riddleston.”

I started to say going through the portal again would kill me, but thought better of it.

Besides, Spencer was already promising to “look into Riddleston’s case”, whatever that really

meant in his profession.

All I knew for certain was that Spencer was telling me not to crash his truck as we walked

back to his truck, with me carrying Dr. Richards’ things and him with a steady hand on her arm .

Spencer forced Dr. Richards into the backseat as he climbed in next to her.

The clink of metal was met with Dr. Richards tutting, “Is this really necessary?”

“Yes, because I don’t trust you. ” Spencer met my eyes in the newly readjusted rearview

mirror. “Do you have to adjust everything?”

“Do you want me to crash your truck?” I shot back, making a point of moving his seat into

a better position.

Spencer grumbled, cursing under his breath. “Women.”

“Men.” Dr. Richards and I managed to scoff in unison.

“I’m doomed.” Spencer sat back in his seat, apparently satisfied with the handcuffs he’d

placed on Dr. Richards’ wrists and tethered with another length of chain to the frame of the seat

beneath her. He sank down, shutting his eyes and clasping his hands in his lap.

As I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the deserted highway, I only prayed we made it

back to Delia and Howie in one piece. I also prayed that Spencer never found out about my actual

driving record, and hoped that it wouldn’t transfer over to this world either.