Brett Battles - Little Girl Gone

“No, you don’t.”

“I do.” He hesitated, then said, “I know there’s a lot going on in that head of yours, but you did good. Real good. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Logan had no response for that. There were so many times he’d almost failed since that morning Tooney had been attacked, he wasn’t ready to pat himself on the back.

He dropped his dad off at his home, then headed to his apartment in West Village. It was dark by the time he parked around back. He grabbed his backpack, then walked over to the stairs that led to his front door. But he didn’t go up.

Elyse was sitting in his way.

She stared at him for several seconds, then said, “I just wanted to get a look at you.”

“Um, okay.”

“I hear you saved my life.”

“I was just one of many.”

“That’s not what I was told.”

“Doesn’t really matter. The important thing is that you’re home.”

After several seconds, she said, “I don’t remember most of it. Not well, anyway. After they grabbed me outside Anthony’s place…” She paused. “Grandpa told me you were the one who found him.”

Logan took a breath. “Yes.”

Silence.

“If Anthony didn’t know me, he’d still be alive.”

“You can’t think that way,” he told her.

“But it’s true, though.”

“It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t your fault. Not even a little.”

“How can I be friends with anyone now? How can I trust the same thing won’t happen to someone else.”

He knew just telling her it wasn’t her fault again wouldn’t help, so he said what he though she really needed to hear. “You’ll find a way.”

Neither of them said anything for a moment.

Then she said, “I…I know I need to thank you, but I don’t know how. Just saying it doesn’t seem like it would be enough.”

“You don’t need to thank me at all.”

“I don’t think I could even if I tried.” She picked up something that was lying on the step behind her. “Here. It’s the best I can do for now.”

What she handed him was a small painting in a dark green wooden frame—a painting of a young girl with wings and a mischievous smile.

“You?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I painted it.”

“No, I mean the girl. Is it you?”

She walked down the steps, and stopped in front of him, then raised up on her toes, and kissed him on the cheek. “Grandpa says you get free coffee for life.”

She stepped around him, and started walking away.

Did you get her? Carl asked.

Did you get her?

Logan looked down at the picture, then back at Elyse as she disappeared into the night.

“Yes,” he said. “I got her.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brett Battles lives in Los Angeles and is the author of four novels in the acclaimed Jonathan Quinn series, including THE CLEANER (nominated for the Barry Award for Best Thriller 2008, and the Shamus Award for Best Debut Novel), THE DECEIVED (winner of the Barry Award for Best Thriller 2009), and the latest installment, THE SILENCED. LITTLE GIRL GONE is the first of his new series featuring Logan Harper. More info available at www.brettbattles.com

Other Works by Brett Battles available on Kindle:

The Jonathan Quinn Thrillers

THE CLEANER

THE DECEIVED

SHADOW OF BETRAYAL (U.S.)/THE UNWANTED (U.K.)

THE SILENCED

Short Stories

JUST ANOTHER JOB – A Jonathan Quinn Story

PERFECT GENTLEMAN

Coming Soon

THE WRONG MAN

HERE COMES MR. TROUBLE (First of New YA Series)

NO RETURN