Let Me Go by Chelsea Cain Read Free Book Online Page A

to stop by tonight and take the dog out, okay? Use your key.”
    â€œAt what point do I start to worry?” Henry asked.
    Archie glanced outside at the darkening sky. “Twenty-four hours,” he said. He picked a pen up off the counter and wrote a telephone number on a piece of notebook paper, tore the paper out, folded it in half, and handed it to Henry. “If you don’t hear from me by this time tomorrow, open this.”
    Henry looked down at the folded piece of paper between his fingers. “Is this your will?”
    Archie heard the toilet flush and water running.
    â€œIt’s my Visa number,” Archie said. “Run up as much as you can before they find out I’m dead.”
    Claire came out of the bathroom and started toward them.
    â€œThat’s not funny,” Henry said, putting the folded paper in his jacket pocket.
    Claire stepped next to them. “Did you open it?” she asked, her eyes shining.
    Archie exchanged a glance with Henry, thinking she meant the paper he’d just passed him.
    â€œThe gift,” Claire said, looking at the two of them like they were idiots. “Do it quick, before I have to pee again.”
    Archie pulled the present from his jacket pocket and unwrapped a white cardboard box. He lifted the lid. Inside was a round brass object, about the size of a Kennedy dollar but thicker, with a small knob on the side. It looked like an old-fashioned man’s pocket watch, but without a watch face. It appeared to be solid brass on both sides.
    â€œIt’s a compass,” Claire said. She took it from Archie’s hands and flipped a latch at the bottom and the top opened to reveal a compass face underneath. The compass arrow trembled and then swung to point north.
    â€œClaire thought you’d like it,” Henry explained.
    Archie did like it. Though he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with it exactly.
    Claire gave Archie a teasing poke in the ribs. “So what did your girlfriend get you?” she asked.
    Archie’s mind went to the promised lap dance and he felt himself blush. He pulled at the collar of his shirt. “She’s not my girlfriend,” he said.
    â€œWhatever,” Claire said. “It’s been two months. Have I met her? No. If Henry hadn’t seen her with his own eyes, I’d wonder if she was your imaginary friend.”
    â€œSusan met her this morning,” Archie said.
    â€œHow’d that go?” Henry asked, lifting his glass to his lips.
    â€œCould have gone better,” Archie said.
    â€œSusan hated her, didn’t she?” Claire asked, beaming.
    Archie picked up his glass and took a drink from it. He wondered how long Susan would be pissed at him. Probably weeks. “Yep,” he said.
    â€œI want to meet her anyway,” Claire said. She didn’t wait for a response, which was good because Archie wasn’t prepared to make any promises. Claire picked up Henry’s wrist and looked at his watch. Her eyes widened. “We have reservations,” she said to Archie. Even with the high heels she had to lift herself up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “Happy birthday,” she said. “We love you. Despite all your obvious problems and weird proclivities.”
    â€œThanks a lot,” Archie said.
    She dragged Henry out the door. Henry caught Archie’s eye as Claire pulled the door shut behind them. “Call me tomorrow,” Henry said. “Twenty-four hours.”
    Archie stood in his apartment alone. The cloud cover out the window was the color of ash. The Willamette River looked like molten silver. Archie finished his drink and then called Rachel. He got her voice mail.
    â€œSomething’s come up,” Archie said. “I have to work.” With someone else he might have had to apologize or explain more, but he and Rachel had different rules. “But,” Archie added, “I’m hoping I can get a rain