Instead, I flew over the city, searching, searching. For what, I didn’t know. I’d never locate Hayley from the air. Both Damon and Fiona knew better than to challenge me, which was why they stole Hayley in the first place. Until Henry found an address for me, I could only soothe my fears by flying.
I soared on the warm sea winds, gazing down at the black Pacific, the tiny dots of light indicating ships sailing to distant ports. I could cross that same Pacific in a matter of hours if I chose to. Pop over to Manila or Tokyo for lunch, then pop back in time for supper here in California.
Dawn teased the eastern skyline when I descended to land on the beach that bordered my house. Willow stood on the sand, watching, as I first circled over her head, then back winged to alight not far from her. She walked toward me as I shifted.
“You look terrible,” she murmured, hugging me. “You need to eat.”
I draped my arm over her shoulders as we walked up the beach toward my home. “I’m not hungry.”
“You’re eating anyway.”
I didn’t bother to argue. Against Willow’s determination, such an action was useless. While she cooked bacon and eggs at my stove, I searched the Internet for Rolls Royce dealers orrental agencies on my laptop. I knew I duplicated Henry’s work, but I had to do something to keep myself occupied.
“The nearest Rolls dealership is in San Francisco,” I mused, rubbing my chin. “I don’t see any agencies that rent them, so Fiona had to have bought that car.”
“It’s too early for the dealer to be open,” Willow observed, bringing me a plate of hot food. “Let Henry call them when he can. It’s why you pay him.”
The odor of bacon frying ignited an appetite I didn’t know I owned. Joining me at the kitchen table, Willow picked up her own slice of bacon and started to munch. We ate in silence for a time, me dreading the coming confrontation with Fiona, and Willow contained in her own thoughts.
“We’ll find her.”
I glanced up from my almost empty plate to see Willow smiling gently. “Inside information?”
“Maybe. Or maybe it’s just that good will win over evil. Fiona won’t kill Hayley unless she has to. She’ll keep Hayley as her hostage. The longer you hold out, the better Hayley’s chances are.”
“And give us more time to find them?”
“Exactly.”
I sipped my coffee, thinking. “They’ll keep Hayley with them, correct? So where they are, she is.”
“Once we have the location,” Willow continued for me, “you distract them while I get Hayley out.”
I pondered the orders Fiona gave me the previous evening. “They’ll suspect something. They know I won’t give in so easily. But, what makes you think they won’t suspect you’re in cahoots with me?”
“Damon will not believe I’d ever move against him,” Willow answered with a wan smile. “He thinks my first loyalty is to him, not you.”
“And that you’ll hang back from this fight?”
“Yes.”
I studied her face, the lines of care around her eyes and mouth, lines I’d never noticed before now. “Stay out of it. If I win this, Damon will die. I’ve no other choice.”
“I won’t stay back, Alaric.” She looked down at her empty plate. “My son has done a great wrong. Not just to you, but to our people. To this world. He’ll support Fiona in destroying everyone just so he can say he bested you. I can’t let that happen.”
“You don’t have to,” I argued. “I’ll do it. It’s my prerogative.”
“I don’t care about prerogatives,” Willow snapped, now glaring at me. “I care about Hayley. I care deeply about you. It’s my duty to stand by you, no matter what happens. If Damon loves me at all, he’d have never let Fiona rule him. He’s permitting her to lead him into destruction.”
I glanced aside. “I made you a promise.”
“I know. I also know you may not be able to keep it.”
***
An hour later, Henry called with triumph in his voice. “She rented the home of a very wealthy Hollywood producer,” he said, chuckling. “He rents it out when he’s on location, which currently is in Spain. Got a pencil?”
I grabbed a pen and paper from a drawer nearby. “Go.”
