She bit her lip with the phone against her ear, listening to it ring.Come on, come on.It wasn’t quite a prayer, more her trying to will Ellayna to answer the phone. Which, of course, wasn’t more than just wishful thinking.
Lord.
She didn’t get the chance to say more to God because the call connected.
“Kenna?”
She sucked in a deep breath. “Ellayna, tell me where you are.”
“I…I don’t know.”
Beside her, Jax made a call of his own. He put the phone to his ear, and she heard him tell Maizie to trace the call, to get a triangulated location.
Kenna shut her eyes. “Where’s your mom?”
“She won’t wake up.”
“What about your brother?”
“He keeps crying.” The connection faltered. It sounded like she said something else, but Kenna didn’t catch it.
“Ellayna?”
“I’m here.”
“Describe what’s around you. What kind of place are you in?” She opened her eyes. “Tell me what you see.”
“Okay. The walls are metal. There aren’t any windows, but they gave us a lamp and three phones. But they don’t have much battery. I turned them off to save it, so they don’t run out too fast.”
“I’m glad you turned one back on. That was a good idea. We’re trying to find you.”
Ellayna started to cry. “I don’t know where we are.”
“Are any of you hurt?”
“No, but mom is sleepy. And I can’t get the door open.” She sniffled. “I tried, but it’s locked.”
“Have you seen anyone else?” She didn’t want to use the word “captor” but might have to. “Like whoever took you.”
“Not since I woke up. I think it was yesterday, but it’s been dark all this time. I don’t know what time it is.”
But they were unhurt, and no one was coming in the place where they were being held. “You’re doing great. Ellayna, listen to me. You’re one of the strongest people I know. You are going to be okay.”
Silence greeted her.
“Ellayna?”
The call dropped.
She twisted to face Jax, far too tense for being this pregnant. “Please tell me you got that?”
He shook his head, his jaw set in frustration. “The signal is bouncing around over multiple states. She can’t pin it down.”
Kenna squeezed her eyes shut, willing away the burning sensation. She didn’t want to break down in tears in a hospital waiting room.
“I see the doctor.” He pointed toward the nurses’ station. “Let’s go find out if Wallace is awake.”
“If he is, I’m going to pummel him.”
