“I won’t rule that out,” Grace said, “but at the moment just focus on the details. If Rowena’s in jail—”
“She’s not,” Addie interrupted. “She’s been released and is in some medical treatment facility in San Antonio. Judging from the route Yvette was taking to escape with the twins, she could have been heading in that direction.”
Grace cursed under her breath. “All right. I’ll get someone out there right away to check on—” But she stopped when Judson finished his call and came back over to join them.
“I just spoke to the director at Serenity Springs Care Facility, where Rowena is a patient,” Judson explained. “Yvette isn’t there. In fact, Rowena hasn’t had any visitors since she arrived two days ago.”
That eased some of the knotted muscles in her stomach and chest, but Addie was nowhere near ready to relax. “Rowena and Yvette could have worked out the kidnapping when Rowena was still in jail. The two could still be in contact.”
Grace’s forehead bunched up while she glanced at Trevor. “Okay, let me do this interview, and then I’ll drive to San Antonio and have a chat with Rowena.”
The words had no sooner left her mouth than Judson’s phone rang, and Addie saw the name of the treatment facility on his screen. That bad feeling returned with a vengeance.
Judson moved them farther away from the dining room, no doubt so Trevor wouldn’t be able to hear, and he took the call on speaker. “This is Deputy Judson Docherty,” he said.
Addie expected to hear the facility director’s voice, maybe telling them that Rowena escaped. But it wasn’t.
It was Rowena.
“I understand you just contacted Serenity Springs about me,” Rowena said, skipping any greeting. “I was in the room with the director when she got the call,” she added. “Yvette isn’t here.”
“When’s the last time you saw her?” Judson was quick to ask.
But Rowena certainly wasn’t quick to answer. “I won’t get into that over the phone, but I will tell Addie and you in person. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
Now, it was Addie who cursed, and it wasn’t under her breath. “That’s blackmail,” Addie spat out.
“Yes, it is,” Rowena readily admitted. “But I need to see you, and if this is the way I can make that happen, then I’ll use it.”
“This is Sheriff Granger.” Grace spoke up, the anger rising in her voice. “I can charge you with obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting a fugitive. You’ll be sent back to prison and take your dying breath there.”
Rowena coughed. “You could do that, and then I’ll take what I know about Yvette to the grave. I’ve got nothing to lose, Sheriff Granger, by staying silent, because no matter what I do, I’ll be dead in a couple of weeks.”
“Fine,” Grace snarled. “I’ll send someone from SAPD over there now to arrest you.”
“Wait,” Addie mouthed, not saying it aloud since she didn’t want Rowena to hear it. “Mute your phone,” she told Judson and didn’t add anything else until he had done that. “I can go see her.”
“You can’t,” Judson snapped just as Grace insisted, “No need. I’m calling her bluff.”
“It’s not a bluff,” Addie muttered. “Her one and only goal is to see me, and she’ll risk going back to jail to get a chance at that happening.”
Grace groaned and did more cursing. “You don’t have to do this,” she told Addie.
“I know,” Addie replied, but it didn’t exactly feel like an option. “As long as Yvette is at large, the babies are likely in danger. Judson and me, too. Heck, anyone around us as well. If Rowena has any inkling of where we can find Yvette, then it’s something I need to do.”
Grace didn’t look convinced. Judson certainly didn’t, either. And while Addie was dreading this, dreading it all the way to her bones, she would do it for those precious babies. She’d face down the monster who’d killed her mother and kidnapped her and hopefully get the truth about Yvette.
“All right,” Grace said after what felt like an eternity of hesitation. “The two of you go to San Antonio. And take Livvy with you.”
Addie shook her head. “No. I want her to stay here. I want all the protection possible for Lily and Rose.”
Grace shook her head, too. “I’ll be here. So will Bennie and two of the ranch hands. But there’s no way I’ll send Judson and you out there alone without backup. Go and have Livvy follow in a cruiser. That way, if the killer sees two cop cars, he or she might think twice about launching another attack.”
Addie wanted to argue with that, but then she remembered this wasn’t just about her. Judson would go with her, she had zero doubts about that, and it meant he’d be in danger.
“All right,” Addie agreed. She turned to Judson. “Can we leave now? The sooner we get this done, the better. I don’t want to sit around here thinking about it.”
His expression morphed from deep concern to anger, which she didn’t think was directed at her but rather Rowena. “Okay,” he finally said. “But I stay with you during the visit. You’re not doing that solo, even if Rowena insists on it.”
