Abby appears at my side, clutching my free arm and smiling through glassy eyes.
“But he doesn’t know I have a burner cell.” Pride flows through his words and blossoms in my chest.
“I didn’t either,” Athena mutters.
“It’s a recent development but forget about that. Dad has lost his fucking mind, Thena.”
My nails dig into my thighs every time he calls that thieving asshole Dad. Not only has Amos Martin deprived Jane of life and me years of my son’s life, but he has deceived Arlo in the most despicable way. My heart aches for my son. He’s about to have the rug ripped right out from under his feet.
“Where are you?”
“We’re in some creepy old church at a graveyard in the fucking boonies. The back part has been converted to living quarters, and we’re holed up here. I’ve sent a pin to your cell,” he adds as Athena’s phone beeps with a new message. “I watched him entering the codes to the front gate, the church door, and the alarm system. I sent you those too.”
Anderson grins, thumping me in the arm. “Smart kid,” he mouths.
“I’m getting on a plane shortly, but it’ll be hours before I get there. You need to keep me updated. but be careful he doesn’t see. He can’t know you’ve been in contact with me.”
“I’m not an idiot, sis, and I learned a lot at HQ.”
“I know you’re not, but don’t underestimate Dad, Arlo. There is much you don’t know.”
“What’s going on?” he asks, lowering his voice further. “I heard Mom and Dad arguing earlier. She was saying he needed to kill you now and it wasn’t good enough he’d dealt with Manning. What does that mean? Why are they talking about killing you?”
I guess Amos hasn’t turned on the news or made the connection between the plane explosion and the Bulgarians he set on my tail, which is good.
“I learned the truth about something he did,” she says, looking up at me. “He has figured out I know, and he wants the secret to die with me.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll tell you when I see you. You’d better go.”
“Hurry, Thena. I don’t like this. He’s talking like we’re never going back home. We left with none of our stuff ’cause I think he was caught off guard. But he has a friend organizing a plane for us. We have to lie low until tomorrow, and then we’re going overseas. He wouldn’t tell me where. He told me I was to forget about you because you’d betrayed our family and now it was just the three of us.”
“He’s lying. Don’t believe anything he says, and I promise I’ll explain everything soon. I’ll be there as quick as I can,” she says, “and I’m bringing friends. Ares and the board are helping too.”
“Dad must be in deep shit if the Lums are involved.”
“He is, but you can’t let on you know any of this. Act normal. Like your usual moody, hormonal self,” she teases.
“Funny, sis, and don’t worry about me. I know how to play Dad and how to wind the bitch up.”
“Stay safe, Arlo, and don’t take any risks. I’ll get you out of there.”
“I know you will.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”
The call ends, and Athena and I look at one another. “He’s amazing,” I say.
“He is. He’s smart, and he has good instincts, but he’s been quite sheltered. He’s still out of his depth, and we need to get to him stat.”
I take her hand. “Let’s go then. We’re not waiting for Ares and co this time. We’re getting him out of there ourselves.”
* * *
The journey to Cali was fraught with tension and concern, but we’re now only one mile out from the church where Arlo is with Amos and Cadance. Ares’s men got here hours ago, and Xavier had to talk Ares into holding off. It didn’t make sense to attack them in broad daylight when the cemetery was open to visitors. We need to sneak up on them under the cover of darkness and get Arlo out before we attack.
