Page 147 of Saving Ella


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A few seconds pass before he takes his phone out. He taps the screen and puts it on speaker.

“Where the fuck are you?” a male voice says. “Denver is screaming at the mayor.”

“Let her. Who cashed in the Asher Flynn hit?”

“No one.”

I frown, but Ranger remains expressionless. “Do we know who carried it out?”

“Yeah, but only because he called me after it, drunk and saying it was all my fault, as if I told him to fucking do it,” the man says.

“Who?” I ask, unable to wait.

The man on the phone pauses. “Who’s that?”

Ranger sighs. “Just answer him, Cal.”

Cal says, “Hunter DeLuca.”

Chapter 45

Gable

ME: All good your end, Gibson?

Istare at my phone as I tap the steering wheel. I sent the message close to twenty minutes ago and there’s been no response.

Maybe she’s asleep.

I text Hunter instead, and he responds quickly.

HUNTER: All fine. The girls are sleeping. You almost there?

I breathe out a sigh of relief.

ME: Just waiting for him now. When she wakes up, tell Ella I’ll be home as soon as I can.

HUNTER: I will.

HUNTER: Love you, kid.

ME: Loveyou, too.

From the passenger seat, Z says, “Everything okay?”

I nod and finally relax. “Ella and Monty are asleep.” We’re sitting on the darkened air strip, engine off, freezing our asses off waiting for Rick to arrive. When I spot the glare of headlights, I sit up. “Phone off and leave it in the car.”

Z pulls a face. “Why?”

“Because the guy is paranoid about listening devices. Take off your smart watch, too, otherwise he’ll bolt in the other direction.”

Z mumbles something about his steps for the day not being right but does as I ask. We get out of the car and into the cold, the wind biting across the open field.

“Let me do the talking,” I say.

Z scowls. “I’m not enjoying this power imbalance.”

“Just do as I say.”