Well, hell, Peter thought. Suddenly, Durant’s unwillingness to help made all kinds of sense. The problem was that he’d just left a message telling Durant where he was. The captain didn’t know what Peter was driving, but his was one of only four cars parked on two city blocks.
Then his phone rang.
It was Manny. “Three men ambushed us at the shrink’s office. They took Carlotta and Ellie.”
Peter had never heard Manny sound frantic before, but he was frantic now.
“Shit. Are you hurt?”
“No. They had me dead to rights, Peter. I never even got my gun out. They put hoods over their heads and threw them in a blue car. They even shot up Carlotta’s van so I couldn’t follow.”
Peter could hear the pain in his friend’s voice. Like what Peter feltfor losing KT, only a thousand times worse. And it was all Peter’s fault for getting him involved. He clamped down on his shame and anger. “Damn, Manny. I’m so sorry. What can I do?”
“They knew your name, Ashes. They want you and the black-tip ammo. They’ll trade both for Carlotta and Ellie. They said to check Telegram for where and when. They said you’d know what that meant.”
Peter felt the dragon wake inside him. “I don’t, but I think June does. I need to call her. Ping me your location, I’m coming to pick you up.”
Manny cleared his throat, struggling to regain his equilibrium. Finally he said, “I can’t ask you to trade yourself for them, Peter.”
“You don’t have to ask, brother. I’m on it. We’ll get them home safe. No matter what.”
Just like the old days, Peter thought, starting the Tahoe’s engine. Never leave a man behind.
In his civilian life, Peter had extended that ethos to everyone he cared about. If you were in his orbit, you were an honorary Marine.
Man, woman, and child.
46
June
June was still talking with Wilkinson when her phone rang.
It was Peter. She didn’t pick up. She didn’t want Wilkinson to walk out while she still had questions.
Her phone rang again. She looked at Wilkinson. “I’m sorry, I need to take this.” She put Peter on speaker. “What’s up?”
“Someone took Carlotta and Ellie. They want to make a trade for me and the ammo we took from the Gun Club. They said to check Telegram for the details.”
June closed her eyes. After everything that had happened to Ellie, now this? And Carlotta? They must be scared to death.
“Hold on.” She pulled the burner from the foil and opened the app. There was a new message with a photo. The bottom dropped out of her stomach when she saw it. “I got a picture of two women in hoods, like fucking ISIS prisoners. They want you in Auburn at five-thirty. If we call the police, Ellie and Carlotta die. If you don’t bring the armor-piercing ammunition, Ellie and Carlotta die. If you bringanyone else with you, if they find a tracking device, if they see anyone following—”
“I get it,” Peter said. “Ellie and Carlotta die. Do they say anything about an exchange of hostages?”
“Nothing,” June said. “Just instructions for you.”
“Okay, we’ll play by their rules. Traffic’s a mess. Getting to Auburn in that time frame won’t be easy.”
Now June felt like she was going to throw up. “Peter—”
“I have to get moving, Juniper. I don’t have time to grab Manny. He’s in Greenwood, I’ll text you the address. Whoever you’re with, show them the brochure picture of Garrison Bevel and see if he’s the Messenger.”
“Peter, wait. Are you really going to do this? Put yourself in these lunatics’ hands?”
“It’s not Ellie’s or Carlotta’s fault they’re in this shit situation. It’s mine.”
“No, it’s Circuit Rider’s fault, the Messenger’s.Theykidnapped two innocent people. Not you.”
