Once again, their conversation was interrupted by his phone ringing. She crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him check the screen, frown, and then answer. Whoever was on the other end of the line dominated the conversation, and Ben’s face hardened the more he listened. Finally, he ended the call without saying goodbye and pushed to his feet to step over the picnic table’s bench seat. He grasped her hand and pulled her up.
“Come on. We’ll have to finish this later.”
“Wh...” She sputtered as she scrambled after him. “Ben, where are we going?”
He didn’t answer, and she had to half-walk, half-run to keep up with his hurried strides. They rounded the side of the motel, and she slammed into his back when he stopped abruptly. She peered around his solid frame and gasped at the spectacle happening in front of the Skyline. News reporters from television networks had cameras on tripods facing away from the motel toward the traffic passing on the street.
She backed away, jerking her hand from his hold. Whipping around on her heel, she ran around the back of the hotel before one of those cameras swung in her direction and ruined everything.
Chapter Fifteen
“Where is she?”
Ben hadn’t meant to come storming into Wally’s office at the Skyline Motel like a bull charging an opponent, but when Paige ran from him and disappeared, desperation built within his chest. The motel owner stared at him in shock, but Ben barely noticed since he didn’t expect to find his brother also standing in the small office.
Luke stepped in front of him, placing a hand on his brother’s chest. The gesture wasn’t enough to stop Ben if he’d wanted to keep moving, but it was enough to make him take a breath.
“I thought you went home.”
Luke was unfazed by his brother’s bark. “Fully intended to until the media vultures descended. They caught the story of Hanson’s arrest and have been all over town trying to scoop each other. Some idiot at the construction site tipped them off that you and Hanson butted heads. Since the police won’t tell them what’s going on, they’re hoping you hate the guy enough to do it for them.”
Ben blew out an irritated breath. “Yeah. My boss with the construction company called and tipped me off.”
Luke nodded. “Jackson and Easton are hanging out at the police station to try to diffuse everything over there. I offered to find you, so we can get the hell out of here.”
Ben wasn’t shocked that the media showed up. The kidnapping case would grab national headlines. He hadn’t expected them to arrive in Ivy Springs so quickly, and he hated that they were trying to expose his connection to the case. The Legends were only successful if they operated under the radar.
“I can’t leave without talking to Paige. She ran when she saw the cameras, and I can’t find her.”
“Haven’t seen her, man. You sure it was the cameras she was running from?”
Ben shoved Luke back. “Stop messing around. I have to find her.”
Wally stepped around his desk and peered out a side window that faced the parking lot. “Her car’s gone.”
“She probably went back to her apartment. Distract the press so I can go after her?”
Luke frowned. “Don’t you think we have bigger problems to deal with than chasing some girl?”
“Charlotte’s notsomegirl,” Wally snapped, glaring at Luke before turning his attention to Ben. “I’ll think of something to get rid of the media. Don’t let her get away from you, son, and don’t make me regret trusting you with my girl.”
“I won’t,” Ben promised. “I just wish I could convince her to trust me, too. I can’t help if she doesn’t talk to me.”
“All I know is someone’s after her, and whoever it is wants her dead. She’s never told us more than that. If I knew the whole story, I’d say so even if she hated me for doing it.”
Wally’s cell phone rang, and he stepped back to his desk to answer it. “Hold on, son. It’s Mona. She may have heard from Charlotte.”
After a few minutes, Ben figured from Wally’s side of the conversation that Mona did know where Paige was, and he waited impatiently to find out. He was ready to jump out of his skin by the time the older man hung up.
“She’s at Mona’s shop. It’s just down the road, but she’s upset. Since Mona’s part-time employee is there to cover for her, she is taking Charlotte back to her house. You know where it is. You two go. I’ll get rid of the media and head that way.”
“Thanks, Wally.”
“Come on,” Luke said begrudgingly. “I’ll drive.”
Luke and Wally exited the front of the hotel. Wally yelled for the television crews to disburse off his property, and as he did, he made sure their attention was on him and facing away from Luke’s truck. Once the coast was clear, Ben darted from the lobby and slipped into the passenger side. Luke carefully drove out of the parking lot and headed in the direction Ben showed him.
“Wanna tell me why this girl has you twisted in knots?”
