“Vic’s fine, by the way,” Marcgrowled.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about his arm. I’m sorry about all of this. I never meant to drag her into anything. In fact, I’m trying to drag her back out.” I sucked in a deep breath. Then I did what I should have done twenty-four hours ago. What I should have said from the very beginning. “You have to help me get her back. I swear, I’ll drive her straight to the ranch, then I’ll disappear. You’ll never hear from me again, if you promise me you’ll keep hersafe.”
“That’s all we’ve ever tried to do for her. And we want the same for you. No one wants you todisappear.”
“No, but several of them want me todie.”
“That’s not—” A frustrated growl rumbled over the line, as if Marc had stopped the lie before it could be spoken. “We’ll sort the rest of this out after we’ve found Kaci.Okay?”
“Yes. Done.” I nodded at myself in the rearview mirror, as if I were looking at Marc. “Whatever youwant.”
“Where areyou?”
“St. George, Utah. It’s two hours up I15 from LasVegas.”
“You two didn’t get very faryesterday.”
“We stopped to…rest.”
He growled. “Do not sayanythingthat even gives me theslightestmental image of you in bed with the girl I’ve raised like adaughter.”
“I’m serious, Marc. We rested. I swear on my life I haven’t touched her. I bought her dinner and we talked. That’sit.”
“But you’re married? Faythe and Vic said you two gotmarried.”
“Not that I want to discuss the particulars of that with you right now, but yes. We’re married, but not yet…Um…”
“Stop there,” he snapped. “Iunderstand.”
“ThankGod.”
“Okay, I want you to sit tight and wait. I’m sending Vic and Chris your way fromPhoenix.”
“I don’t need—” I bit off the objection before Marc could interrupt me. I would take whatever help he offered, if it would get Kaci back. “Okay, it’s not that I don’t need them. But Jared could be heading back toward Las Vegas as we speak, so maybe Vic and Chris should head that way. I need to know whether Jared’s acting on the council’s orders or… I need to know… Marc, why the hell would he take her, but leaveme?”
“I don’t know. Let me call Blackwell. I’m going to put Chris and Vic on alert, but have them stay put until I know more about what’s going on. You stay put too. I’ll call you rightback.”
“Okay.Thanks.”
I plugged my phone into the car charger, then I drove across the street to fill up the gas tank and grab a cup of coffee, so I’d be ready for whatever orders came down the pipeline. Then I sat in my car and waited. And waited. After what felt like forever, I checked the time on my phone and discovered that only fifteen minutes hadpassed.
Somehow, Kaci had been kidnappedandtime had sloweddown.
Finally, my phone rang. Marc’s name appeared on the screen, and I jabbed the talk button. “Hello?”
“Please tell me you have a full tank ofgas.”
My heart slammed against my sternum. “Ido.”
“Now tell me there’s nothing illegal in your rental car, atall.”
“Of course not.”Shit. “Well, except for the fake ID I used to rent this car. And to play poker atCaesar’s.”
“Fine. That’snothing.”
“What’s goingon?”
“Put me on speaker, then get on I15 and go south,” Marc said. “I’ll explain while youdrive.”
