36
Beauchamp Road, Midnight
Sarah’s cell phone had vibrated at least ten times in the last two hours. She ignored it.
“No one will find the Jeep here.”
Kale had taken Sarah to his place, where they’d prepared. Then he’d stopped by his parents’ house and gotten a pair of his sister’s boots for Sarah to wear. They were a size too large, but they worked.
“You ready?” he asked.
Sarah nodded. “Let’s do it.”
She and the Popes had searched the shoreline on either side of their house. That left their house, the extensive, rocky shore that separated it from the ocean, and the boathouse.
Getting into the house without getting caught would likely be impossible, but they were prepared for that as well. Sarah would distract the Popes while Kale searched.
Not a perfect plan, but not one without some possibility of success.
“Shit.” Kale reached into his coat pocket and checked his cell.
Like hers, his had buzzed a number of times. He’d stopped answering the last time the chief called to check on him.
“It’s the chief again.”
“You know what he wants,” Sarah reminded him. He wanted to ensure that Kale wasn’t trying anything stupid.
Like this.
Kale stared at the screen of his phone. “He left a voicemail this time.”
“Play it.” If there was something new they needed to know about, they should be aware before taking this no-turning-back step.
Kale pushed the necessary buttons and set it on speaker.
“Kale, I don’t know where you’re at—I sent a deputy to your house.”
“Great,” he muttered.
“You need to come to Bay View Medical Center.”
His gaze collided with Sarah’s, and even in the near darkness, she saw the renewed terror.
“Your folks are there with your sister. She’s okay, Kale. A little bruised up, but okay.”
The words echoed inside the Jeep. Kale didn’t move, just stared at her.
“She’s okay, Kale,” the chief’s voice repeated. “He let her go—”
Those last four words rang in Sarah’s ears.
He let her go.
Public Safety Office, Thursday, March 5, 9:00 a.m.
“Settle down,” the chief said. “We’ve got a lot to cover.”
Sarah couldn’t sit. She stood by Kale at the door. He, evidently, couldn’t sit, either.
