Page 104 of Miss Trust

“Not particularly.”

He shrugged. “Too bad. You get it anyhow. Get out of the Scarlett Letter. It’s bad news.”

“Already in progress.”

“Good to hear. Thanks for your help on this. It’s an important step.” He held out his hand.

I took it in a firm handshake. “You’re welcome. And no offense, Dylan Smith, but I hope I never see you again.”

He grinned. “Right back at you.”

Malik met me at the Vegas airport in front of my plane. “How did it all go?”

“Good, so long as I don’t see Agent Smith again.”

“Are we heading to Dubai next?”

It was tempting to go home and see Tory, but to what end? No, I was better off concentrating on business. “Yes, to Dubai to get things settled there.”

We were two hours into the flight when my phone rang over the Wi-Fi network. It was a New York number. Malik answered it for me, talking in low tones before putting it on mute.

“It’s your sister’s asshole fiancé. He says she’s missing.”

Kelsey and I had spoken last week after she’d returned to New York from her quick trip to California. She was busy with work and had indicated everything was going all right with Joel. “What do you mean she’s missing?”

“He said they got into a fight, and she started acting crazy. His quote, not mine. Do you want to speak with him? In the meantime, I’ll try calling her number right now. If she won’t answer, I’ll start tracking her phone and credit cards.”

I appreciated his proactive approach.

Unmuting the phone, I asked Joel, “Where is she?”

“I don’t know. She took off last night. And I hate to tell you this, but I think she’s suicidal. She’s always been depressed, and it’s no wonder with her mother the way she is.” He sounded more annoyed than worried.

“Did you check with her friends?”

“She doesn’t have any friends. I’m her entire world.”

The way he said it made my stomach drop. As if it was by design. “If that were true, I wouldn’t be on the phone with you right now. Call me the moment you hear from her.”

“Fine, but I expect the same.”

I hung up on the bastard. Did I go to New York? Did I go home and hope she was on her way to California? I didn’t do helpless well at all. Turning to Malik, I asked, “Any luck?”

He was buried in his phone. “She didn’t pick up my call. But I may have a lead. Appears she may have taken a flight. We’re checking to see where.”

“We’ll turn back.” The question was to where?

I dialed Reid immediately but could only reach his voicemail. I left a message for him to call me. Next I called Tory, cursing when she didn’t answer either.

Like a lifeline, a text from Kelsey finally came through.

“Please don’t worry about me. I need some time. Just remember I love you.”

I immediately dialed her number. Her first sentence didn’t worry me or even the second, but the “just remember” part was concerning.

My call went straight to her voicemail. I left her a message to call me immediately.

Malik spoke as soon as I’d hung up. “Sir, she landed in Orange County an hour ago.”

“Inform the pilot we need to go there immediately.” Unfortunately, it would take hours to get there. I called Reid again, thankful to hear him pick up this time. “Have you heard from Kelsey?”

“She just sent me a weird text saying she loved me.”

My internal panic started to grow with the news she’d sent a similar text to Reid. “I’m worried about her. She and Joel got into a fight. Meanwhile, I learned she just landed in Orange County. Do you think you could go down to Newport to see if she’s there at my beach house?” Since she had the key, it seemed the most logical place she might go.

“I can, but we drove up to wine country, so it’ll take a few hours to drive south again. I can try to get a flight instead.”

Shit. It would take him hours. “I’ll see if Mona can drive down there. Maybe Aiden.”

“Mona is with Penelope today, and Aiden is with us.”

Shit. I hated to ask, but I’d call Tory and hope she could help.

“I’ll find someone, and we’ll both keep trying to reach her. I’ll see if Malik can track her phone to see if she’s actually there. Perhaps I’m overreacting.”

“We’ll head back down either way. Call me the minute you hear from her, and I’ll do the same.”

“I will.”