Page 62 of Two Favors Repaid

“Have the FBI agents arrived?”

“We’re here,” Lorraine said, coming out of Rob’s office. Her partner trailed behind her, as usual. Rob felt some of his anger die down at the sight of Lorraine’s obvious exhaustion, which so clearly mirrored his own. “Natalie, Hunter. I’m glad you’re okay, Rob.”

When was the last time she slept?

“Sheriff. Chief Deputy,” her partner said, speaking for the first time. Unlike Lorraine, James Ramsay looked perfectly put together. Even though they’d been traveling all day, his shirt and dark suit were almost entirely wrinkle-free.

“I just spoke with the coast guard. They’re towing your boat back. They haven’t seen any other boats around.”

Rob shook his head. “Ford’s here somewhere. He’s not going anywhere, believe me. I don’t know what it is, but I know he was a plan.”

Lorraine nodded. “We believe you, Rob. He’s tricked us enough times. We’ll stay in Sharp’s Cove until he’s found,” she said in a vehement voice. Behind her, her partner nodded, though he looked only mildly interested in the conversation.

Natalie sat down, frowning.

“Are you okay, Natalie?” Hunter asked in a worried voice. “Would you like some water?”

“Not sure what this obsession is with offering me water all the time, Hunter,” Natalie said. “I’m pregnant, not dehydrated.”

Hunter laughed and raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Sorry,” he said, not sounding the least bit sorry.

“He can’t simply have disappeared,” Rob said, looking at a map of Sharp’s Cove. He put a pin around the area where his boat had been found. It was about twenty miles from the coast. “We need to find him.”

“I’ll call Darryl,” Susan interjected. “He and Adrian are also out there looking for him. Maybe they’ve seen something.” She walked into the office to make the call.

“What if we let him know I’m here?” Natalie asked.

“No!” Hunter and Rob said simultaneously.

“It’s actually not a bad idea,” James said, a distracted expression on his face.

“No,” Rob said firmly. “We’re not going to use Natalie as bait and put her and her unborn child at risk.” Once again, Hunter looked at him gratefully. “You shouldn’t even have come back here. It’s exactly what Ford wanted, you and Emma together in the same place again.”

Natalie nodded. “Okay, Rob, we’ll do it your way,” she said quietly.

Susan came back, shaking her head. “They’re on their way back. Darryl says they didn’t see anyone. It’s like he’s vanished off the face of the earth.”

Rob felt a frisson of fear. “Susan, could you please drive to the hospital and pick Emma up when she’s discharged?”

Susan nodded. “Where should I bring her?”

“Here,” Rob said without hesitation. “I want her with one of us at all times until Ford is caught.”

I want her here with me.

Chapter 19

Emma

As the nurse removed the needle from her arm, Emma looked at the empty IV bag still hanging from the pole. The doctor had assured her it was just hydrating fluid to help with her mild dehydration.

“Are you sure there wasn’t anything in there to make me sleep?” she asked the nurse.

I’ve never felt this tired before.

The nurse pressed a gauze square tightly against her arm. “No, dear, just a common saline solution.” She looked at Emma sharply. “There. When you’re ready, sit up for a bit. If you don’t feel dizzy, you can go get changed after a few minutes. Call me if you feel anything unusual or need any help, okay?”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Emma said, trying hard to hide her impatience.