As the pieces begin to come together, I try Beckett’s cell phone again. She still doesn’t answer.
I try Anderson.
Nothing.
So I call the only other person who might be able to help—if he can get his brother there before me. “Hey, I was just about to?—”
“I’m texting you a location, if Riley can get there?—”
“I’m texting you his number as we speak.”
My phone dings.
“Get a trace on her phone, please, Tucker. It’s off, and I can’t reach her.”
“On it.” He ends the call, so I tap the number in the messages, not caring that the last time I talked to this man, it was to wrap up loose ends after I’d arrested him.
“Hunt,” he answers.
“Riley, it’s Detective Shawn Sampson. I’m texting you a location. Beckett’s in trouble.” As I say the words, bile burns in my throat. Adrenaline pulsing through my system, it’s taking everything I have to keep my head.
“I’ll be there,” he replies.
As I hang up the phone, I bow my head and close my eyes, clasping my hands together so tightly I know my knuckles are white.
“God, please protect her. Please keep her safe until we can get to her, Lord. I can’t lose her. I’m asking this in the name of Jesus, Amen.”
“Amen, brother,” Reid replies.
I hadn’t even realized I’d spoken the prayer out loud.
Fear strangles me, and I do what I can to beat it back down. God has a plan, and He will be there with her. He will not forsake her, no matter what happens. I just pray His plan includes her survival.
For both our sakes.
23.Beckett
“That was your boyfriend,” Anderson says as he ends the call and shoves the phone back into his pocket. “He’s worried about you.” He grins at me through the rearview mirror. “Sweet, really.”
In the sweats he had me pull on beneath my hospital gown, I sit in the back of his car, a metal grate separating us. My good arm is handcuffed to a bar inside, and there’s a gag in my mouth that I can’t remove, considering my injured arm is secured to my waist so I can’t move it.
“Really sucks that he won’t get the chance to cash in on you. Guy’s been cyber-stalking your courtroom battles since I’ve known him. Though, it wasn’t until you showed up that I realized you were Jameson’s widow.” He barks out a laugh. “Didn’t see that one coming.”
He’d shown up five minutes after Shawn left. After telling me Shawn was worried about my safety and needed me moved for the time being, he’d helped me get into sweats, slipped shoes on my feet, and walked me right out of the hospital like nothing was wrong.
It wasn’t until he pulled over on the side of the road twenty minutes ago that I knew something was off. I’d tried to fight back, but he’d slammed the butt of his pistol against my head, dazing me enough that I had nothing left in me as he gagged my mouth and handcuffed my free arm.
“Oh, don’t look so angry. This isn’t personal. Truthfully, I’d hoped you would back off as soon as I threatened you in that hotel room. It’s not my fault you can’t follow directions. Similar to your husband. You know, he was offered a big payday to turn over what he knew about Creed, and he refused.”
Because he had honor. Something you clearly don’t have. Just like Shawn.
My chest constricts, pain washing over me.
What will happen to Shawn now?
“Thought he was being clever, flying into a different airport for his meeting with Creed.” He laughs. “But we intercepted. He saw us and tried to play it off, but a little additive in the fuel lines, and I knew he wouldn’t get the chance to leak our names to his boss.”
My vision swims as I picture how terrified Paul must have been. When his plane started to go down, did he know why?
