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Record.
JOSH GLANCED AT the clock on the nightstand. A matter of minutes had passed since he’d hung up with the local cops, but they had to go soon and meet the police. Shit, he wanted to leave Caroline behind, but he would need help getting Helena away from that place. And he didn’t want Caroline to be alone.
Talk about a trigger. This one is a fucking nightmare.
If he’d known their little road trip would end with them listening to a woman’s husband taking her against her will, he would have demanded that Noah, Dominic—anyone else—go on this mission. He’d honestly thought they’d get here, hit the roadblock they’d met today—Helena turning them away at the door—and head back to Forever.
“Caroline?” he murmured. He ran his hand down her arm and took his cell. The sounds on the other line had stopped. He ended the recording, pocketed the phone, and reached for her hand. “We need to go.”
“OK.” She stood and took his hand. And then glanced at her backpack, resting beside the hotel bed. “I should get my—”
“No guns,” he said. “We called in the cavalry. Let them bring the firepower. We don’t want questions about permits that we can’t answer.”
“You’re right,” she said slowly. “But I could bring the bag and leave it in the car. Just in case.”
“No.” He drew her toward the door. “Trust me on this.”
He led her to the elevator bank and down to the garage where they’d parked his truck. Guiding her into the passenger seat, he fastened her belt. Then he climbed in and drove as fast as he could to Helena’s gated community. He offered the wide-eyed night security guard a rushed explanation. But as soon as he said he was with the cops, the guard waved them through.
“Wait here,” Josh said as they pulled up in front. The lights were on in the entry and he saw Ashford standing in the doorway talking to a pair of uniformed policemen.
One look and Josh wanted to tak
e aim at Asshole Ashford’s face. He wanted to leave bloodstains on the man’s silk bathrobe. Helena’s husband probably worked out. There had to be a gym somewhere in his enormous house. But Josh could still take him.
Right here on your freaking perfect lawn, asshole.
He approached the front door. “Evening, officers. Josh Summers. I’m the one who placed the call.”
“My wife’s not home tonight,” Ashford said sharply. “I don’t know what kind of prank you’re trying to pull here, but I’ll say good-night now.”
Ashford moved to close the door, but Josh said, “I don’t think so.”
He held out his phone and pressed play on the recording. Helena’s pleading filled the quiet.
“Where did you get that?” Ashford demanded.
The officers’ eyes widened at the man in the bathrobe that probably cost half their salary. And Josh looked too, just in time to see a fist swing at his face.
Chapter 17
CAROLINE TRANSLATED WAIT in the truck to stay here until someone starts throwing punches. She saw Josh dodge the blow as she slammed the passenger door. She raced over the manicured lawn and leaped over the hedges.
By the time the policemen grabbed Ashford and hauled the bastard’s arms behind his back, she’d reached the front door. She kept going. She heard one officer reciting the Miranda rights while the other radioed for backup.
Why the hell aren’t they looking for Helena?
That jerk belonged in jail. But it didn’t end there. Not for Helena.
“Helena!” Caroline called into the house. “Helena!”
Helena rushed into the foyer and Caroline froze. She blinked, taking in Helena’s wild mane of blond hair. She’d traded her pretty pink dress from this afternoon for a pair of silk pajama bottoms and a black tank top. And she’d traded her heels for tennis shoes. She had a purse slung over her shoulder as if ready to make a break for it with or without the police presence.
“You came,” Helena said, rushing into the marble entryway.
Caroline caught the other woman in her arms and felt her break. With her face pressed against Caroline’s shoulder, Helena wept. She wrapped her arms around Caroline and held on tight.
“We’re going to get you out of here,” Caroline murmured. “We’ll take you home.”
