“Where am I going?” Victoria asked.
“I don’t know.” Reid leaned back and closed his eyes.Lord, help me find JJ and Quinn. I haven’t gotten to tell her the best news. She needs to know, because of her, I know I’m not too far gone. And that I love her and JJ.
JJ said they’d passed the diner and he was hiding behind a trash can. “Stay on this road.” Reid was certain they hadn’t left the immediate area. Once he got past a certain point on this road, houses were spread out. He diligently looked out the windows, searching for JJ. He didn’t want to miss him. He dialed Quinn’s number again. Maybe, JJ had gotten the phone back, or someone had stumbled upon it. They could help search for the boy.
“Slow down.” He didn’t want to miss him. Maybe, he should search on foot. That way, he could call his name. But they could cover more distance in the car. Still no answer.
“What is he wearing?” Victoria scanned the area.
What had he been wearing? He’d never thought he’d need to remember. He closed his eyes and pictured JJ climbing into the SUV. “He had on a pair of black basketball-type shorts and a dark green shirt.”
“Okay. I’ll keep looking.”
“Thank you.” Reid dialed Quinn’s number again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Quinn stumbled out of the SUVand hopped until she could get a crutch out of the back. The pain had begun to dull but had come back with a vengeance, thanks to her panic over JJ and being jostled around.
Andrew was walking down an alley. “JJ. Come out, buddy. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Quinn used the crutch to steady herself and walked as quickly as she could to the alley. Andrew had stopped at the other end of it and was looking up and down the street. She headed toward him, picked up the crutch, and swung it like a bat, hitting Andrew across the back, sending him sprawling to the ground.
“Leave my son alone.” She wasn’t going to be able to do much, but she was going to do what she could to give JJ time. She raised the crutch again.
“Stop.” Andrew rolled over and put his arm up, protecting himself from another blow. “I told you it’s Victoria. We have to find JJ before she does.”
“Why should I believe you?” She held the crutch over her head, ready to bring it down if needed.
“I can prove it. Joe had a will. JJ gets everything if he survives thirty days.”
“What?” She lowered the crutch and then leaned on it.
“He’d made some good investments years ago. Amassed a large sum of money. It all goes to JJ as long as he survives Joe thirty days.”
“Why would he do that?” Quinn’s stomach roiled.
“Because JJ was his son. Despite not being in his life, he loved him.” Andrew stood and dusted himself off. “Victoria is in town. We have to find him before she does.”
“If you knew this, why didn’t you go to the police?”
“I didn’t know until last night. That’s why I’m here now. I saw her go into the police station, and then a few minutes later, you pulled in.”
“Where’s the will?” She wanted proof. She didn’t know whom to trust. If Andrew was lying, she couldn’t let him get close to JJ.
“I left it in my car at the police station. I panicked when I saw Reid go inside.” He started looking around for JJ.
Lord, what do I do?Is he telling the truth?She didn’t know what to think. She needed to call Reid. “If you’re telling the truth, leave me here and go back to the police station. Take that will inside, and do what you came to do.”
He stopped and stared at her. “What about JJ?”
“I’ll find him. Tell the police where you left me.”
She wouldn’t be able to travel far with one crutch, but JJ would come out if she was alone. Andrew hesitated, jogged back to the SUV, then pulled out the other crutch, brought it to her, and left. She prayed he was going to the police and not driving around for JJ. If she were JJ, where would she hide?
“JJ, if you can hear me, it’s okay. You can come out.” She waited with bated breath. Nothing. “JJ!” She turned in a circle. Her heart beat in her throat as heaviness settled on her. Where was her baby?
She took the crutches and walked back up and down the alley, making sure she didn’t miss anything. Then, she turned back toward the police station. Hopefully, she’d chosen the right direction.
