She didn’t like this at all.
Gretel had heard her dad imply there was something suspicious about an 8-K Stone Solutions had filed in October, which detailed the acquisition of three small manufacturing companies that made materials for the gloves.
And just a couple of days ago, the empaths had interfered with a delivery of heavy metals destined for the empath gloves, sending the ship off to a wind farm in California instead.
Could there be some kind of connection, maybe the shipment coming from one of the new acquisitions? The empaths had gone into the delivery room during their break-in at Stone Solutions, but the head of security, Wayne Smith, had said there was nothing in there. So where had the empaths learned about the shipment?
If only she could get one of them to pick up, for this and so many other reasons.
Or if only she could find them.
She sat down on the shoe bench by her front door and put her head in her hands. Her mind replayed the sounds she’d heard in the background during her call with Alex that day: hardwood floors, a refrigerator, gulls.
The picture of a residential house near the water rose in her mind again, something upscale with those floors and the waterside location. She turned the image over in her mind. She’d never met an empath who cared about luxury; would corrupted empaths really be any different?
“Think, Jamey,” she whispered to herself. “Don’t think like your average Joe; think like an empath. If they don’t care about luxury, why would Alex, Reece and Cora hide in a high-end house?”
Because they think it’s the last place anyone will look for them.
She ran a hand over her hair. But why? Why would an upscale residential home by the water be the last place anyonewould look for empaths? Hell, how did they even know about a place like that unless it was—
She shot to her feet. “Jason fucking Owens’s house.”
Aisha looked up from that couch. “What was that, Jamey?”
But Jamey was already moving. “Liam, I’m taking your car,” she called over her shoulder, just catching the noise of assent as she grabbed the keys on her way out the door.
One moment, Grayson and Reece had been careening down the mountainside through the staticky snow, the wind loud enough to hear over the engine, the red-orange glow of the laboratory fire long gone behind them.
Then a branch had shattered the windshield, the truck had started slipping, and Reece had suddenly yanked the steering wheel.
There had been a crunch so loud it hurt Grayson’s ears, the impact rattling the entire cab. The air bags had gone off, knocking Grayson’s head against the back of the seat, and whatever cocktail of drugs was still in his system finally overwhelmed him and the world went dark.
When he opened his eyes, the truck was cold as ice, and snow had built up in a layer on the windshield.
“Reece?” He shoved the airbag aside.“Reece.”
He sat up, looking over to where Reece was slumped in the driver’s seat.
Not moving.
Grayson’s mind was rapidly piecing everything together, the branch, Reece suddenly turning the truck, the impact—
The impact that had hit on thedriver’sside. Reece’s own side, protecting Grayson from the worst of the collision.
“Reece,” Grayson said again, uselessly. Why had he turned the truck? Grayson was so much bigger, so much stronger—hecould’ve taken the hit. And now Reece was out cold—maybe worse—
Well, no reason to worry about his knockout touchnow. His arm shot out over the console to find Reece’s neck, his fingers resting against his jugular.
A pulse.
Alive.
Grayson twisted, unbuckling his seat belt so he could move freely. Subfreezing temperatures, unceasing snow, and Reece unconscious: He had to get the truck running to get them out of the storm, or at least get some heat.
But the situation was pretty grim. Grayson reached around Reece to try the truck’s key first, but not a single light came on, and the engine wouldn’t turn over. He rummaged over the airbag and in the glove box, because Reece had to have a flashlight somewhere, but all he came up with was the bear hat and the headband with bunny ears Reece had worn at McFeely’s.
The clouds blocked any moonlight as Grayson opened the passenger door and stepped out into the snow, which was deep enough to reach his thighs. He pushed through it on shaky legs to the front of the truck to investigate, feeling carefully around with his half-frozen fingers. Seemed like the collision had impacted on the driver’s-side corner, and Reece’s quick maneuvering had probably saved their lives, but whether the engine had taken damage and what kind wasn’t gonna be clear without light.
