Page 61 of High Reward

“Good idea.”

I head to Owen’s office and bump into Grace on the way. She’s pale, and trembling. “What’s wrong, butterfly?”

She hands me her phone without a word, fear in her eyes.

On the screen is a text message with a photo of Sabrina’s car in the parking lot.

Unknown: If you don’t want this car to explode, you’ll slip out the back door and meet me at the gas station on the corner.

I race for the front, shouting for Grace to stay back. But she doesn’t listen.

Luke is stepping inside as I get to the kitchen, and my heart slows down a bit.

“What is it?” he asks, wiping his hands on a towel from behind the counter.

I hand him the phone, and his eyes go wide.

“I didn’t see anything that looked like it could be an explosive device. And I opened the trunk and the hood.”

“Tyson was an explosives expert in the military. Get him to look at it.”

We both turn and stare at Grace. “How do you know that, butterfly?”

She shrugs. “I live with his girlfriend. We talk.”

I squeeze her hand. “Good intel. Now get your ass back inside. Tell the others to move as far back as they can. Owen’s play space would be best.”

“Yes, Sir,” she says, rushing to follow my lead.

Luke and I find Tyson, and his face goes pale when he reads the text. “Some fuckface is saying they rigged Sabrina’s car? We need to get the bomb squad out here. Now.”

I shake my head. “Out of the question. We have no idea who is on the mayor’s personal payroll, and we’re still trying to figure out what Phineas wanted with all of us. I’m not bringing authorities into this.”

Tyson’s nostrils flare as he drags both hands through his hair. “Then you need to let me call in a couple of friends.”

Luke puts a hand on his shoulder. “That’s fine, Tyson. But if it’s any consolation, I looked the car over before I read the text. Granted, I wasn’t looking for explosives, but I didn’t see anything that looked like it would blow.”

Tyson shook his head. “Bombs can be so tiny. Especially if they put something in the gas tank. I’m calling in reinforcements. I heard Samuel Carter is in town. And I’ve got another friend who can help after I look at the car.”

Grace’s phone buzzes in my hand and I pull up the new message from the same unknown number.

Unknown:Ticktock, Gracie. You have five minutes. Anyone else touches that car, and it blows.

“Fuck,” Tyson bites out, with a clenched jaw. “Have you sent anyone to the gas station?”

“Not yet.”

Luke has his phone out and steps away from us to issue orders to one of our men.

“What the bloody hell is going on?” Owen asks as he steps into the room.

“We’re still sorting that out.”

Hunter storms into the room. “I thought you said this place would be safe.”

“It is. We’re still sorting out what’s going on. Grace has had a stalker for a few weeks, and it seems the fucker is escalating.”

“That’s the sort of shit I should have known about before I brought my fucking wife here, Thorne,” Hunter growls.