Page 152 of Peaks and Promises

“Take it off and throw it out the window.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

He hesitated. I put my hand on the gun sitting on top of the cupholders in the center console.

“Now,” I said through gritted teeth.

He unfastened the band while I lowered his window, and he tossed it outside.

“You got any more trackers on you?” I asked.

Without looking at me, he crossed his arms and shook his head.

“Listen, if you’re lying to me, I’m not just going to hurt you. I’m going to hurt your mom.” The lies came easily, as they always did. “I have guys in town watching her to make sure you and I get away clean. If I give them the signal, they’ll kill her. You don’t want your mom to die, do you?”

He shot me a glare that almost made me laugh. The kid had a fierce streak, I had to give him that.

“As soon as we stop, I’m searching you head to toe. I did time, kid. I know how it’s done.”

“Fine,” he spat. “There’s one in my shoe.”

I was about to tell him to take off his shoes and throw them out the window like his watch, when a sign up ahead caught my eye. Gas 1 Mile. I didn’t want to stop, but a gas station might be a better place to dump the shoes.

“Take them off, but don’t toss them.”

“Why?”

“Stop asking fucking questions and do what I tell you.”

With a sullen pout, he removed his shoes and held them in his lap.

I took the exit and pulled into the gas station. It was small—only four pumps. The outside of the convenience store was papered with ads for energy drinks and junk food. Two other vehicles were parked alongside the pumps—a full-size black pickup and a silver sedan.

Eyeing the situation, I parked next to one of the outer pumps. A woman got into the pickup and started the engine, while a bald guy with a beard pumped gas into the sedan.

“Listen,” I said, my voice low. “You so much as breathe too loud and attract attention, your mom is dead. And so are you. Understand?”

The fear I’d been expecting flashed across his face. He believed me. Good.

I tucked the gun in my pants and grabbed his shoes. When I got out, I casually set them on the hood. There was a garbage can I could stash them in. Anyone searching for Nate would find them quickly—wouldn’t be much of a detour.

The guy with the sedan replaced the nozzle and closed his gas cap, then headed into the convenience store.

I couldn’t help but grin. As soon as he disappeared inside, I casually moved over to his car and checked the driver’s-side door. It opened. I popped the trunk and shut the door, then tucked the shoes in the trunk before closing it again.

That would do it.

I got back in the car and left, getting back on the highway. The whole stop had taken about two minutes. Depending on where the sedan was headed, it could lead Summer on a wild-goose chase.

Served her right. Fucking Summer. Once Nate and I were settled, I’d go back and finish her off. It might not be soon, but eventually, I’d get her. I was a patient man, and she needed to pay for everything she’d done.

CHAPTER 37

Summer

Reese’s presence—calm and determined—helped keep me from losing it. He’d gone into problem-solving mode. If he had even an ounce of worry, it didn’t show.