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“So I’ve heard.” He started to follow her inside but saw Annie’s red-and-white Volkswagen truck pull into the marina’s lot. “You can get started, and I’ll find a suitcase.”
“It’s in Mommy’s closet. On a high shelf. I should take my iPad so I have something to do on the trip.” Her voice faded as she disappeared into the house.
His phone sounded with a message, and he stopped when he saw it was from Mike Willis. He’d been avoiding any decision on what to do about the job offer. There’d been no time to think it through. He read the short message.I’d like to schedule a time for us to finalize plans for you to join us.
In the past week he’d wished he could start a business here in Rock Harbor, but he couldn’t ask Annie to make that sacrifice—especially not if his investment in the Minnesota practice was never recouped. It would take some time for a private practice to build a patient base, and he hated the thought of putting more burden on Annie.
He shot a quick text back to Mike.Lots going on here. Give me another week?
Mike’s answer ofSurecame back quickly, and Jon exhaled his relief.
Jon went down the steps to meet Annie. “How’d it go?”
He opened his arms, and she stepped into his embrace. Heignored the pain the movement caused and breathed in the clean scent of her before kissing her upturned lips. There was no trace of anger left from the morning. That was one of the great things about Annie—she might get riled, but she never held on to it.
She kissed him back, then pulled away with obvious reluctance and a glance toward the house. “Great. Mason already left to take Sarah to the island. I have to wonder how she’ll do out there though. Will she relive the terror of her abduction? Max is letting her stay in our old hunting cabin. We stayed in it a lot when we were little. We girls would fish while Dad was out hunting. It holds a lot of memories.”
“You sound a little jealous. When was the last time you stayed out there?”
“I didn’t want to be there at all after Sarah was taken, and neither did my parents. We never spent the night again, and I always stayed back when they’d go out to check on the island. And maybe I am a little jealous. I’d like to forget that one terrible day and remember all the good times we had out on the island. It used to be my favorite place.”
“I told Kylie about her grandparents leaving. She was upset and cried. She thinks they don’t love her anymore.”
Annie’s brow furrowed. “I was afraid of that. I’ll go talk to her.”
He started to tell her about Mike wanting an answer, then shut his mouth. She had enough on her plate without worrying about this just yet.
Her phone sounded, and she glanced at it. “Unknown.” She swiped to answer it. “LEO Pederson, can I help you?”
The color drained from her face, and he clenched his fists. Bad news of some kind, but what?
Her mouth flattened, and she took several deep breaths. “Who is this?” Her fingertips were white where she gripped the phone tightly. “Hello?” She pulled the screen away from her ear and stared at it. “He hung up on me.”
“What did he say?”
“That moving my sister wouldn’t work, and he’d find her. If I back off searching for Hussert, he might let her live.”
“It was Glenn?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Glenn was so weak yesterday I could barely understand him. This guy sounded strong and confident. He was using some kind of voice-masking device so I didn’t recognize him. I wonder if that means I know him?”
“He must be afraid Hussert will implicate him.”
She started toward the deck. “I’m glad Kylie will be out of here. I need to find these guys while she’s gone.”
He laced his fingers with hers as they walked to the house. That guy had just poked the bear. She’d never give up until she found him.
***
Kylie was uncharacteristically quiet on the drive to Rock Harbor. When Annie and Jon parked in front of Bree’s lighthouse home, the little girl unbuckled in the back and grabbed her backpack without her normal chatterbox enthusiasm.
Annie got out of her truck and went around to take her daughter’s hand. “You okay, Bug?” Jon took out his phone and waited in the car while Annie took Kylie to the door.
When Kylie glanced up at her, tears were swimming in her blue eyes. “Grandma and Grandpa don’t love me anymore, dothey? Jon tried to tell me they did, but he was just trying to make me feel better.”
“Oh, honey.” Annie stooped and embraced her little girl. “They were just surprised. They’ll adjust to it and be back to see you.”
Annie wished she could feel as certain as her words made it seem. This blow to Nate’s parents might not be so easily overcome. The first chance she got, she would call them again and see if she could reassure them.
