I could almost hear Sash in my head. “
I pocketed my phone and kept watch for any sign of movement. No wonder she did yoga. A job like this would drive me insane.
Chapter Forty-Two
Slow breaths. It’d been almost an hour since my sister went through the double doors of the grocery store with Lana and still no sign of Fonthill.
“Dammit. The wind is picking up.”
I glanced at Adam, keeping my voice down. “Just keep watching for suspicious movement toward the doors.”
“You don’t get it.” Adam took a deep, slow breath and shook his head. “The wind works in his favor. As long as he stays upwind, I won’t be able to catch his scent, but he might get mine. By the time I
A car door slammed to my left drawing my attention. There should be a car starting up or a person weaving through the parking lot to get to the store, but I didn’t see anyone.
“There they are,” Adam whispered.
Lana and Nadya walked out the automatic doors, and suddenly Fonthill bolted out from the parking lot. “Oh shit, he’s there!”
I motioned Adam forward and hustled through the cars, my heart in my throat. My only hope was that Fonthill didn’t know Adam and I were here.
“Fuck.” Adam growled beside me, ducked low on the driver’s side of a red SUV. “I didn’t think he’d risk making his move in such a busy place.”
“He’s being careful.” I watched him from my hiding spot. He walked right behind them, talking like they were friends. His hand was hidden behind my sister’s back. “No one else knows they’re in danger.”
I struggled to keep control of my emotions and dug deep for all my years of training. Giving in to panic wouldn’t help my sister or Lana.
“I never should have let Lana be a part of this.” Adam started to move and I grabbed his arm, yanking him back.
“This isn’t what we planned, but for now, they’re not hurt. If you blow our cover, I can guarantee you this will get physical fast.”
He jerked his arm free, but he didn’t make a move after Fonthill either. I crept along the side of the cars, keeping my sister in my line of sight. They walked right past Lana’s car. Fonthill’s had to be close by.
I jogged between cars, keeping low. The parking lights of a silver sedan flashed. Before I could move in that direction, Lana released the cart full of groceries, landed a solid elbow into Fonthill’s abdomen, and grunted. “Run, Nadya!”
Adam and I bolted toward Lana and my sister. Fonthill shoved Lana to the ground and caught Nadya’s arm, dragging her in close.
“Let her go,” I yelled, showing my hands. “I’m the one you’re after.”
At that moment, the free-wheeling grocery cart slammed into a parked car, setting off the car alarm. Others in the lot turned to look, and Fonthill growled. “Too many eyes here, sweetheart.”
I took a step toward him. Just a little closer, and I’d be able to tackle him. There were too many people around for me to pull out my gun and shoot him, but at least Nadya could break free and run. “I won’t make a scene. Just let her go.”
“Take another step, and I’ll blow a hole right through her back.” He pushed Nadya toward his car.
Somewhere behind us I heard, “Call 9-1-1.” And another person gasping, “That’s the man the police are looking for from the gas station attack.”
Fonthill opened the back door of the silver sedan. Nadya stomped on his foot and threw her head back to hit him in the chin, but it barely slowed the juiced-up werewolf. He glared at me. “I’d love to pull this trigger. Give me a reason.”
He forced Nadya inside and slammed the door, clicking the alarm. “Meet me tonight at the abandoned drive-in. Eight o’clock. Alone.”
Fonthill was behind the wheel and peeling out of the parking lot before I could draw my gun. Seeing the car turn the corner made my heart twist.
They were gone.
Chapter Forty-Three
After another forty-five of the longest damn minutes of my life, I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket. Relief shot through me. They were finally on their way here.
“Yeah,” I said quietly, plugging my other ear. The connection sucked, but in spite of the fuzzy reception, the tone of Sasha’s voice made my heart sink.
“He got her when they came out of the store.” She paused a second, collecting herself. “He had a gun to her back. There were too many people in the lot for me to shoot him. They recognized him and called 9-1-1. I flashed my badge and told them I was undercover. Adam gave me his keys. I have to meet the bastard at eight o’clock.”
“Where’s Adam?”
“He and Lana stayed to file a police report. It would look too suspicious if they didn’t.”
I hated that I was relieved even though Nadya had been taken, but Sasha, Adam, and Lana were all safe. And as long as Fonthill planned on trading Nadya for Sasha, then she’d be safe too. For now.
“Meet me at the ranch. We’ll regroup there.”
“I can’t. I have to find her.”
I rubbed my forehead, grappling to remain calm. “Sash, he’s planning to meet you tonight. He’s probably already got her in his home base to wait. You’re not going to find him by driving around.”
“I can’t sit still and do nothing.” Her voice trembled, and I wanted to reach through the phone and hold her.
“We’ll figure out our next move. That’s not doing nothing.” I lowered my voice. “Please, Sash. Meet me there, and let me help you.”
For a second I thought she hung up but finally she responded. “I’ll be there.”
I closed my phone.
“Are they on their way?” Jason asked as the others came out of hiding.
“No.” I met the doctor’s eyes. “He’s got Nadya.”
Jason shook his head, every muscle in his shoulders and neck contracting. “How could this happen? Where was Adam? I thought Sasha was going to shoot him.”
“They were there, but Fonthill was fast, and there were too many people watching for Sasha to fire.”
“Goddammit!”
I stared at Jason. He rarely lost his cool bedside manner. I guess I didn’t realize he cared about Nadya beyond an acquaintance.
“He didn’t hurt her, did he?”
