Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
“You’re not listening!” he shouted.
“The video!” I yelped. “I know. You want me to record a video with Shay. I’m… I’m thinking about it.”
I wasn’t. I wasn’t thinking about anything but the danger I was in and how much I wished Trace were there. And how stupid I was for coming on this fucking hike.
The cold mountain air carried the sharp scent of pine and damp earth between us, but sweat slid down the side of my neck and into my collar as raindrops seemed to sizzle on my hot skin.
“Thinking about it,” he repeated. His voice thinned. “Jesus, Wolfe. I’m going to need you to do more than that. I’m trying to save my sister. Our future.”
“I know,” I said. “I hear you. I do. I’m just… I’m not feeling well.” I didn’t have to fake how my hand shook as I pressed it to my temple. “I can’t possibly record a video now. I need some water. And to get back to the campground so I can lie down. We’ll talk later, okay? Once I can think straight.” I tried to navigate the trail ahead of me, even though the rain had darkened everything underneath the canopy of the trees.
He shook his head. “You’ll go straight to your friend and his law enforcement friends.”
Even hearing Trace’s name made me want to sob in desperation. “He won’t—”
“He will.” His voice was very quiet now. “You’ll get down that mountain and you’ll go straight to him and he’ll talk you out of it. And then I’ve got nothing and Shay’s got nothing and we’re right back where we started. I can’t let that happen, Wolfe.”
I licked my dry lips and tried to keep my heaving stomach from revolting. “Jake. I really don’t feel good—”
“I know,” he said with a deep sigh. “And I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean for it to hit you this hard. It’s not like I want to hurt you or anything. I just need you to say yes. Then we go back to my truck, grab some recording equipment from a guy I know in Grand Junction, and go tell Shay our plan. We do this, and it’s over, and maybe you even feel good about it someday. She’s talented, Wolfe. She just needs a door opened.”
I’d been afraid before. But now I was fucking terrified. Even with my brain barely processing, I realized how insane this sounded.
Did he actually think this would work? Did he really think I’d just record the video, and that would be that? He’d drugged a celebrity’s son. He would be arrested and jailed. His name would be splashed all over the news. All over the world. His life would never be the same again.
And as soon as he realized that, he would become exponentially more dangerous.
“Jake. You don’t want to do this.” The words came out weak and breathless.
Fuck, what was Trace going to think? He’d be waiting for me. Might already be worried.
The thought kept my heart pounding, even as the cold rain smeared down my face and made my clothes heavy.
So heavy.
Too heavy.
I sank to my knees on the soggy ground, unable to stay upright anymore.
“Wolfe?” Jake said, eyes wide. “No, no, no. This isn’t— Wolfe? Wolfe! You’re supposed to walk down the mountain, buddy. We need to record the video—”
But the rain kept falling thick and steady, and without conscious thought, my eyes slid closed.
20
TRACE
When I pulled up to Jake’s Place a little after six, my gut was screaming that something was very, very wrong.
Since the bar was closed, I pulled around to the house and ran through the driving rain to the door. Shay answered with a friendly smile, though she was careful to leave the security chain on despite the rain that was still coming down. “You’re Will’s friend, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Trace Bishop. Is Will here, by any chance?”
She shook her head, the smile fading into confusion. “No. Why would he be?”
“I heard he went hiking with your brother today—”
Her face brightened. “Oh, yeah, he totally did. But they finished ages ago. Jake already came back and left again. Betcha Will’s at the campground.”
I sucked in a breath. He definitely fucking wasn’t. “No. I just came from there.”
“I can call Jake,” she offered. “If you want?”
“Would you mind?” I tried to keep my voice patient and friendly, though I was feeling anything but. “I really need to track him down.”
“Sure. Let me grab my phone.” She moved away from the door. “Hope you don’t mind if I don’t ask you in. Jake always says you can’t be too cautious.”
“No,” I assured her. “You’re right.”
From the sliver of open door, I saw the narrow house was tidy. Shay’s guitar sat propped against the sofa, where a colorful afghan was spilled across the cushions as if she’d been lying there, strumming a few chords. But the place was definitely run-down. And a stack of bills on the table by the door was marked FINAL NOTICE in large, red letters.