asleep.
Ten
Where had she gone? Was she alright? Nick left the police station in the early morning, his nerves still vibrating with overwhelming fear that had hit him the second he woke up alone the day before. She was gone, just gone. He jumped in his car and ripped out of the parking lot too fast.
He had promised Jerry, and then Cora, that he’d keep her safe. How did he let this happen?
Nick wasn’t sure which prospect frightened him more: the possibility that Alexander had found them and stole her away, or that she took off on her own, into the wilderness with nothing to defend herself or a map. He’d searched, yelled, searched, and yelled some more, even though Alexander might have heard.
But since Alexander didn’t show up…
At least the police would be looking for her. That might make her mad, and probably made him a suspect, but he was not risking her safety.
His feelings for her seemed to grow with each breath he took. He gripped the steering wheel in anger. He had to stay focused if he was going to find her again.
He headed to Keith’s house, dreading this but knowing it was his best lead. Thinking back, he wondered what he could have done differently, but the other options just didn’t work out. He had kept Cora safe, at least until she disappeared. Nice. Now she was going rogue and planned to save her father from Keith…but what if…what if Jerry had embezzled that money? He could be as crooked as Keith.
Nick had originally planned to get Cora away from his family, hide her away, and then call the police to investigate and sort out who did what. It would have worked if Alexander hadn’t followed them that first night. That would have kept both Cora and her father safe.
But it hadn’t, and now he needed to right the situation. Even if Cora never spoke to him again, he would get her out of this alive.
He pulled up to the gate and waited for it to open.
“Show time,” Nick muttered, pulling together his courtroom personal: cool confidence, but not to an offending degree. He worked his shoulders, relaxing them, and then let the tension out of the rest of his body. He refused to let any nervousness show through.
He parked outside the garage and went inside to Keith’s office. He knocked and opened the door, about in one motion, so he’d catch Keith off guard. As expected, Keith’s brothers were present, sitting two chairs pulled back toward opposite walls. Keith stood, leaning back against his desk.
“I don’t think Alexander’s following your plan.” Nick caught Keith’s attention.
“And you are?” Keith pulled in a drag from his cigarette and watched Nick, squinting in the smoke. He knew Nick had bashed Alexander’s head in, and he might know Nick reported her missing. “We have Jerry here, and I’m sure Alexander has Cora under control.” Keith snuffed out his smoke and lit another before sitting down.
Nick knew it, too. “Alexander set Jerry up just to get his hands on Cora.”
Michael and John exchanged skeptical looks. They seemed to be enjoying the show. Nick feared he wouldn’t be able to reach his father or uncles. The three brothers looked related by their similar features, but their ever-thirsty greed truly held them together even more. The Holloways had secrets like every family, but their secrets got people hurt. Killed.
He tried anyway. “You’re all aware of how close Alexander kept to Jerry.”
“Well, of course,” Keith said, “Alexander recommended I hire Jerry, said he’d follow orders and keep quiet.”
This new information stopped Nick in his tracks. He was amazed that they had the incriminating proof right in front of them, yet they disregarded it. Counting the facts on his fingers, Nick rattled off, “Alexander brought Jerry in. Alexander accused Jerry. Alexander supplied the plan to take Cora as incentive. He wanted to take her out in the mountains.”
“So what?” Keith broke in, “What does that mean to us?”
“Isn’t it clear
Ten
Where had she gone? Was she alright? Nick left the police station in the early morning, his nerves still vibrating with overwhelming fear that had hit him the second he woke up alone the day before. She was gone, just gone. He jumped in his car and ripped out of the parking lot too fast.
He had promised Jerry, and then Cora, that he’d keep her safe. How did he let this happen?
Nick wasn’t sure which prospect frightened him more: the possibility that Alexander had found them and stole her away, or that she took off on her own, into the wilderness with nothing to defend herself or a map. He’d searched, yelled, searched, and yelled some more, even though Alexander might have heard.
But since Alexander didn’t show up…
At least the police would be looking for her. That might make her mad, and probably made him a suspect, but he was not risking her safety.
His feelings for her seemed to grow with each breath he took. He gripped the steering wheel in anger. He had to stay focused if he was going to find her again.
He headed to Keith’s house, dreading this but knowing it was his best lead. Thinking back, he wondered what he could have done differently, but the other options just didn’t work out. He had kept Cora safe, at least until she disappeared. Nice. Now she was going rogue and planned to save her father from Keith…but what if…what if Jerry had embezzled that money? He could be as crooked as Keith.
Nick had originally planned to get Cora away from his family, hide her away, and then call the police to investigate and sort out who did what. It would have worked if Alexander hadn’t followed them that first night. That would have kept both Cora and her father safe.
But it hadn’t, and now he needed to right the situation. Even if Cora never spoke to him again, he would get her out of this alive.
He pulled up to the gate and waited for it to open.
“Show time,” Nick muttered, pulling together his courtroom personal: cool confidence, but not to an offending degree. He worked his shoulders, relaxing them, and then let the tension out of the rest of his body. He refused to let any nervousness show through.
He parked outside the garage and went inside to Keith’s office. He knocked and opened the door, about in one motion, so he’d catch Keith off guard. As expected, Keith’s brothers were present, sitting two chairs pulled back toward opposite walls. Keith stood, leaning back against his desk.
“I don’t think Alexander’s following your plan.” Nick caught Keith’s attention.
“And you are?” Keith pulled in a drag from his cigarette and watched Nick, squinting in the smoke. He knew Nick had bashed Alexander’s head in, and he might know Nick reported her missing. “We have Jerry here, and I’m sure Alexander has Cora under control.” Keith snuffed out his smoke and lit another before sitting down.
Nick knew it, too. “Alexander set Jerry up just to get his hands on Cora.”
Michael and John exchanged skeptical looks. They seemed to be enjoying the show. Nick feared he wouldn’t be able to reach his father or uncles. The three brothers looked related by their similar features, but their ever-thirsty greed truly held them together even more. The Holloways had secrets like every family, but their secrets got people hurt. Killed.
He tried anyway. “You’re all aware of how close Alexander kept to Jerry.”
“Well, of course,” Keith said, “Alexander recommended I hire Jerry, said he’d follow orders and keep quiet.”
This new information stopped Nick in his tracks. He was amazed that they had the incriminating proof right in front of them, yet they disregarded it. Counting the facts on his fingers, Nick rattled off, “Alexander brought Jerry in. Alexander accused Jerry. Alexander supplied the plan to take Cora as incentive. He wanted to take her out in the mountains.”
“So what?” Keith broke in, “What does that mean to us?”
“Isn’t it clear
Similar Books
