Listen to me, Shea. Slow down and think. Get your breath and focus for me. Your instinct is to run, kill yourself getting out. You’re probably making enough noise to wake the dead and you’re leaving signs all over the place. Tracking you will be child’s play. Even if you manage to elude them, they’ll find you eventually.
She came to an abrupt halt, and then despair sagged her shoulders. Who was she kidding? He was right. Finding her would be easy. She didn’t have a chance.
No! he reprimanded sharply. That’s bullshit, Shea. You’re not a sitting duck. I’m going to tell you everything you need to know to make damn sure you escape.
She swallowed and cocked her ear to the distance, straining to hear if they had drawn closer.
Tell me everything you can about where you are. Do you know? Is the terrain flat? Hilly? Are you in the mountains?
She inhaled sharply. The tang of salt danced through her nostrils. Mixed in was the scent of pine. A breeze ruffled her hair and she turned in the direction of the wind.
I’m facing the ocean. It’s not far. There are lots of redwoods. Big ones. The forest is thick, but the floor isn’t snarled and overgrown.
Okay, listen to me. Head toward the ocean. Where were you last? Where did they find you?
Shea began picking her way through the trees, following the direction of the wind blowing off the water. I was in California. I was planning to head north, farther up the coast. But they found me. They kept me in my own hotel room for several days. Then when they moved me, I escaped. I’m…I’m not sure where I am now. They drugged me. So much is fuzzy.
You’re doing fine, he soothed. Keep moving. From the description you gave, I’d say you’re still in Northern California or maybe even Southern Oregon. I’m coming, Shea. As fast as I can get there. But I need you to keep yourself safe until I find you. You have to protect yourself until I get there, okay?
She nodded grimly and then echoed her agreement through their link. Where would they expect her to go? She pushed ahead, hurrying, but taking greater care not to disturb the vegetation around her. Nathan’s presence calmed her. His steady reassurance made some of the panic fade, and she was able to think more rationally.
And then fear skittered up her spine again and gripped her throat until she could barely draw a breath. Nathan. I hear them. They’re close!
Find a place to hide. Get there and hunker down. Don’t make a sound. No movement. Let them go by you.
She glanced frantically around, her gaze finally lighting on a huge redwood in the distance with a twisted, massive trunk that had a hollowed-out opening.
She lunged forward, going as quietly as she could, all but flying across the distance. Oh please, oh please, let there be a place to hide.
The tree towered over her. The base was broad and the roots extended in all directions, huge and steadying. She slid into the narrow opening, sucking in her breath, praying she would fit.
It was tight and only adrenaline gave her the strength to shove her way inside the opening in the tree. She sank back as far as she could, embracing the darkness. Things she couldn’t bear thinking about flickered across her skin. Flies, insects, creepy-ass bugs. God only knew what else shared the interior of the trunk with her. It was all she could do not to shriek as something slid down her neck and back.
Through it all Nathan hadn’t said a word, but she felt his presence, knew he was there, waiting patiently, not wanting to distract her from her goal. When she finally managed to calm herself down enough that she wouldn’t risk giving herself away, she reached back out to Nathan.
I’m inside a tree. A really big tree full of really creepy things.
Better them than the men after you.
True. I don’t hear them yet. I’m not sure what direction they went.
Just sit tight. Be very still. No sound. Do not panic. They might move right by you, but if you don’t move, they won’t find you. No matter what, you have to control your panic.
She leaned her head against the inside of the tree and flinched when she felt something crawl through her hair. It took every ounce of her discipline to remain so still when she wanted to bolt.
And then she froze. There was a sound not very far away. The creak of a stick breaking. Leaves rustling. And then even closer. Hurried footsteps.
She held her breath as sweat rolled down the sides of her neck. Her heart pounded so hard against her chest wall that she was sure it was an audible sound. She began to shake and cursed her lack of self-control.
Easy now. Be calm. I’m with you. Let them go by you. It won’t be long now.
She closed her eyes as the noises got even closer. So close that they could only be a few feet away. Her pulse raced as she waited to hear the sounds retreat as they got farther away.
But they stopped.
She crammed herself as far back into that tree as she could go, pressing against the rough surface in an effort to stop the ridiculous shaking.
They were out there. Just a few feet away. Did they know she was here? Were they preparing to pull her out?
“She couldn’t have gotten far. She was stoned on the drugs we gave her. She’s probably wandering around in circles.”
One of the other men made a sound of disagreement. “She played you, fool. She’s probably already made it into town. We have to get there immediately before she can disappear again.”
Shea held her breath again until black dots swam in her vision and her chest burned. As the sounds of them hurrying away reached her ears, she slowly let out her breath and then slumped against the tree in relief.
Wait it out. It could be a trap. Nathan’s soft warning slipped into her mind. Just stay there a few minutes. Listen for any sounds. When you crawl out, head the opposite direction they went. Then turn west to the ocean again. Be careful, Shea.
She stayed there like he directed, because she was afraid to move. She was terrified that if she left the safety of her hiding place, they’d be waiting for her. She closed her eyes, wanting, needing the rest. Holding Nathan to her was exhausting.
Get moving, Shea.
She jumped, startled by the sudden intrusion into her mind. She hadn’t realized she’d kept him so tightly bound to her. She’d thought he was slipping away, but he was there, as strong as ever, as if he were the one holding the connection and not her.
Come on, I need you moving. We need to get you someplace you’re safe and well protected.
She pushed herself from the interior of the tree, desperately trying to ignore the exhaustion creeping through her veins. Holding her breath, she slipped from the confines of her hiding place and glanced frantically in all directions for her pursuers.
Not seeing or hearing them, she turned and hurried in the opposite direction.
Impressions from Nathan confused her. He was thinking about a jet and flight plans, how his family was going to worry and think he’d finally, truly gone over the edge. But the overriding thought that bombarded her on every level was his determination to get to her. To protect her.
That gave her the strength to forge ahead.
After thirty minutes of keeping up an exhausting pace, she came to an abrupt halt. She strained to hear. Faint but it was there. The sound of the ocean. And then a vehicle, louder and closer.
Nathan, I’m close to the highway or at least a roadway. And the ocean. I can hear it.
Okay, I don’t want you on the highway. I don’t want you visible. You can parallel it and follow it into a town. You need to be in a place where they wouldn’t have such an easy time coming after you. But you also have to stay low.
She didn’t offer that she had no money, no identification. Nothing. Everything she had was in her pursuers’ hands. Anxiety ate at her. She worried for Grace. Worried that she would be unable to maintain the block that would prevent Grace from sensing the danger that Shea was in. If Grace knew, if she even suspected, she’d swoop in like an avenging angel and then they’d have her. Shea wouldn’t allow it.
She topped a slight rise and there was the highway, curving around the edge of the ocean. She picked up her pace, careful to remain beyond the cover of the trees as she followed the highway north.
Traffic increased the farther north she walked. She was beyond exhaustion and had no recollection of the miles she’d already traveled. She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other and remaining upright.
Then in the distance she saw a road sign and her breathing sped up. Finally she would be able to tell where she was. Something to tell Nathan. He could come for her.
Her pulse rocketed and she broke into a near run, her focus on being able to read that sign.
She nearly tripped over a fallen log and stumbled to regain her footing. Finally she was close enough to see the sign.
Crescent City city limits.
Crescent City, she said to Nathan. I’m in Crescent City, California.
Already on my way, baby. Find a place, lie low. I’ll be there as fast as I can.
CHAPTER 14
“WE’VE got a serious problem,” Sam said.
The Kelly family was gathered in the living room of Marlene and Frank’s home. Marlene wrung her hands repeatedly despite Frank trying his best to calm her.
Ethan sat between Rachel and Sophie while Sarah stood across the room next to Garrett. Donovan and Joe were positioned by the fireplace, arms crossed over their chests, and Swanny stood alone, bewilderment and worry etched into his tired features.
Marlene had tried to foist baby Charlotte onto Rusty so the teenager would be removed from the conversation, but Rusty had flatly refused to leave the room. She was upset and thought that her inviting Nathan to her graduation had prompted his meltdown.
They all looked to Sam for information, but he wasn’t sure they were prepared for this.
“Nathan took off in one of the Kelly jets an hour ago.”
Not surprisingly, the entire room erupted in chaos. Donovan put two fingers to his mouth and emitted a shrill whistle then he held up his arms for quiet.
“What do you mean took off? As in had the pilot fly him somewhere?”
Sam shook his head, knowing Donovan already suspected what Sam was about to say. “No, he flew himself.”
“Christ,” Garrett muttered.
Joe swore. “What the f**k is he thinking?”
“Do we know where he went?” Ethan asked.
Sam ran a hand through his hair. Fuck, but he was tired. “He filed flight plans for Crescent City, California. Is that where he’ll end up? Who knows? Who the hell knows what he’s thinking right now? Anyone have any idea what’s in Crescent City?”
“This is crazy,” Joe said. “I thought…Hell, I don’t know what I thought. One minute he and Van are laughing and horsing around. The next, he’s on a plane to Crescent City? I think it’s time the gloves come off. He obviously needs help beyond whatever self-healing bullshit he’s attempting.”
“Cut him some slack. He’s fighting for what’s left of his sanity,” Swanny cut in.
Everyone turned to Swanny in surprise. He was a man of few words. Sam couldn’t remember him ever willingly volunteering information. He was a “speak only when spoken to” person and sometimes not even then.
Donovan’s arms dropped and he stepped forward, his focus solely on Swanny. “Do you know something, Swanny? One of the last things Nathan said to me was that before he could commit to KGI he had to do something. He wouldn’t tell me what. Clammed up tight when I pressed. Next thing I know, he freaks out and hops a jet to California?”
Swanny lowered his head and grasped the back of his neck. He looked indecisive, as if he wasn’t sure whether to betray his loyalty to Nathan. Sam understood that. He did. But f**k it. Nathan was his brother and he needed help whether the stubborn son of a bitch wanted it or not.
“Tell us, Swanny. Whatever you know. Now isn’t the time to hold out. Nathan could be in trouble. We aren’t going to let him go off half-cocked.”
Swanny stared up at Sam. “You don’t understand. How could you? We were in the worst sort of hell. We weren’t living day to day or even hour to hour. We survived minute by excruciating minute. The next day was an eternity away and we didn’t want it. Death wasn’t the enemy. It was our salvation. Our hope. Because only then would we be able to escape our reality.”
Sam’s gut clenched. His mom let out a soft cry of distress and turned her face into Frank’s chest. Tears glimmered in Rusty’s eyes and Rachel looked haunted by past demons. Demons Nathan had firsthand knowledge of now.
Garrett’s and Ethan’s expressions were grim. Every member of the family was pained by the heart-wrenching words that faltered from Swanny’s lips.
Sam knew Nathan had suffered. Maybe he’d never know the extent or what Nathan had been chipped away to by the animals who held him. But he knew his brother suffered because he saw the pain and the isolation in Nathan’s eyes every single day since his return.
“Is there more, Swanny?” Donovan asked in a quiet voice.
Swanny looked agonized. His jaw clenched and he glanced at all of Nathan’s family, member by member, as if weighing whether or not to tell.