Page 72 of Midnight Salvation

“So going on the theory that the person who sent the box is the same one who sent those blank birthday cards. And who abducted me. So we know he’s persistent. He’s obsessive and manipulative, he’s not afraid of violence.” She pauses as a visible shudder rolls down her body. “He’s clearly been around for a long time, which means that he’s unremarkable. I didn’t see any standout features, which is most likely how he blends in. I probably walked by him hundreds of times without knowing.”

“Fuck, for all we know, we’ve all walked by him without realizing,” Nova says, his hand on the back of her chair.

“It’s just . . .” She nods a few times, biting her bottom lip and looking at the floor.

“What is it, Evie?”

She clears her throat, giving me her gaze. “I’ve looked through everything we have, and from what I can tell, the earliest is from eight years ago. The summer I graduated.”

I watch as the realization sets in on her face, her eyes widening with a mix of fear and understanding. “I think we need to look into that summer. There might be something I’ve forgotten or overlooked.”

“Who can remember what restaurant they had dinner at eight years ago?” Nova asks, disbelief making his words low.

“Me. I remember every single second of one day eight years ago,” Bane murmurs, his gaze locked on Evie.

She turns her head slowly, and I watch something pass between them. Her eyes soften, her lips curving into a small, private grin. There’s a spark of jealousy that heats my blood at their visible connection, and I have to fight the urge to lash out just so she gives her attention to me.

I exhale quietly and take another sip of coffee to distract myself.

“Right. I’m going to call Cora. We were damn near inseparable that summer, so maybe she remembers something I forgot,” she says, pushing to her feet.

Bane’s eyes never stray from Evie as she leaves the room, worry and longing etched into the flat line of his mouth.

“While that information is good, I don’t know how it’s going to help us figure out who this motherfucker is before he decides to pay our girl another little visit,” Nova says, sitting in Evie’s chair.

I swallow the last bit of my coffee and rinse out the mug, infusing calm into every movement. As I dry my hands on the hand towel covered in labradoodles, I turn to Bane.

“Call Diesel and cash in on another favor.”

Bane’s brows rise. “What’re you thinking?”

“We need to borrow his expertise and find that fucking car. We find the car, we find the man.”

“Then we kill him,” Nova says with a feral sort of smile.

Bane’s boots thud against the kitchen tiles as he nods and strides to the other side of the island, leaning against it. He presses a button and drops his phone in the middle of the island without a word. Shrill ringing fills the air, tension rising.

“Bane,” Diesel says with a laugh. “I gotta say, man, I’m surprised to hear from you so soon. I thought you’d be holed up with the nanny for at least a few more weeks.”

“Diesel,” Bane grunts. “You’re on speaker with Silas and Nova.”

Diesel laughs. “Ah, I get the whole family? Damn, now I really do feel special.”

My patience frays with every second that we’re wasting with idle chit chat. I brace my hands on the island and lean toward the phone. “We need a favor.”

“That’ll cost ya.”

“Fine,” I snap.

“What can I do for the Reapers?” Diesel asks casually.

Bane catches my eye and nods toward the phone. “Remember that situation we found at our doorstep a few weeks ago? I need you to find a car for us.”

Diesel laughs, but there’s nothing unkind about it. “Don’t you have some people on your payroll for that shit? I mean, I’ll take the favor, but I can do that shit in my sleep, man.”

“Not this kind of shit. This is . . . tricky.” I’m careful not to reveal too much. I don’t think we’re being tapped, but I feel like I don’t fucking know anything anymore.

Diesel’s laugh tapers off. “Alright, I’m listening.”

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