Page 168 of Blue Moon

Michelle blinked slowly. “Two driving lessons?”

“I didn’t realise it was going to be important, okay? My boyfriend always drives me places.”

“This mysterious boyfriend who’s supposed to be rescuing us?”

“You think finding people in the middle of nowhere is easy? Where’s your boyfriend, huh?”

“I ditched him after he slept with my cousin.”

“Yikes, I’m sorry. Wait, do you mean Tito?”

“No, my other cousin. Get in the damn car and drive, girl. It’s not as if you have to parallel park.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Just put the car in gear and steer it to the nearest police station.”

“No, no, no, no, no. Have you seen the size of that Tahoe? I’ll crash.”

Michelle folded her arms, and why was she smiling like that? All smug?

“Suit yourself. We’ll just wait here until your boyfriend shows up.”

I looked behind her to the bed. Mark Antony wasn’t mumbling anymore. He wasn’t even moving. Was he still breathing? I watched for a long moment, seeing the faint rise and fall of his chest and the twitch of his jaw. I should be furious with him, logically I understood that. But what I felt was pity. He needed help, not punishment.

Or death.

How hard could driving the Tahoe be? Okay, so it was bigger than the BMW, but it was basically the same. Engine, windshield, steering wheel, seat belts. Don’t forget the seat belts. And the sooner I got out of here, the sooner I could see Ryder. I might not know his number by heart, but if I could find someplace with internet, Blackwood’s number would be on their website. All I had to do was call and ask them to put me through.

“Maybe in daylight. And Kacie comes with me. So does Rocky.”

Michelle’s turn to backpedal. “You’re not leaving me here by myself with him.”

“You’re the nursing assistant. I’ll go for help, but only if you keep him alive.”

“No guarantees on that.”

“Are you doubting your abilities?”

“Girl, he’s in the Lord’s hands now.”

“Whatever. Just keep him hydrated.”

And try not to put a pillow over his face.

48

RYDER

“Fuck. Bear.”

That was Emmy, fifty yards to Ryder’s left. He was back in his comfort zone now, wildlife excepted, skulking through the forest with guns, smoke grenades, and his team beside him. They’d found the address in the early hours. Despite Emmy’s best efforts, the county recorder insisted she had to go to her daughter’s piano recital, so the Choir had sent Spider, who got into the office faster than most normal people could with a key. What took the time was working out the filing system, which was organised by year and address rather than by name. Julia Strand’s maternal grandfather, Reginald Cantley, had bought the House in the Woods—that was its official name—in 1947, so the search had taken a while. Ryder, Tulsa, Emmy, Spider, Dan, Knox, and Dice had all been in there, flipping through dusty file cabinets and thanking their lucky stars that the security guard at the county administration building was more interested in reruns of Suits than in doing his job. Priest had kept an eye on him from a shadowy corner of the parking lot.

They’d come up with a plan on the fly, quite literally. Concerned that an approach by road could alert the suspect, Storm had arrived with one helicopter and Dusk had begged, borrowed, or stolen another—Ryder wasn’t sure which—and they’d fast-roped into the forest several miles to the west of the target property. Storm’s helicopter was the quietest Ryder had ever heard, but they couldn’t risk getting any closer, not with Luna’s safety at stake. After a brief schlep through the trees, they were almost there.

Dan snorted. “So go around it.”

“I’m hardly gonna go through the sodding thing, am I?” Emmy hissed.

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