Page 87 of Critical Doubt

Ryker took out his phone. "I'm going to text Mason again, too."

"Maybe you should be careful what you say. You don't know which side he's on."

"If he is involved, by now he's heard about Paul's injuries and my escape. I'm going to tell him I know what's going on, that Paul told me everything. I'll say I want in. That I've been hurt just as badly as everyone else. I want a payday, too."

Her gut tightened at his words. "He won't believe you. There's a reason they didn't ask you in already. They know who you are. They know you won't do what they're doing."

"Maybe that's not the reason. Maybe it was just that I wasn't responding to their texts."

"I don't think so, Ryker. You wouldn't have joined them in doing something illegal or even in faking the deaths. That's not the kind of man you are. And they know that."

"They knew who I was. I can convince them I've changed."

"It's a bold move," she said, seeing the determination in his eyes.

"I don't know how to move any other way."

His cocky words reminded her of the Ryker from five years ago, and while she appreciated his return, she also worried that this Ryker might be a little too reckless. But she couldn't blame him. Finding out that Paul was alive, that he'd faked his own death, had rattled her, too.

"Done," he said, sending his text. "We'll see if Mason takes the bait."

"Or if he comes back asking you what you're talking about."

"Either way, we'll find out something."

Chapter Twenty

An hour later,Ryker was beginning to think his bold move was a big bust. There had been no answer from Mason. Either he hadn't gotten the text, wasn't interested in the offer, wasn't in on the plan, or someone had killed him. The latter idea painted a more sobering picture.

Despite the fact that Paul was miraculously alive, the attacks on himself and Savannah had been very, very real. There had been nothing fake about the explosions or the bullets that had come their way. There was a chance that Paul had escaped whatever danger had been tracking them and had faked his death to stay safe.

"We might be wrong," he said aloud.

Savannah, who had been pacing around the waiting room for the last ten minutes, came back to the couch. "About which part?"

"A team of ghosts. We've been starting to think that everyone is alive, that they all faked their deaths, but the danger to us has been real, right?"

"That's true. If you and I had died last night, there wouldn't have been anything fake about it."

"What if Paul realized he was in danger, and he set up his death so that he could stay safe and protect his family?"

"Interesting point. And if Paul convinced Todd that he was also at risk, that could have started the bigger plan in motion. But if they were faking their deaths, why wouldn't Todd have just done it at the same time as Paul? Why wait and go through the funeral—somehow get his car into the river? It's more complicated."

"Unless two accidental deaths at the same time was too much," he said. "I keep going back to how nervous Todd was at the service. I attributed his agitation and anger to Paul's passing, but it could have been that he knew Paul wasn't dead and seeing the hell his wife and kid were going through was too much. Then Todd decided to disappear himself. Or he really was forced off the road by whoever had been after Paul, and his death was real. Did you follow any of my twisted logic?"

"I followed it all. Unfortunately, until we actually see a dead body, I'm not sure we're going to have an answer."

"We might be able to get at least one answer from Chief Tanner. He responded to Paul's fall. He told Abby not to see her husband. He allegedly got Paul's body through the medical examiner and the mortuary. Did he do all that alone without Todd's help? It seems doubtful. Then he's the one who discovers Todd's body, and I'm betting no one else has seen it but him."

"Tanner does run that town. I think anything is possible." She paused. "I'm so angry with Paul. If he wasn't close to death, I'd want to kill him myself," she said darkly.

He understood exactly where she was coming from, especially because she was so close to Abby. She was feeling her best friend's pain with every breath she took. "He did hurt his wife and child. No doubt about that."

"The trauma that they might have to live through again if he dies could break Abby. And how is Tyler ever going to understand any of this? He's a little boy. His father chose to leave him by faking his death. Now he might die again…this is horrible. Abby is just the sweetest, kindest person on this earth, and I can't stand that she has to deal with this."

"I feel exactly the same way."

"I just want to help her, but I honestly don't know what to do. I can't imagine anything I could say would help her."

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