Page 244 of Dark Love

Not today. “If I had sent someone to do that, does she really think I would tell her?”

“Dyce can be quite persuasive.”

That’s how I ended up in the mess in the first place. “Dyce told me Marlie was taken care of. I didn’t send anyone for her.”

“That’s what I told Dyce, but she’s on her way to your office now.”

Wonderful. Just what I need. “Can you stop her from bothering me? I’m better off helping search for Marlie than I am dealing with an irate woman.”

“Short of tying her down, there’s no way of stopping Dyce.”

I’d be fine with that. “So if I—”

“Don’t even think about it.”

An angry word from Maddox can’t stop that, but it probably will stop me from tying her up. Just not from yelling at her. “Where was the safe house, and how long ago did she escape?”

“About thirty minutes ago. But we didn’t find it until a few minutes ago. Did I mention Marlie is super smart?”

A smart person doesn’t leave a safe house and risk being trafficked. “Send me the address. I might have a way to find her.” Shock is going to have to switch priorities for a few minutes to find me this woman. Then I’m going to make her disappear until I figure out this human trafficking situation.

Back up the stairs for me.

Maddox’s message with the address comes through as I reach Shock’s space.

It would be polite to knock, but today isn’t a polite kind of day. I slam the door open. “Things have changed.”

Shock and Barb jump up from where they’re huddled together by the computer bank.

Interesting.

“Barb, I need to talk to Shock.”

He steps in front of her. “This is priority. Barb needs to be safe.”

And now you decide to stand up to me. “Barb, don’t leave the building, but I need to talk to Shock right now.”

Even though Shock lost his good sense, Barb didn’t. She scrambles from behind him and out the door.

“Nothing is more important than Barb.”

That idiot. “Barb is safe at the moment. Marlie isn’t.”

Shock shakes his head. “What? Maddox had her in a safe house, I thought.”

“According to Maddox, she’s too smart and slipped away without him knowing.”

“That’s stupid. You need me to findher.”

“Yeah.” Before Plant makes her disappear. “Here’s the safe house address. Find her. Every minute counts.”

Shock nods and turns back to his computers.

Now all I have to do is wait for Dyce.

Tomorrow, Dahlia and I are staying in bed and not answering the phone.

Ten minutes later, my office door swings open.

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