Page 70 of The Roman's Woman (A Singular Obsession)

“Holy shit, are you sure?”

Doubt assailed him. What if he was wrong and it was something totally innocent, like a rag?

“Oh, God, I don’t know, but I see something sticking out of the trunk. I think it’s her pink dress, but I could be wrong. Am I being crazy?”

There was a beat of silence and Enzo inhaled. “Doesn’t matter. We can’t take the chance that you’re right. Follow him. Make sure you stay at least three car lengths behind. Try to keep some cars between you, but not at the cost of losing him.Don’t lose him.”

“I won’t,” Gio said, pressing hard on the accelerator and slipping into the same lane.

If Richard looked behind him, it would be harder to identify the car with the lights blinding him. At least he hoped that was the case.

“Okay,” Enzo said. “I’m calling the police now. Better safe than sorry. Can you tell me where you are?”

“Um, we’re near the Banbury exit on highway M40.”

“Can you see the license plate? Is it still BG38 RSL or did he change it after he bought the car from Sophia?”

“I didn’t see it,” he said, swallowing in dismay. “I was too busy staring at the trunk, and I’m too far now.”

“It’s all right. He probably didn’t change it. I’m going to call the police now from the house phone. I’m staying on the line. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

Gripping the steering wheel, Gio nodded stupidly before remembering Enzo couldn’t see him. “What else should I do?”

“Exactly what you’re doing. I’m tracking you on your cell by the way in case you need to leave the car. If you do, though, see if there’s anything in the car you can use as a weapon.”

Gio twisted around quickly. “It looks pretty bare.”

“I know,” Enzo said, exhaling quickly. “It’s a company car. Do your best. I’m gathering the rest of the team and they’re meeting me downstairs. We’ll get to you as soon as we can.”

Gio swallowed hard, checking manically for the vehicle ahead. Sweat was trickling into his eyes. Hastily, he wiped at them. His worst fears were rising up, threatening to choke him.

“Enzo, what if she’s already dead?”

His heart was already hammering in his chest, but when Enzo didn’t answer it almost stopped.

“She’s fine. It might not even be her in there. It might be some random cloth he slammed in the trunk link and this guy is going to be slapping you with a lawsuit for stalking or something.”

“It’s fucked up that that’s the best case scenario, but I don’t care. If I’m wrong, let him sue.”

“That’s it. Just think about your lawyers tearing him up…Have you tried calling her?”

“No answer.”

“Well, that doesn’t mean anything. She might be driving or her phone ran out of battery. I’ll leave instructions with the doorman to call me if she arrives here.” In the background, Gio could hear talking and hurried footsteps. “We’re leaving now.”

Ahead of him, the Chevrolet changed lanes and drove toward an exit. No one else followed suit so Gio waited till the last minute and then pulled behind him. “He’s getting off. There’s no one between us now.”

“Stay far enough away from him so he can’t make you out. Do you recognize where you are?”

“No. The exit said something quarry and it’s pretty isolated.”

The area was disturbingly deserted. It was almost rural with a few buildings thinly spread out in the dark countryside. Praying that he was wrong, he continued to follow the car ahead, grateful that it was distinctive enough to see by moonlight alone because the street lights were sparse out here.

Long minutes passed and the fear clawing at his stomach worsened. The buildings had disappeared, and he was the only other car on this road. There was no way Richard could have failed to spot him following.

“Enzo, he has to know I’m behind him. What should I do?”

He could try and run the car off the road, but he might end up hurting Sophia.

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