Page 53 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

The urge tocall home struck. Nikki needed to check on her mom. “Do you mind if I use this one more time?”

“Go ahead,” Conrad urged.

She thanked him before texting her mom. The phone buzzed a few seconds later.

“I’m okay, Mom,” she said before her mother could go off on a rant. Nikki realized how stressed out her mom must be. Guilt wrapped around her chest and squeezed the air out. “I’m sorry I didn’t contact you before now.”

“I’ve been worried,” her mom said, sounding like she’d aged ten years in the past couple of days.

“I should’ve called the second I could,” Nikki said. “My phone is missing, and I haven’t had access to a new one until recently.”

“What happened? Are you hurt? Heath said someone was holding you hostage,” her mom continued.

“No, it was a misunderstanding.” She wondered how well her mom knew the man she’d married. Could she quiz her mom about Heath’s business? His ethics?

“That’s not what Heath said,” Mom stated.

“I know, but he was wrong,” Nikki tried to explain. “I’m safe, and you don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’m confused. If you weren’t taken, then how did you end up with that man?”

“With Conrad?” Nikki was confused.

“Did you call Heath?” Her mother was bouncing topics. When Nikki really listened, she could hear a slight slur to her mom’s voice. Had she been drinking? At this time in the morning?

No. Couldn’t be.

“What are you doing right now?” Nikki asked.

“Sitting outside, drinking my coffee,” her mom supplied. “You didn’t answer my question. Did you call Heath?”

Now she could tell it wasn’t a slur, her mom was half-whispering. What did she know? Something was off.

“Are you all right, Mom?” Nikki asked.

“Yes,” her mom whispered. “Be careful. It wouldn’t hurt for you to disappear for a while. Do you have money?”

“What? Where is this coming from?” Nikki asked.

Heath’s voice came through in the background. He was calling for his wife to come inside.

“I have to go now,” Mom said. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I am. You don’t need to worry.”

“Okay,” her mom said with a breathy sigh. “I have to go now.”

Was her mom in trouble?

“Wait,” Nikki said, but it was too late. Her mom already ended the call.

She turned to Conrad. “I have to go. There’s something wrong at home. I don’t know what it is, but my mom didn’t sound right. She told me to disappear.”

“I’ll go with you,” Conrad said.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

He glanced down at his ankle. “I’m free of the… That’s not what you’re worried about. You’re worried about leaving the property while those bastards who caught us are still out there somewhere?”

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