Page 151 of Call Back

“Just getting my share of the money your partner stole, plus a nice amount of interest.” There was a hitch in her voice when she spoke again. “Where is he?”

“I haven’t seen or heard from him for two years,” Bill said. “The last time was when he came back and dealt with Ava Milton. He slipped out of my grip then, but he won’t this time. You have to trust me.”

Oh. My. God.

I glanced over at Belinda to see if she was making the same leap, but she was completely intent on the conversation. It was like she was listening for her cue.

I gasped as I remembered how Colt had insisted that I stick close to Belinda. From Rowena’s questions and his own vague admission, he wasn’t an innocent victim in this. He was complicit in something, but what he was complicit in remained to be seen. Still, I refused to believe he was part of Belinda’s crazy scheme, whatever it was.

“I trusted you before, and look what it got me,” Rowena said, growing impatient. “Nothing.”

“We’re close,” Bill said. “But this stunt is going to set us back. Now just go back to the party or your hideaway or wherever you crawled out of and be patient.”

“I’m done being patient,” Rowena snapped. “If the gold isn’t enough of a draw, then Magnolia will do. Colt, go get her.”

“No. Leave her out of this.”

“Bill,” Rowena said. “Go get your partner’s daughter.”

“Rowena,” Bill objected. “Colt’s right. Leave her out of it.”

“Obviously he needs an added incentive.”

And that, it would seem, was Belinda’s cue. Her hand shook before she tightened her hold on my arm and pushed the door open, dragging me with her. “Ms. Rogers is right. Here she is.”

Horror and panic washed over Colt’s face when he saw us, which made me feel slightly better. I would have bet my life he wouldn’t hurt me, and it looked like I was right. Too bad I hadn’t expected the danger to come from Belinda.

We were in a large, unfinished basement with rock walls and an uneven, crumbling concrete floor. The ten-foot ceiling was covered in cracked plaster, and the few bare light bulbs providing shaky light cast eerie shadows in all directions. At roughly twenty-by-twenty, the room was obviously only a portion of the huge house overhead. In addition to the door behind us, there was an open doorway directly opposite me that led to a dark space. There was a third (closed) door on the wall to my right, along with a large open window that looked like a pass-through to a dark kitchen. Two stone pillars in the center of the room braced the ceiling—Colt stood next to the pillar closest to Rowena Rogers, and there was a man I didn’t recognize to my left. Bill James stood directly in front of me.

Who was the stranger? I had a sneaking suspicion he might be the man we’d encountered in the industrial park. He stood behind Rowena with a gun in his hand. He was obviously her henchman.

Rowena squinted in confusion, and she glanced toward us. “Who are you?” She turned to Bill. “Is she with you?”

“She’s Roy’s wife. Belinda,” Bill said in disbelief, “what are you doing?”

“I have the bait. Now where is he?”

Bill shook his head, his eyes wide with confusion. “Belinda, I know Lila’s illness is upsetting, but you need to put down the gun and let Magnolia go. Roy has this under control.”

Roy had what under control? This was like watching a foreign movie with only some of the subtitles.

“No.” Belinda’s fingers dug into my arm. “I don’t need Roy. Not anymore. I’m doing this on my own.”

I was a total pawn in this situation, desperate to regain some sort of control. The best person to get on my side was the woman next to me. “Belinda,” I turned to her, pleading, “let’s just—”

She gave my arm a violent shake. “Be quiet, Magnolia!”

My mouth dropped open in disbelief.

She glanced from Bill to Rowena with wild eyes. “I know he’s around. He’s been watching her. I saw him. Magnolia did too.”

Oh, my God. Was she talking about the serial killer? Because I still couldn’t let my mind believe the other idea running through my head was true.

“Belinda,” Colt snapped. “Why are you doing this? Let Maggie go. This has nothing to do with her.”

Belinda stiffened. “I know you’re in regular contact with him, Colt. Text him.”

Colt shook his head and held out his hands. “What are you going to do to Maggie? She’s your friend, Belinda. You don’t want to hurt her.”

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