Page 98 of Between Now and Always

“Do you have all of her papers - like birth certificate, passport, and stuff?”

She hiccups. “I can get them together. Oh my God, Beth. Thank you. I was so scared.”

“Where’s my Father?” I ask, ignoring her.

“He went to Austin. He’ll be back on Friday.”

“Then get her stuff and wait for my call. I’ll fly to Dallas today and get a hotel. I’ll give you all my information and you can meet me there tonight.”

“Okay, I’ll start driving as soon as you let me know when. It’s about three hours.”

“That’s the flight time from New York, just about. So, you can time it to get to my hotel tonight so we can plan for tomorrow and wait for Phil and Carter to join us before we go to Agnes’.”

Her crying stops abruptly.

“Phil and Carter? Wa- Wait for them? Where arethey?” She’s panicking again.

“They’re on a business trip but they’ll be able to get to Dallas no later than tomorrow morning.”

“There’s no time. He’s had her for two days.” She starts to weep, the hysteria creeps back into her voice and my head starts to hurt.

“Fiona, if we go without them, there is no way, even if we do what they say, to guarantee we’ll get her back. It’s one day. But it’s worth the wait to make sure we’ll leave there with Cam andourselvessafe, too. Just don’t do anything until I get there.”

“Okay. I’m sorry. I’m just so scared,” she cries.

“Me, too. But it’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll call you when I have my flight details.”

I hang up and start dialing a new number. I stop in the middle of dialing and put my phone down. Because the number I’m dialing is James’. He was the first person I wanted to talk to just now. He would know what to do. A wall of grief, one hundred feet high, slams into me. I sit in the booth and sob. I let it take what it wants. I need to get this out of my system so I can focus. I want to make sure I have nothing left but rage and vengeance when I face my grandmother. Any weakness she perceives will make her less inclined to play fair. I don’t want to do anything to risk getting Cam back. Once I have her safe, I’m going rip those black hearts out of their chests and shove them down their throats.

* * *

Three hours later, I’m on my flight from LaGuardia to DFW. I check my phone, and grimace. I’ve been calling Carter and Phil since I got in the cab, but their phones are both going to voicemail. I knew I wouldn’t be able to reach them once they go to the jail. But I hoped I’d catch them before they went in.

“Ma’am your phone needs to be on airplane mode or off,” the flight attendant says and I smile apologetically and wait until she’s moved on before I send them a quick text.

“Just boarded a flight to Dallas. Cam is at Anges’ house and I’m going to help Fiona get her back. Need you to meet me in Dallas. I’ll text you hotel address when I get there. Going to see Duke first, but I’ll call you when I’m done kicking his ass and taking back the money they stole.” I press send.

I turn my phone off to conserve the battery because in my rush to get on this flight, I left my phone charger at home and didn’t notice until I’d boarded. I’ll buy one as soon as I get to the Dallas.

With any luck, by the time I land, they’ll be done with their visit.

I know Carter won’t like the last part of my message. But I’m not letting that devil steal one more thing from me or anyone I love.

It’s time for him to pay.

I Never Got Over Losing You

CARTER

“You ready?” Phil whispers and clasps a hand on my shoulder. I nod, but don’t look away from the metal door that she’s going to walk through any minute now. “It’ll be okay.”

“What if we’re wrong?” I ask him, voicing my greatest fear and wishing I could take it back.

“Then we’ll know. Either way, we’ll leave here with answers that we need to decide how to move on with Drew.

“Yeah, I know. I just can’t wait for that. I’m sick of living in the shadow of this.”

“If we’re right, then this is just the beginning. And it could get ugly. Are prepared for that?” he says.

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