Page 134 of Done Waiting

I’m aimlessly driving the three of us around when Bryce’s laptop, which sits open on Jason’s lap, buzzes. At the same time, my phone buzzes, then it rings.

Glancing down, I see Bryce’s name on the screen. Picking it up, I answer, Bryce’s voice cutting me off before I can even finish saying his name.

“Ryan’s phone just received a call from the Ice Queen’s phone.”

Hope blossoms in my chest. “Do you think she was somehow trying to call him for help? Or maybe Maddie got ahold of it?”

“That’s a possibility. The phone call was only a minute and ten seconds.”

“I’m calling him. I need to know if he heard anything.” Not even bothering to say goodbye, I end the call.

Jason’s already rattling Ryan’s phone number off to me. Punching it in, I put him on speaker, losing my mind until he finally answered.

“Ryan, this is Jagger. You don’t know me, but I… Well, I’m in love with Maddie Jacobs.”

He pauses for a beat, then says, “Actually, I do know who you are. But I don’t have time to go into it. I received a weird call from Maura, Maddie’s mom—”

“I know. Ben kidnapped Maddie and Maura. He’s the Falls Creek serial killer.”

There’s a lot of cursing, banging doors, then the sound of his vehicle engine. “I’ve tried calling her back but it goes straight to voicemail, like the phone has been shut off. I heard some growling sound before the line went dead.”

Panic fills my chest. Ben likely knows one of them had the phone and is losing his shit.

“I’m going to have the department see what tower it pinged off.”

My eyes meet Jason who mouths, “I know.”

“Let me call you back, Ryan.” Without saying anything further, I hung up. “Where?”

Jason tells me and I begin heading toward the mountains where he and Bryce found the remains of Belinda Hillyard.

“It figures that sick fuck would be holed up somewhere near where he tortured Belinda Hillyard,” Jason says, his eyes on the computer. “I’m messaging Bryce so I can get the exact coordinates of where she was found. I’m—”

“Belinda Hillyard,” Ashlynn says, leaning over the seat. She worked with my boyfriend. She lived in Mountain Green. It’s a very remote town. Most of it is small cabins used for hunting.”

“They have a cell phone tower there. That’s the one Maura’s cell phone call pinged from.”

I stomp on the accelerator. “So how do we find where he may have them holed up?”

Jason grabs his cell phone. “I’m calling Bryce. He’ll know.”

When Bryce answers, we fill him in. We hear his fingers banging over the keys as Abby says, “Sorry about earlier, Jagger.”

“Abby, stop. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry about the shit you went through.”

“Shit happens. Let’s just find Maddie and get her back.”

My heart stutters when she says her name.God, I miss my baby girl so fucking much. “Agreed.”

“Jagger.” Bryce’s voice shakes with excitement. “I found a dilapidated cabin that’s under the name James Adler. I’m sending the address to your phone and my laptop now.” His voice lowers. “Go save the love of your life, Jagger.”

I can’t help the smile that crosses my face when he says that.The love of my life. Yeah, that’s definitely her.

My destiny.

All our lives have been a dance where we’d come together, and then drift apart due to circumstances beyond our control.

But not anymore.

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