Page 128 of Nate

“I want you to text me when you get there,” Knowles said.

“I don’t have my phone. I forgot it last night,” Markie said, her voice catching.

“She can use mine. I just have to unlock it for her.” Nate stared at Knowles.

Knowles stared at him, but Nate refused to look away, then Knowles nodded and looked at Markie.

“Get it.”

“It’s in my back pocket. I’m going to reach for it.”

“Slowly.”

Nate nodded, removed his phone from his pocket and held it up to show Knowles.

“Add my number, Jefferson.” Knowles told him the number as Nate entered it into his phone. “Show her which one it is.”

Nate grinned. “She’ll know. It’s under dickhead.”

Knowles clenched his jaw as he stared at Nate, but Nate knew he wouldn’t do anything to him as long as there was a chance that Markie could get him drugs.

“I’ll have to show her how to unlock it. It uses a code.”

“Just do it,” Knowles snapped.

Markie stepped beside Nate.

“This is the code to unlock the screen.” He pressed it in. “Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, then just go under the contacts.” As he showed her, he brought up Rafe’s number. “Then you can text him.”

He knew Knowles thought he was talking about him, but Markie knew he meant Rafe.

“I will.” She stood on her toes and kissed his lips. “Please stay safe. I’ll text right away,” she whispered against his lips.

“Once you get out of here, pull onto the road and text him. He’s close,” Nate whispered back.

“Get going, Markie!” Knowles yelled.

Nate saw tears in her eyes, then she faced Knowles.

“I’m going. My car is in the garage. I’ll leave now.”

“Don’t fuck with me, Markie. I have no qualms about killing Jefferson.”

Markie nodded, looked at Nate, then walked from the barn. Both men watched as she drove her SUV down the driveway and disappeared.

****

Markie drove out onto the main road, then pulled onto the shoulder two miles from the house. She put her head against the steering wheel and cried. Sitting back, she picked up Nate’s cellphone from where she had set it in the center console. Her hands were shaking so bad that she had to take a deep breath before picking it up.

She scrolled through the numbers until she found Rafe’s and quickly sent him a text.

Rafe? It’s Markie. Jarrett is holding Nate at his barn until I go into town and get him those pain meds. Help us, please.She waited a few seconds, then sighed when she saw the bubbles showing he was messaging back.

Where are you?

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