Page 88 of Shattered Dreams

I have no doubt we’ll find Zarah, but I’m more worried about the state she’ll be in when we do.

Zane presses his lips together. I hope in unhappiness and not the urge to puke.

A house’s roof comes into view, and we circle around it, smoke drifting out of a chimney. The lake stretches into the distance, and though the space is close to her house, a dock providing easy access to her backyard, we don’t set down on the frozen water. There aren’t any cars or icehouses on it—the ice may not be thick enough to hold much weight. Instead, the pilot backtracks toward the field opposite the house. We’re low enough I can see a black SUV parked in the driveway behind a black truck that looks similar to mine. Off to the side, a silver sedan is parked near an evergreen tree. That means there are possibly three people in that house plus Zarah. We have them outnumbered, if it will do any good.

“We’re going in first,” Banks reminds us. “Don’t play the hero.”

I have no intention of pretending to be something I’m not, but he’s staring Zane down. Zane would do anything to protect his family, including putting himself in the line of fire. I’ve never known Rourke to shoot a gun, but then again, I’m discovering all sorts of delightful things about the guy. Jerricka’s a wild card. I’ll expect her to do anything and everything to hide what they’re doing.

The chopper touches down in the field that luckily isn’t blocked off by a fence. Banks and his partner crouch and run lowover the snow and frozen soil, the helicopter’s blades creating a windy resistance, and continue across the road. They disappear down the long, plowed driveway.

I grit my teeth.

The pilot powers down the chopper, and we climb out too, Baby happy to have solid ground beneath her paws. The snow isn’t deep, and we trot to the road. We follow down the driveway at a slower pace, and when we reach the house, Banks and the other agent are outside. He’s pacing in tight circles.

“What’s going on?” Zane demands. “Where’s Zarah?”

“She’s not in there.”

“Like hell she’s not,” he growls.

“Dr. Solis is there, and a Dr. Pederson. They’re alone.”

Zane pushes past Banks. “I want to talk to them.”

Banks doesn’t stop him.

Stella and I trade a look, and we go into the house, too.

It’s pretty, light and airy, a huge picture window displaying the frozen lake. Jerricka and Dr. Pederson are sitting on a couch in the living room sipping coffee, a fire blazing in the hearth.

Baby starts to sniff around, and Jerricka’s eyes widen.

Ah-huh.

Not as calm as she’d like us to believe.

“Mr. Davenport, Mr. and Mrs. Maddox, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” Jerricka’s voice sounds perfectly modulated and slightly amused. “The fanfare was certainly unneeded.”

“We’re looking for Zarah. We know you have her,” I say, keeping track of Baby in my peripheral vision.

“I’m not sure how you came to that conclusion.”

“Zane and I spoke to the attendant who was supposed to fly on Zarah’s flight. She described you and told us you convinced Zarah to leave with you. We want to know where she is.”

“In the end she decided not to. Have you called her cell?”

“You must think we’re stupid. We found her cell on the side of the road outside the airport.”

Jerricka shrugs. “Perhaps she tossed it so you wouldn’t bother her. Lord knows how she stands the three of you in her face every second. It’s one of the things that most troubled her when talked during our sessions—her lack of privacy.”

“Then what are you doing here?” Zane asks, losing steam.

“I’m on holiday with my significant other. It’s quite innocent, I assure you.”

Dr. Pederson pats her hand.

I don’t believe her. “Baby, find Zarah.”

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