Page 96 of Puzzle for Two

“You’ll what?” Zach snatched up his glasses, scrambled off the mattress. “What are you doing?”

“A little bit of recon.”

“It’s a trap!”

“It’s not a trap when you know it’s a trap.” Flint was already through the doorway.

“What are youtalkingabout?” Zach, half-hopping as he dragged his jeans on, followed. “Flint, this is for the police to handle.”

“We’re ten minutes away. That’s about seven minutes closer than EDS PD. Let’s suppose for one minute itisn’ta trap and Zora really is fighting for her life.”

“Suppose she’snot.”

Flint shrugged into his brown leather jacket. “Are you really willing to take that chance?” His eyes were dark and serious. He thought that was a rhetorical question.

“Wait.” Zach immediately disconnected, speed-scrolled for Alton’s contact info, and pressed the number for the Kaschak estate.“Wait.”He grabbed Flint’s arm as he listened to the ring.

Flint halted, waited. He was practically vibrating with impatience.

After two rings, the phone picked up. A woman’s soothing voice came on the line. “Beacher residence.”

Zach blurted, “This is Zach Davies. May I speak to Mrs. Kaschak-Beacher? It’s urgent.”

“Mrs. Beacher isn’t here at the moment.”

Zach protested, “Shehasto be!”

The housekeeper sounded surprised. “I’m sorry. She’s out for a drive. I’m sure she’ll be home soon, if you’d like to leave your number.”

“Is Chico Martinez driving her?”

Sounding increasingly leery of the nut on the other end of the line, Mrs. Honeybun replied, “Mr. Martinez is driving Mrs. Beacher, yes. May I ask what this is in regard to?”

“I don’t believe this,” Zach said to Flint.

“Hello?” Mrs. Honeybun’s faraway voice called. “Hello? Mr. Davies?”

“Hang up and call EDS PD.” Flint shook off Zach’s hand and strode toward the front door. “I’ll see you over there.”

“Flint.Can you just…” Zach ended the call and redialed the police department. The phone began to ring.

“Zach.”

Distractedly, Zach looked up to meet Flint’s level gaze.

“Wait for the cops. Donotenter that park on your own.”

“That goes for you too, Flint. You’re not in the Marines now.”

Flint was unmoved. “You heard me. Wait for the cops.”

The door closed quietly behind him.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The October moon seemed frozen in place.

Much like Zach.

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