Page 48

“Mom. Mom. Wake up. Talk to me. Momma, please talk to me. Tell me you’re alright.”

Traci moaned again and shifted her body in her chair. Her head tilted up, and her eyes flickered before closing again.

“Mom. It’s me. Reagan. Momma, I need you to wake up, so we can figure out how to get out of here.”

This time when Traci’s eyes flickered, they stayed open, but several seconds passed before she seemed to focus on her daughter’s face.

“Reagan? What…”

“I know you have questions. So do I. None of this is making any sense.”

“Where are…we?”

“I’m not sure, but it reminds me of an underground bunker, like those built by end-of-the-world preppers. When I did the research for the book,The End is Death, I talked to a company that built them, and they gave me a tour of one they built for someone. I don’t know for sure. I was unconscious when I was brought here.”

That’s when she noticed what her mother was wearing. Jeans, a crème shirt, and no shoes. Not what she had on earlier. Reagan looked closer and realized her mother’s hair was damp, as if she had washed it and let it air dry before she was brought to the bunker.

“Momma, do you remember what happened to you?”

Traci’s brow furrowed, pain shadowing her eyes as she tried to remember. “I can’t be sure. I think I was coming to see you.”

“Yes,” Regan said. “I left the shack and went to the hospital. We talked on the phone, and I told you English came out of his coma. You and Dad were on your way to the hospital with the bodyguards Jackson hired. The ones who work with his friend Alex. Do you remember any of it?”

Traci grew thoughtful, then her eyes widened before filling with tears. “The accident. We were shot at. They killed…”

Her voice caught with raw emotion, and panic rose within Reagan.

“Momma, please tell me Dad is alright? Did they…”

“No,” Traci was quick to answer. “They killed Reggie. One of the men watching us. They aimed for Dean, who was driving. They missed and hit Reggie. We crashed. Two men came up with guns. Their faces were covered. It was raining. They were yelling at us, but the rain was too hard. I couldn’t understand them. Randall was hurt. So was Dean. Dean was stuck too. His seatbelt jammed, and he couldn’t reach his gun.”

“Did you get out, or did they pull you out?” Reagan prompted.

“Pulled me out. I released my seatbelt to help your father. But they opened my door and pulled me out. Randall tried to stop them, but…” Her voice trailed off while she swallowed before continuing. “The ground shifted. It was so muddy. The car fell more. It flipped on the way down. I screamed, but they pulled me away. I don’t know how far or how long it fell. I don’t know if… I don’t know if Randall…is alive. Oh, God!”

Traci’s sobs wracked her body, and Reagan allowed her own tears to fall as she watched helplessly while her mother suffered. She had no idea how long they cried, but soon the room became too dark for the lantern’s illumination to be sufficient. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten all day. The thought of eating nauseated her, but her body still insisted it needed food.

“How long have you been here?” Traci asked.

“I don’t know. I was going to meet you and Dad in the lobby. I wanted to talk to you about going to my house and hiring our own protection detail. But I was drugged and taken after I stepped on the elevator. The man was dressed in scrubs with a surgeon’s cap and mask, so I couldn’t see his face clearly. I guess Jackson was right. Whoever put English in the hospital came after us to get back at him. He must believe English still cares for us even though he hasn’t been in our lives for a long time.”

“But why not go after the boys and Becky? I think English is in love with Becky. He hasn’t admitted it yet. I know she loves him.”

Traci’s observation gave Reagan pause. “You’re right, Mom. Why only come after us and not the others who are a part of English’s life now?”

“Honey, I don’t know.” Traci dropped her gaze as if exhausted. Reagan knew the moment panic seized her mother as it had her.

“Reagan, did you change my clothes?”

She started to lie to save her mother the torturous thoughts the truth would surely evoke, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. “No. They did. They changed mine too while I was unconscious. We must have been in the rainstorm enough to be drenched, and they wanted us dry.”

“Oh.” Traci fell silent.

“Mom. It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure this out.”

Reagan waited for her mother to look at her again. “I promise we’ll figure this out.”

Traci nodded. “Thank you, sweetheart. I feel like our roles have reversed. I should be the one trying to encourage you, not the other way around.”