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“You know, that truly is a shame. I think you’re becoming more trouble than you’re worth. Maybe we should just call this whole thing off. End it here and now.” He sighs. “I’m sorry, Nicole. I really wish we could have worked this out.” His hand that’s behind his back starts to move. I know this won’t end well for me.
Tears fall from my eyes. I close them and start to think of the one person I wish I could see again. Ryker.I love you, Ryker.My cheeks are wet, and I feel the salty tears starting to fall on my lips. This is how it ends.
Click.
“Don’t fucking move a muscle or I’ll put a bullet in your fucking head.”
My eyes shoot open, and I look past Mitch. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Ryker. Ryker is standing behind Mitch with a gun to his head.
Chapter 21
Ryker
Two hours earlier
“Fuck.”I can’t believe what Fuller just told me. That’s why she reacted the way she did when I brought up the adoption. She had no idea. “Fuller, I need you to trace her cell find the last tower it pinged at. He’s going to find her. I need to get to her before he does.”
“Okay. Give me a minute, and I’ll send that info your way.”
I end the call and jump out of my chair. Grabbing my keys, I run out of the station and into my truck. Before I can leave, McCormick comes running over.
“What’s up, Holliday? You going to see Johnson and get a statement?” He puts his hands on the window of the truck door.
“It’s Zo. She’s in trouble. Turns out things aren’t as they seem. I’ll explain later. Just stay close in case I need you. I need to find out where she went.” Without waiting, I throw my truck into reverse and start driving. I start heading to Greenrey,a small town east of Weston. About ten minutes into the drive there, my phone rings and I see Fuller’s name flash on the screen.
I accept the call immediately. “Tell me you got something.” My heart races with anticipation.
“Brixton. She last pinged off Brixton. But I can’t find any credit cards or anything to tell me where she was last,” Fuller says.
“She’s been using cash. I doubt she even has a one of those on her. Fuck.” I hang up and quickly turn myself around. I haul ass as I head towards Brixton, trying to make up for lost time.
About forty-five minutes later, I pull into Castle’s Diner. I throw the truck in park and jump out of it. With sweat dripping down my back, I race inside and see if I can see her.
“Hey, Sheriff. How’s it going?” Sherry, one of the servers, asks.
I take out my phone and pull up a picture of Zoey. It’s a picture of the both of us snuggled up in the bed of my truck.
There’s no time for pleasantries. Throwing the phone at her face, I bark, “Have you seen this woman?”
Sherry squints her eyes, frowning. “No, I haven’t seen her, but I just got here.” She turns towards the counter and shouts, “Hey, Diana. Have you seen this girl?”
Diana, one of the young servers here, comes out from behind the counter. “Hey there, Sheriff.” She smiles and winks at me.
“Look, I need to know if you’ve seen her.” I show her the picture on my phone.
“Yeah! She was in here this morning. She stopped in for breakfast. Said she was just passing through.” She gives me a puzzled look.
“What is it?”
Diana shakes her head, looking confused, “She said she didn’t know you. I had mentioned that you were the sheriff, and she said she never met you.”
I growl, “Do you know where she’s staying at?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I never asked, and she never told me.”
“Do you know which way she went when she left?” I press.
“Um, yeah. I think she headed towards the general store.” Diana frowns.