Page 98 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

I drag Hazel into the house, trying to ease away her worries as much as I’m drowning in my own.

Once we’re inside, I set her up on the couch, giving Hazel her cell in case Neil tries to contact us. When I’ve got her settled enough, I grab my own phone and call the police.

I detail the situation, and they’re sending detectives over immediately. I’m not supposed to touch anything, and if Neil calls, I’m supposed to try and record the call somehow.

“We can use the other phone that’s not being called,” Hazel suggests, and I nod.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” I’m nodding too much. I know it. “We’ll just wait here for the cops and see if Neil calls.”

The room drops into silence, both of us staring at our phones, waiting for something—anything—to happen.

THIRTY-THREE

Hazel

Easton has been playing phone tag with the police for several minutes now. Right now, he’s on the phone with the local sheriff to see what options they have in terms of a manhunt.

It feels so weird to even think those words, but that's the point we're at.

We have to find Neil, who's kidnapped poor Jade, and we have to find him as quickly as possible because I know exactly what he plans to do to her.

I remember what it feels like to be in her shoes, and Icannotlet that happen to that poor, innocent kid.

This is all my fault, and I'm the only one to blame for something happening to Easton's niece. So, I won't let it go any further.

“Yeah, okay, I can give you everything I have about what she wore to bed last night and all that stuff. Um, yeah, hold on, let me go grab some things.”

Easton's voice drifts across the living room, and every word hits me in the chest like a punch.

What she was wearing last night. What she was wearing last night…because we need to find Jade because Neil took her.

The guilt and the pain and the memory is too much for me right now, but there's one thing that I can do to make this all better.

So, while he's digging in some box for something to give the local sheriff, a picture of Jade most likely, I sneak to the back of house, go through the sliding glass door, and into the backyard.

Holding my phone clutched in my hands, I look down at the screen. Right now, the lock screen is a picture of me and Jade, a goofy one where she's sticking out her tongue and crossing her eyes, and I'm pulling my cheeks apart with my fingers.

She forced me to put it as my phone background.

I choke on a sob, but then I swipe my phone open, and I go to the recent numbers.

Neil called me on a different phone line when he made that threat the other day, and I didn't tell Easton, but I didn't block it right away.

I didn't know if I would need it. It turns out I was right.

Sucking in a deep breath, the smell of hot summer air and plants and pool water nearly suffocates me under the weight of all the things that are adding up one after the other.

But I have to do this. I have to do whatever it takes to get Jade back.

I steady myself—as best as I can anyway—my fingers are still shaking, and I swipe open my phone and go to that number again.

And I click it.

It only takes three rings for the line to pick up.

“Well, well, well, look who's decided to finally give me a call.”

From Neil’s tone at the get-go of this phone call, I have to wonder if this wasn't his plan all along, to take Jade to taunt me into calling him, to taunt me into giving him something else that he really wants—me.