While White was talking to the our local police, my landline rang.
Nothing had been done to trace calls on this phone yet, but it didn’t matter. The caller ID displayed Aunt Caroline’s number. I’d promised her I’d be back and hadn’t even phoned.
I picked up before the answering machine could take over, knowing I couldn’t tell her over the phone that Kate was missing. She’d freak out. “Hi. Sorry I got tied up and didn’t get back.”
“Abigail, can you please return?” She sounded like she was crying-which never happened.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m in so much pain, and if you could help me get settled in bed, then… then you can go about your business again.”
She sounded absolutely pathetic, which was probably partly an act, but that didn’t matter. I already felt guilty for leaving her alone after what she’d gone through today.
“I’ll see what I can do, Aunt Caroline.”
“What does that mean?” she said.
“I’m thinking I’ll call your friend Martha to come over. She can help you out until I can get away.”
“Martha is in Europe. Does this mean you won’t come? You won’t help me?” But there was none of her usual indignation. She sounded like a different person. Yeah… maybe an old woman who’d been in a fight with a killer and lived to tell about it. Now I felt even guiltier.
“Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. But then we’ll pack a bag. You’re staying here with me-and don’t bother arguing.” She did need to know about Kate, especially if-No, I wasn’t going to think about that. And despite Kravitz’s man on guard duty, I’d feel better having her here with Foster on the loose.
Amazingly enough, she didn’t argue. She simply said, “Thank you, Abigail,” and hung up.
I looked at Jeff, who’d been talking to DeShay. I’d heard the word trace, and I was guessing he wanted to make sure any calls to all my phones could be traced. “I have to pick up Aunt Caroline. She’s alone, she’s been hurt and I think what happened today is finally penetrating her rhinoceros hide.”
“Okay,” Jeff said. “I’m going with you.”
“No need. It’s a thirty-minute round-trip, and if you come she’ll start asking questions. I don’t want to tell her anything until I have her back here. Then she can have her meltdown.” I was talking too fast, sounding a little too frantic.
Jeff gripped my shoulders. “Think about it. What if Kate calls your cell and none of us is with you? What will you do?”
I put a hand to my forehead. Closed my eyes. Why couldn’t I think straight?
“We will get her back, Abby, but you need to keep focused on that goal. Now, let’s pick up your aunt Caroline.”
“But what if the bank calls? Won’t I need to talk to them?”
“White or DeShay can handle that. They know we’re on this, and anyway, you’re not releasing any funds. We have to provoke this guy out of the shadows-get him to make direct contact with you.”
“Then let’s hurry so we can get back,” I said.
We took my car, but Jeff drove. I’d left my gun on the passenger seat after my last trip to Aunt Caroline’s house, and now I held the Lady Smith in both hands. I never knew a gun could offer comfort, but it did. Yes, a gun could provide what was probably a false sense of hope when you felt powerless and out of control, like I did.
“Um… we’ve got a tail,” Jeff said. We were at a light, and his eyes were fixed on the rearview. “Use the cosmetic mirror and see if you recognize those two guys in the SUV. Right lane, two cars back.”
I did. “Damn. I think that’s Kravitz and the cameraman, Stu Crowell.”
“Obviously they were hanging around your place and saw us all arrive,” Jeff said.
“I called Kravitz to put a man outside Aunt Caroline’s house, and he must have decided I wasn’t being straight with him, even though I was at the time.”
“Losing them is pointless,” Jeff said.
I turned the gun over and over, my throat tightening even more. “You can’t make them stay out of this?” But I knew it was a stupid question, and Jeff, thank goodness, ignored it.
“I’d feel a whole lot better if you’d put your Lady away.” Jeff nodded at the gun.
“You don’t want a jumpy girlfriend with a loaded gun sitting next to you?”
He rested a hand on the back of my neck and rubbed at the tension residing there. “I wouldn’t put it past you to take a warning shot at those guys behind us.”
I opened the glove compartment and did what he asked. “Happy now?”
“Just looking out for you.”
I smiled, grateful that he was here with me and not in Seattle.
“Here’s the plan,” Jeff said. “We get Aunt Caroline out of her house and we don’t talk to those guys, okay?”
“Okay,” I said.
Ten minutes later we parked in my aunt’s driveway, and Kravitz pulled up behind the guard’s car across the street.
But the guy who was supposed to be protecting Aunt Caroline didn’t seem to be in his car. Great protection, Kravitz, I wanted to shout when I saw him and Stu get out of their SUV. Stu hoisted his camera and pointed it at me.
Kravitz was headed toward the guard’s car.
Then, before I could take another breath, Kravitz shouted something I didn’t catch-didn’t catch because Aunt Caroline’s front door opened at the same moment.
Harrison Foster stood in the doorway-and he had a gun.
I froze.
“Get down,” Jeff yelled.
I fell to my hands and knees, but I was on the side of the car without protection. I crawled around to the back of the car, fully expecting a bullet to flatten me.
Then I heard the shot, but he must have missed.
I made it around to the driver’s side and realized he hadn’t missed.
Jeff was down.
I scrambled to him and gently turned him onto his side. He was grimacing in pain, and a crimson stain was spreading on his chest. I fought the panic threatening to take me over. I needed adrenaline, not fear, to be in charge here.
“Kravitz,” I shouted. “Call nine-one-one!”
Then I put my mouth to Jeff’s ear. “Is it bad?”
“I-I don’t think I can get up.” His words were halting, like he didn’t have enough air to speak.
Foster shouted, “Abby, look who I’ve got.”
I pried Jeff’s gun from his fingers and stood up just enough to see through the driver’s-side window. Foster held Kate in front of him. He had had a far better shot at me a few seconds ago and hadn’t taken it. He wanted his money, and probably figured out he needed my help with the account.
I’d trade myself for Kate in a minute if not for Jeff. Would he bleed to death while I got this bastard what he wanted?
My heart, already beating crazily, felt like it might come out of my chest. What did I do? Stall for time?
Foster’s arm was around Kate’s chest near her throat. Her mouth was duct-taped, and so were her hands in front of her. He held his gun to her head.
I glanced right, hoping to see Kravitz with a phone to his ear. But I couldn’t find him. Stu Crowell must have ducked for cover, too.
Foster said, “Join us, Abby. Your sister seems to have decided we need your help with something.”
Since we’d been taken by surprise, help was at the very least minutes away. But I had to call 911 now. Jeff might not have minutes.
I was about to reach in my pocket for my phone, but then I saw Crowell with his camera behind the wide trunk of the live oak in Aunt Caroline’s front yard. Then Crowell stepped out to tape the horror unfolding.
His sudden appearance distracted Foster, and his gun swung away from Kate’s head toward the camera.
This was my chance. I stood, my hands amazingly steady when I raised Jeff’s Glock with both hands. I aimed for Foster’s left shoulder and hit the mark, just as I’d hit so many bull’s-eyes with Daddy admiring every shot. Foster crumpled to the ground without firing a round.