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“The night before Salyer kidnapped me.”

Gabriel chuckled. “At least you haven’t lost your sense of humor. Karen will be here tomorrow. We want you to work with her.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then we want you to go home. I can’t stop you from searching for Salyer, but I won’t let you do it here.”

I rose. “Then I guess I should start packing.”

“Remember when you told me if we didn’t have anyone who wanted us to live, we had to settle for those who needed us to live?” Gabriel stood and faced me. “I need you to live, Dakota. Even if I succeed in stopping smoking and have the surgery, there’s still a good chance I’m not going to make it. I know you want to find your daughter, but Salyer has to be stopped. I don’t think anyone can do that but you or me.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Gabriel. Max may decide to stay, but I’ll be going home this evening.” I opened the door, stopped for a moment, then walked through it.

Gabriel was only doing what he thought was best for me, and I would miss him. Emma’s alive. I know she is. Once I know she’s safe, I can put an end to all this.

18

I stopped at the front desk long enough to retrieve my gun, left the station without looking for Max, and hailed a taxi. With everything that had happened that day, I needed time alone in a safe place where I wouldn’t hurt anyone else if I lost control. “Do you know a good car lot?”

The taxi driver met my gaze in the rearview mirror. “New or used?”

“New.”

“Preference on model?”

“Not really. Maybe something a little more rugged than just street driving. Price isn’t an issue either.”

“I’d go with a Nissan. Pathfinder is a good model for both. Dealership right up the road, but they tend to take advantage of females. You want me to dicker with them?”

“No, I can handle it.”

The driver drove onto the car lot and stopped by the front door. “Talk with Denny. He’ll get you what you want.”

I took a hundred from my billfold and passed it to him. “That’s for the ride and the information.”

His eyes lit up. “Thanks.”

I spotted the Pathfinders and walked toward them, not surprised when three lot lizards headed my way. I glanced at the name tags. No Denny, and what irritated me the most was the leering smile of the tall, dark-haired leader. He was handsome and knew it. I had little doubt they took advantage of females in more ways than one.

“What can we do for you today, beautiful?” He tilted his head a little to the side, I supposed trying to look like an adorable puppy.

“Is Denny here?”

The smile stuck, but lacked its earlier brightness. “He’s a little busy right now.”

“I’ll wait.” I walked around the cars until I found a neutral color with all the extras. A short, slightly chubby older man approached.

“You asked for me, ma’am? I’m Denny.”

“You came highly recommended. I want this one unless you tell me there’s something wrong with it.”

He glanced over his shoulder and stepped closer. “Overpriced by about five thousand dollars. The owner will be glad to make you a deal.”

Honesty on a car lot was a rare quality, and I was glad I’d overtipped the cabbie. “You work on commission, Denny?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Write it up. If you can find a GPS jammer for me and get me off your lot in fifteen minutes, the extra five thousand is yours.”

“I’ll need to get a little information from you. If you’d follow me to the office, I’ll have the vehicle gassed up and ready for you.”

Fifteen minutes later, I waved at a beaming Denny as I weaved my way into traffic and headed home to Beaufort. I would need clothes and cash. Sleeping pills and alcohol and a safe place. Calvin had the right idea. I needed to start at the beginning. I didn’t know exactly where that was, but if Gabriel was right, four years ago, Christian Salyer had been in New York, killing Colleen Browne. After a good night’s sleep, I would start there.

My phone buzzed, and I glanced at the ID—four missed calls from Max and three from Gabriel. Eventually, they would give up, but I needed a new phone.

I called home. Mrs. Dickson answered immediately. “It’s me. I need you to pack a couple of suitcases. Enough to last, say, two weeks. Mostly jeans and shirts with a couple of jackets and the essentials. I should be there in about an hour, but I can’t stay.” I listened as Mrs. Dickson recited the list back to me. “Perfect, Mrs. Dickson. Thank you. If anyone calls for me, even if it’s Max, you haven’t heard from me.” I ended the call, pulled to the side of the road, and switched the phone to airplane mode. It was probably still possible to track it, but it would make it a lot harder and would stop the incoming calls and texts and the phone lighting up every few minutes.

I mentally checked off the things I wanted to pick up at home as I pulled onto the highway. Once I’d loaded the suitcases, I would take a couple of extra weapons. I had copies of all of Salyer’s cases in the basement, and I would take those too. Calvin might be able to do it quicker, but he wasn’t the only one who knew how to develop a database.

Charleston. The whisper came from nowhere but flowed around me with a dark aura. We’d dropped the notion that he’d used the naval base, but he’d led us to Charleston for a reason. It was only about an hour out of my way. I might as well check it out.

I flipped on the radio and found my favorite easy listening station, placed the vehicle on cruise, and relaxed. I had a plan. Everything worked better when I had a plan.

“She’s not here.” Max rolled into the second bedroom. “And I don’t think she’s been here.”

“No clothes appear to be missing. Have you tried calling home? Maybe she went there.” Gabriel closed the closet door.

“I talked to the housekeeper. She said she hadn’t heard from her. I told her to give me a call if she did, but I don’t think she will. The staff is loyal to Dakota.”

Gabriel’s cell rang, and he jerked it from his jacket pocket. “It’s Calvin.” He passed the phone to Max. “Do you know how to put it on speaker?”

Max laughed, hit the answer key then the speaker button, and handed it to Gabriel. “Go ahead, Calvin. We’re both here.”

“I found her. Well, I didn’t find her, but I know where she went. Gino’s Taxi usually has a cab near the station, so I figured she got a ride, and I called the cab company. Their driver said he dropped her at a Nissan lot on Abercorn, so I called them. She bought a brand-new Pathfinder.”

“Good work, Calvin. Any luck on tracing her phone?” Gabriel asked.

“No, sir. Either it’s dead, or she turned it on airplane mode.”

“We’re heading back in now. We should be there in thirty minutes. Have Merck set up in an interrogation room.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gabriel ended the call. “You want to sit in on Merck’s questioning?”

“So that’s it? We’re giving up on finding Dakota?” Max headed up the hallway. “I told you the damn shrink wouldn’t work.”

“We’re not giving up.” Gabriel closed the bedroom door and followed him. “We’re finishing up what has to be done before I take a couple of days off and we hit the road. We’ll find her.” He groaned and hunched over.

Max slowed and glanced over his shoulder. “You okay?”