has people there, they’re staying quiet. The Network was furious that I tried to get you back without them.”
Now I was the one flinching.
The woman who helped him was dead, because of Kai.
You should get used to it. He’s the mafia, for God’s sake.
That voice. I hated that voice. My reason, my sanity, but also my reprimander. That voice got quiet whenever I was in Kai’s arms.
“Heads-up. We’re about to get tested,” Carol said.
The car slowed to a stop, and her window rolled down.
“What?”
I bit down to keep from laughing. Carol had been chipper, her usual mood, moments ago. She groused at the person now. I could hear her take a drag from her smoke.
“Shit,” she grumbled. “Here. Hold this.”
“Ma’am?”
“What?” she snapped. “It’s a cig. Jesus. You were smoking one too. I can smell it on you.” She rifled through something. “Fuck. Damn.” A thud on the bottom of the van. “Those little fuckers. They took my wallet. Why’d the fuck they take my wallet?” she growled. “I’m going to murder my own children. Do you hear me—wait.” She gulped. A sweet voice now. “I mean, I’m not actually going to do that, Officer. But look…” Irritation. Impatience. “They wanted pizza last night. I bet that’s when they took it, forgot to put it back. Or no… They wanted to go bowling today, and the mall! Those little shits went to the mall, when I told them specifically not to. I’m raising ingrates. Those little criminals—”
“Okay, ma’am.” A rapping on the top of the car. “You’re free to go.”
“You sure? I wasn’t speeding. The traction on these tires sucks too much for me to go fast. Another thing I need to fix. I tell you—”
The guy was brisk. He was done listening to her. “Here’s your cigarette. Thank you for your time.”
We heard him walk past us.
Carol took a drag, still grumbling under her breath.
His car started up, and he passed us by.
“See you later, pig.”
I couldn’t hold back my grin. She was a piss away from being a method actor.
Another moment, then, “He has feds on his payroll and local cops. Who are you sleeping with, Ri?”
I groaned. “It’s complicated.”
She laughed, rolling up her window and starting forward again. “Just hold on a bit. We have a plane waiting for us. Your boyfriend ain’t the only one with some connections.”
“The Network?” I asked Blade.
He shook his head, his first faint smile showing. “A friend of Carol’s.”
“Damn straight. I heard you. Tinder’s good for a few things other than a hook-up.”
“Carol, are you dating someone?”
She barked out a laugh. “You’re not the only one who’s got someone new and exciting in their life. My guy just happens to have his pilot’s license and a buddy with a plane. Took a bit of coercing, but he said he could fly you to Milwaukee.”
“Well.” I grinned at Blade. “Hot damn.”
“Hot damn, indeed!” Carol laughed again. “And hold on. I’m going to put the pedal to the metal, if you know what I mean.”
• • •
We turned into a small airport. I didn’t think it was the one Kai had flown out of since we’d driven for over an hour, but it was small. It was isolated. And there was only one plane getting ready for departure.
As soon as we parked, Carol went over to a guy coming out of the hangar.
Blade got out behind me, stretching a little. We’d stayed in the back until the last ten minutes, so our legs were a little knotted up. Rifling through a bag, he pulled out some papers and handed them over.
“Those are numbers to call for resources.”
“Blade.”
He kept going, pulling out a phone, a smaller envelope, another fatter envelope. “You can’t use the phones Brooke gave you. He’ll have figured out which ones were taken and have trackers on them. There’s money.”
I had both backpacks from Brooke. If there were a tracker on anything, we already would’ve had guards pulling in for me. I was safe, but I took the phone he gave me. Checking the back, I asked, “Not a Network phone?”
He shook his head. “No. I didn’t want to risk it. Like you said, he has people in the Network too.” He paused a beat. “The Network didn’t want to risk it.” He looked away. “You’re right. They green-lighted Carol and me to come get you, but they want to know who his people are. They’re not risking anything. Everything I’m giving you is off the book so no one can find