You failed her, Nathan. Confirmed every fear she had that when she needed a savior, no one would be there. The colonel said nothing that wasn’t true. I was right there... and I let her go.
If that wasn’t reason to drink, what was?
I picked up the bottle.
My phone went off, flashing a number I didn’t recognize. I opened and read the message.
Then I read it again.
Then I dropped the beer on the table—already up and running as it rolled off and shattered on the balcony.
I bolted down the hall, skidding to a stop in front of Carter’s door.
“Wake up!” I pounded the wood. “Wake your ass—”
“I’m not sleeping!” The door flew open and an irate Carter stood in its place. “What is it?”
“We have to get Preston,” I said, shoving the phone on him. “It’s Belle.”
Carter chased after me, reading the message aloud. “Fox Hill Road? Where is that?”
“It’s on the island. Near the orange grove,” I shouted over my shoulder. “She’s still here!”
Preston’s door received the same treatment. We banged on it, shouting through the wood for him to get up. He threw open the door at the same time another door did.
Rosalie came out into the hall. “What on earth is going on?”
“I got a message from Belle,” I said to them both. “She never left in that plane. He’s keeping her in a blue house on Fox Hill Road.”
“What?” Preston snatched the phone from me. “How do you know it’s her? I’ve been getting bullshit texts all day even though I said they only had three hours.”
“SJTJ,” I said. “Sir Jackass of the Thumpington Jackasses. It’s her, man.”
Preston let out a shout of joy. “Yeah, it’s her.” He raced into his room and grabbed his shoes. “Let’s go.”
“Go?!” Rosalie snagged her son’s collar, snatching him back. “Where exactly do you think you’re racing off to in the middle of the night?!”
Shuffling sounded on the other side of the doors. We were soon joined by Mr. Desai, Belle’s parents, and Mr. Hendrix.
“She’s not spending another second with him,” Preston said. “We’re going to get her.”
“Whoever has her is armed and willing to kill,” Rosalie screeched. “You are not going anywhere!” She snatched the phone from him. “Mrs. Adler, the boys believe this is a message from your daughter. We’ll get the police captain out of bed if I have to drag him out myself.”
She hurried down the hall with her but not before shooting us one last look. “Do not think of leaving this house.”
Preston whirled on his father. “Dad—”
“You can’t believe I’d disagree with your mother,” he said. “The three of you, inside Preston’s room now.”
He must have caught the look on our faces—that the three of us could take him.
The haggard lines on his face softened. “We all want her safe, son. I’ll never be able to look the Adlers in the eye again knowing one of my own men handed her over to a killer. We’ll have the police on that location within the hour, I swear to you.” He gestured inside. “Please.”
Silently, we walked in, letting him shut the door behind us.
“Are we really going to sit in here?” Carter burst out.
“What are we supposed to do?” Preston threw himself in his desk chair, tearing at his hair. “We don’t have guns—” His ringtone cut him off.
“I don’t care if he rigged the place to explode,” Carter said. “If Belle’s still on the island, those idiots have been chasing their tails for the last two days. We’re trusting them to save her?”
Preston didn’t reply.
“Preston,” I said. “We’ve got to be there. I have an idea for defending ourselves if he does whip out his gun.”
He shot up. “Guys, look at this.”
“What? Is it from Belle?”
We bent over the phone.
“Is this for real?” I asked.
“How do we find out?” Carter put in.
Preston hit reply. “I think we’ll find out soon enough.”
BELLE
“Get up!”
Pain erupted in my face, ripping me screaming from sleep.
“What are you doing?!”
“What did you do?!” he roared. “You sent a message! The fucking cops are coming!”
My chest heaved, forcing out rapid pants that chased away the remains of my upright sleep.
He knows? How does he know?
“Cops?” I repeated. “I don’t hear sirens. No one is coming.”
He shoved his phone in my face. “You sent a text.”
“What text? When could I have done that? You don’t let me near your phone!”
Mal’s face was red and swelling with rage. His burn to do worse than slap me shone in his eyes. I strained