the pockets of rust on this hunk of junk. He pocketed the keys and climbed into the back seat, stretching out on the cushioned bench seat. He needed to lay low for an hour or two, catch a catnap and then try to sneak back to the apartment complex.
Time was running out. He could practically hear a clock ticking in his head. As much as he wanted to think the cops were inept, between the local cops and the feds, and who knows whoever else looking for him, he needed to grab Beth, get money, and head as far away from this disaster as possible.
Closing his eyes, his lips curled up in a smile at the thought of Beth at his mercy. Revenge would be oh…so…sweet.
Brody answered the phone on the first ring. He’d been on edge most of the night, antsy to get back to the Big House. Back to Beth. Checking in with Rafe the night before, he’d slammed his fist against the wall when his brother told him there still wasn’t any info on Evan. The man was a city dude. How was he able to survive in rural Texas without somebody spotting him?
“Tell me you’ve heard something?”
“Good morning to you too, grouch.” Rafe’s cheerful voice made him wince, especially since he hadn’t had his first cup of coffee yet.
“I am not in the mood for your crap today, Rafe. Tell me what’s going on with Stewart.”
“From the feds, nothing. Same with the state troopers. But I did receive a report of a stolen car.”
“Where?” Brody stood straighter, getting a gut feeling.
“Here. In the county, but not in town. The reason I think it’s significant is because it was stolen from the apartment complex where Beth and Jamie used to live until a few days ago.”
“It’s him.”
“I think so. Enough to pass the information on to everyone else. Antonio called SAC Williamson, who told him to stick around Shiloh Springs until Stewart is apprehended. He’s heading this way too. Personally, I think he wants to see Daisy again.”
“Yeah, well, tell him to flirt on his own time. We need to find Stewart.”
He was here, Brody could feel it. That sick, twisted freak was in Shiloh Springs, which meant he’d come for Beth. Not gonna happen. He’d die before he let Stewart get his hands on Beth or Jamie.
“Where are you?”
“Back at my place,” Brody answered. “There were enough people crowded into the Big House last night, so Momma told me to come back this morning. She’s keeping everybody home from church, in case Stewart shows up.”
“Lemme ask you something, bro. What do you make of Stewart’s sister showing up? Too much of a coincidence?”
Brody immediately understood Rafe’s concern, because he’d instinctively felt the same when he’d found out Camilla Stewart showed up in Shiloh Springs. Even with advance notice, and Beth saying it was okay, it seemed too good to be true Stewart’s sister would be on a plane to Texas the day after he escaped from Huntsville Prison.
“Beth swears Camilla is nothing like her brother. She knew Camilla was coming to Texas, and she was going to spend a couple of days with her and Jamie. Apparently, she had some papers Stewart needed to sign, and he’d been balking, so she decided to show up in person and make him sign them.”
“That’s what Beth told me too, but something doesn’t feel right. It’s got my Spidey senses tingling.”
Brody chuckled at his brother’s half-hearted joke, though he trusted Rafe’s instincts. His brother had instincts when it came to bad guys and seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to figuring out the criminal mindset, and how to deal with miscreants.
“If he’s here, close enough to be at her apartment, then I need to get back to the Big House.”
“I figured you’d say that. I’m pulling up to the apartment complex now. I want to talk to the lady whose car was stolen. It hasn’t been sighted yet, but he can’t stay hidden forever. Dusty’s gonna drive by Old Man Johnson’s cottage, check and make sure nobody’s been snooping around looking for Beth and Jamie.”
“Keep me posted.”
“You got it. Talk to you later.”
Brody hung up and headed for the kitchen. His apartment wasn’t big, only a one bedroom, but it was enough until he settled down. He’d tried living in Austin, figuring he’d spread his wings outside Shiloh Springs. Not his brightest idea. Within a year, he was back. The furniture he’d splurged on when moving