her sister’s hand a quick squeeze. “So they tell me. We’re certainly giving it a good try.” She took her hand away. “Now do a return on Rick’s call, tell him we’re on our way, and get an address from him.”
* * *
“SHE DID WHAT?” JOE TRIED to keep his voice even when he wanted to shout at Newell. “I told you to keep watch over—” He broke off. This wasn’t Newell’s fault. Eve had made the decision.
And that decision was scaring him shitless.
“I thought I was watching to keep the bad guys from coming in and attacking,” Newell said. “I didn’t think they’d be running away to meet them.”
“I know.” He strode away from the flashing lights of Pierce’s accident scene toward his car. “And Eve wouldn’t have done it if she’d had any way to persuade Beth.”
“At least Eve’s on guard. She’s not all dewy-eyed like Beth,” Newell said. “She said Avery is in Malibu, and she’d call us with the address. I’ve called a taxi to take me to the nearest rental-car place to pick up a car, but you’ll probably get to Malibu before I do.”
“Maybe. I’m a good hour away.”
And a second could mean the difference between life and death.
Kendra.
“Look, don’t go to the rental agency. I’ll call you right back.” He hung up and dialed Kendra. “How close are you to Valencia now?”
“About twenty minutes.”
“Try to make it sooner.” He rattled off the address. “Pick up Newell. I’m across town, and he has to move fast.”
“Problems?”
“Mega problems. Newell will explain.” He hung up and called Newell back. “Kendra Michaels will pick you up. Get out there to Malibu.” He hung up and called Eve.
No answer. He didn’t expect one, but he’d had to try. Eve had made her decision and wouldn’t permit any interference. She’d committed to Beth and was attempting to walk a fine line to keep Beth safe and let them have their chance if she was in danger. She was trying to be all things to all people, dammit.
And she could get herself killed.
CHAPTER
17
THE COTTAGE IN MALIBU WAS very modest, but it was not crowded on top of its neighbors. It was on one of the back streets, not on the beach, and the neighboring cottages were a good hundred yards away.
Rick Avery came out on the wraparound deck as they pulled up in the driveway. He smiled, a beautiful smile that lit his face. “Beth. Come up here and let me hold you. It’s been too long.”
“Rick.” Beth jumped out of the car and tore up the steps toward him.
“Shit,” Eve muttered as she ran after her, her hand closing on the gun in her jacket pocket. All her plans of searching the house before she let Beth meet with her father were out the window in the first minute. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t still try to make it as secure as possible. As she reached the deck, she stopped to look at Beth and Rick Avery a few yards away. Rick was holding Beth close, and she was clinging desperately to him.
Love.
Eve had known that Beth loved her father but had doubted that the feeling was returned. She had been wrong. Gentleness, sadness, love were all in his expression at that moment.
And, good heavens, the man was wonderful looking. There were a few threads of gray in his hair, but she could that see he still exuded charisma and magnetism and, yes, youth. You wanted to walk closer to him, speak to him, have him look at you with that beautiful smile.
I understand now, Sandra.
Rick lifted his head and saw Eve. “You’re Sandra’s daughter? You don’t look like her.”
“We’re very different.” She pulled her gaze away and looked around the deck, then to the sliding glass doors. “How many rooms are there in this house?”
His brows rose. Evidently, he wasn’t accustomed to anyone’s dismissing him. “It’s quite tiny. Two bedrooms, a bath, living room, and kitchenette.”
She slipped her gun out of her pocket and headed for the glass doors. “You’ll probably not have more than twenty or thirty minutes before Joe and Newell get here. If you’re going to talk to Beth, you’d better not waste time.”
“A gun?” He was smiling as he shook his head. “I’m sure you have the best of intentions, but it’s not necessary. This is all a misunderstanding. No one is going to hurt my daughter.”
“You’re right, you’ve already done that. It’s not going to happen again.”
“That’s not fair,” Beth said as