Page 77 of Reformation

“Paige said that her mom always had a new boyfriend, the next one always worse than the last,” I say.

“If she stayed using all these years, it wouldn’t be a far stretch to say it’s her dealer,” Ben adds.

Mark lets out a sigh. “And if it’s her dealer, he’s probably stoned as well, and probably more unhinged. And if pushed, he’ll have no problem leaving Paige for dead.”

I slam my fists against the table at Cole Security Forces, where we’ve been set up since yesterday. Charlie stayed at home with the kids, and Cassie is at Paige’s house in case she comes back.

So far it’s been radio silence.

“We have to find her, Mark. I can’t lose her.”

“You’re not, brother. Not if I can help it.”

We continue to pore over security footage and phone records, anything we can think of to try and figure out where Paige could be. Unfortunately, looking up Naomi Blackstone didn’t lead anywhere. She doesn’t have any credit cards, has barely held down jobs, and has been off the grid for at least a year. The last thing we can find on her was a minor drug conviction when she served six months.

Since then it’s like she’s vanished.

The sound of my cell phone shakes me, and I scramble to hold it when I see Paige’s face on my screen and a request to FaceTime.

“Mark! Ben! It’s Paige!”

I answer before they say anything. “Baby. Angel. Are you OK? Where are you?”

“Aw. That’s sweet. Callin’ me baby. I could do a hell of a lot worse for a son-in-law,” a woman says on the screen.

“Where is Paige?” I’m trying to hold my anger back, but I know it’s not working. “What have you done with her?”

“She’s fine,” she turns the phone to show me Paige, passed out on what looks like a dingy motel floor. Before I can say anything, she turns the phone back around. “I’m going to need something from you now.”

“What’s that?”

She lets out an evil laugh. “Money, of course. And pills. I reckon you have some in that clinic of yours?”

I take a deep breath and try to discreetly look at Mark, who urges me with his eyes to say yes. “I do.”

“Good. Meet me at the clinic in two hours with twenty-five thousand dollars and the keys to where you keep your stash. No cops.”

She disconnects the call. I’m about ready to lose my shit, but when I look at my brother, he’s laughing his ass off.

“Care to tell me what is so fucking funny?”

He takes a seat and picks up his cell phone. “Drugged-out lowlifes are so fucking stupid.”

“Who are you calling? She said no cops. I’m not risking—”

My brother holds up a hand. “She said no cops. She didn’t say anything about a security firm. Or a CIA agent.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Paige

“Wake up!”

I feel a kick to my side and immediately all I feel is pain.

My head. My side. My entire body.

Where am I?

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