Page 118 of Rescued Heart

“I never said he took her.” It was Carter’s turn to hold up his palms. “Look. I’m not the one who should be getting an interrogation right now. I called Grace when they didn’t show, because I figured Bia would’ve texted her with any delays. All I know is Nathan was supposed to meet me and Bia at the restaurant with Leo. He needed to speak to her and knew she wouldn’t if she realized he was going to be there. I helped make that happen. That’s all.”

Eddie narrowed his eyes. “And you’re helping out of the goodness of your heart?”

Carter pushed to his feet. “Neither one of them showed up. I care about my costar. It’s not like the movie can go on without her. I need her to keep her end of the contract.”

There it was. The movie. He didn’t care about Bianca.

Eddie’s chest still tightened. He took a step back. “Perhaps the reason Bianca’s not answering her texts is because she turned her phone off and went to bed.”

Olivia’s radio buzzed, and she turned it down. “Why don’t you two go to the movie set and look for her there, and I’ll make my way to the restaurant in case Nathan and Bianca arrived late. Officer Ramble is finishing up a call, and he’ll meet you at the set. We’ll put a BOLO out on the limo. There’s not that many limos in Last Chance County. We’ll find her.”

Soon. They had to.

Eddie made it out the door first and nearly ran into Kianna, who had her arm around a sniffling Grace.

Grace stepped forward and hiccupped a cry. “You found her?”

Carter brushed past Eddie. “We’re going to check her trailer again. The police think she could have just fallen asleep after long hours of filming.”

Eddie clenched his jaw. That wasn’t exactly what Olivia had said.

Grace kept pace with Carter. “I already checked before I came here, but I’ve got her extra trailer key. It’s better than just sitting here.”

Kianna jogged up behind Eddie. “Grace probably doesn’t need to be driving. She’s still really shaken up.”

Eddie fisted his own shaky fingers. “I’ll take care of it.” He picked up his pace and darted around Carter and Grace. He held open the exit. “Grace, why don’t you ride with me?”

Her eyes were glossy in the dusk-to-dawn lights posted by the entry. “I can’t leave my car here. I need it in the morning.”

Eddie opened and closed his mouth. How to handle this? “Want me to drive your car? That way you can be free to keep calling Bianca.”

Another tear rolled down her cheek. “Yeah. Okay. That makes sense. Here.”

He took her outstretched keys and hit the unlock button.

Headlights on a red car parked over the parking lines flashed.

He’d have to get Zack or someone to pick him up after they found Bianca.

Please, Lord, let this all be a misunderstanding.

Eddie started Grace’s car and took off before Carter had even gotten into his truck.

Grace dialed Bianca’s number. Once. Twice. Probably twenty times before he parked at the set.

Before they reached the path toward the makeup trailer, Leo stood. “I need details.”

Eddie ran past Grace and Leo. At the moment, details weren’t important. Only finding Bianca. He didn’t know exactly what he’d say when he opened the door and hopefully found Bianca there.

That he was glad she was safe? He missed her? He’d been wrong? Sorry? That he really felt things for her that scared him. How she was worth surviving the hard things for.

He needed to tell her the truth. Wasn’t that what he’d said he stood for?

When he rounded the corner, Bianca’s trailer door opened.

This was it. And no matter how it went, she was okay. Nathan hadn’t actually taken her.

Eddie jogged closer. Only it wasn’t Bianca standing on the steps.

---