Page 160 of Chasing Shelter

I tried to see through to the other side of the coaster to track Ellie’s and Keely’s movements, but I lost them in the throng of people. When they didn’t round the roller coaster right away, a hint of unease slid over me.

“Do you see them?” I asked.

Everyone turned in that direction, but I was already walking, then picking up to a jog. That’s when I saw her. Keely. She had dirtsmeared across her cheek, and her hair was askew. And she was running.

Steps from me, Keely launched herself in my direction. “Daddy!” she wailed. “He took her! The man took her!”

The whole world dropped away. Blood roared in my ears as sheer panic grabbed hold. “Who?” I croaked. “Did you see who?”

Tears rolled down Keely’s dirt-streaked face. “He had a scar. Here.” She pointed to a spot below my left eye.

The same place Jasper had a scar. My father had Ellie. I’d failed to do the one thing I’d promised.

Keep her safe.

50

ELLIE

An ache thrummedin my head, and I could feel where Jasper had clocked me in the temple with the butt of his gun. I guessed I should’ve been grateful that he’d hit me on the side that didn’t already have a gash. But the steady beat behind my eyes and nausea roiling through me made it hard to feel grateful for anything at the moment.

No. That wasn’t true. I was grateful I was breathing. That Keely had gotten away. That Trace was safe. I held on to all three things with everything I had.

Giving the zip ties binding my wrists together a testing tug, I winced. There was barely enough room to move at all, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it was doing to the blood supply to my fingers. At least the rope binding my middle to the older wooden chair wasn’t tight. Small mercies.

I tried to steal glances around the room as Jasper typed furiously on his cell phone. Making a new getaway plan, perhaps? But it didn’t make any sense. Did he truly hate Trace enough to risk prison again?

I did a quick scan to my left. There wasn’t a lot to go on. It wasclear this was some sort of rustic hunting cabin—one room and a bathroom. The kitchen only had a few cabinet fronts, the ones below simply covered with curtains. But care had been put into the furnishings. What looked like a handmade quilt rested on the bed, and a few paintings hung on the walls. There was even an antique vase and pitcher on a sideboard.

Over the sideboard was a window peering out into a forest, complete with handmade curtains. The only problem was that I had no idea where that forest was. I had no clue how long Jasper had driven because I didn’t know how long I’d been unconscious. It could’ve been mere minutes or hours. But the fact that I hadn’t recognized a single thing when I came to wasn’t a good sign.

“Don’t think about doing anything stupid,” Jasper sneered.

I refused to show him any sort of fear. It was exactly what he wanted. Instead, I lifted my gaze and met his stare. “I was actually wondering where they got those antiques. They’re charming.”

Jasper scoffed. “Charming. Of course, my traitorous son ended up with some rich bitch.”

“Don’t worry. I’m definitely not rich.”

His gaze narrowed on me. He’d lost the fake beard, hat, and sunglasses he’d worn at the carnival, but the angry scar still ran down his cheek. It was something he’d never be able to disguise. I just hoped Keely had told Trace about it so he knew who he was dealing with.

“Don’t think you can pull a fast one on me. I’m not a fuckin’ idiot. I know aaaaaall about your prick of a father.”

I leaned back, feeling the wooden chair press into my spine. I wondered if there was a way to use it as a weapon. As my gaze dipped to the gun clutched firmly in Jasper’s hand, I reconsidered the wisdom in that. “You’re right. My dad is a huge prick.”

My agreement seemed to confuse Jasper at first, but then his face contorted with rage. “No loyalty. Just like my bastard son.”

I pulled the zip ties tight, using the flare of pain to keep from saying something stupid. Something that could trip Jasper’s hair trigger and have him emptying that gun right into me.

“What?” Jasper sneered. “Nothing to say now, Rich Bitch?”

I inhaled through my nose, the stale air from a cabin that had been locked up for too many days or weeks choking me. “No. I don’t.”

Jasper smirked then, leaning back in his chair. “Won’t lie. I liked messin’ with you. Paying those stupid kids to egg you when you came out of the station.”

My body jerked slightly in surprise. “Youegged me?”

The smirk only grew. “Not me. Someone on my behalf. But you’d better believe I took those rainbow panties. Gonna tell that bastard son of mine I knowexactlyhow you smell.”

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