Page 58 of Jasper

“What are her symptoms?”

“She’s gone quiet, her eyes are unfocused, and her skin is clammy.”

“Is she responsive?”

“No.”

“Are you sure you can’t take her to the ER?”

“If I could, I’d be on my way there already.”

The man sighed. “It sounds like shock. You need to keep her warm and keep her legs elevated. Can you do that?”

“I have to get us on the road, but I’ll do my best to rig something up in the truck to keep her legs up.”

“Keep talking to her, and if you can’t, then turn the radio on, something she likes.”

“She loves Christmas music.”

“Then play that shit. Are you safe, Jasper?”

“No, we’re not. Cole told me to get gone, but she’s slipped into this catatonic state.”

“If he told you to go, then go, but call me if she gets worse. I’ll try to keep Kade off your ass, but I’m going to fill him in on whatever Cole tells me. Sounds like you might need the team.”

Jasper let out a groan. He did need them, dammit. “She’s more important than me right now, so I guess maybe I do need the team.”

“Is this someone you know personally?”

“She’s important to me.”

“It’s like that, is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve never heard you say that about a woman, and we’ve known each other since grade school. She must be really special.”

“She is. I’ll call you when I find a place to hole up.”

“Stay safe, brother.”

Jasper disconnected the call then managed to get Sloane’s coat and boots on, and he carried her out to the truck. He ended up making her a bed in the floorboard of the back seat with blankets he’d taken out earlier. He carried pillows outside and lifted her legs so her feet rested on them. He wedged the cat carrier in beside her legs so she would have a little stability.

“You three keep her safe,” he told the kittens as he covered them and her with even more blankets, making sure a section of the carrier’s door was uncovered so they’d get some fresh air.

He secured the luggage in the front with him then locked up the house. He’d call the kid who was taking care of the animals before and arrange for him to do it for a couple of weeks or until he got back. The kid told him if he’d needed him to help, to just call, and Jasper was going to take him up on it. He couldn’t let the animals starve or freeze. He’d make other arrangements once he was safe. The kid had let the animals’ care slip before. Maybe the vet could recommend someone, but until then, the kid would have to do.

As he drove, he set his burner phone in the cell phone dock he’d bought for the truck, plugged his charger in, and pulled up the cameras he had wired the property with. If someone showed up, he’d know it.

He was driving down Main Street when he remembered what Max said about the music. It only took him a moment to find a station playing twenty-four-seven Christmas tunes. She loved this shit. He’d come into the house almost every single day to her playing countless CDs of this very stuff. He hoped it was enough because keeping up a one-sided conversation wasn’t something he relished. He’d damn well do it, especially for Sloane, but he’d hate it.

Thankfully, he never got around to setting up a bank account, so he still had all his cash on him. Getting the things they’d need wouldn’t be a problem. He stopped at the Gas-N-Go and filled the truck, and he ducked inside long enough to grab some snacks in case Sloane woke up. He also got a large cup of coffee. He needed to stay awake.

Two hours after he’d driven out of town, an alarm sounded on his phone. He swiped it and saw the security cameras lit up. Six men were moving through the farmhouse.

The silent alarm that tripped would have notified the police with the same image he was seeing. When he set up the feed, he’d contacted the local PD and made sure it was possible for him to have them receive the signal. There were a few shops in town that had the same service.

Jasper pulled off the side of the road so he could watch. The men were dressed in black, masks over their faces. It wouldn’t be easy to identify them. They did, however, park their vehicles right in front of the house, and Jasper had cameras out there covering every angle. He knew he’d get a plate number. Since the data was stored in a private cloud, there would be no erasing the data either.

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