Page 34 of Mountain Rescue
She nodded. “Why? Do you think the police are tracing it?”
“No way to know, but we’re not going to risk it,” Dallas said as Jack slid a new phone across the table. “Give Jack the one you have. From now on, any calls you make will go through TG. That includes calls to any of us.”
Jack tapped the screen on the new phone. “TG’s number is already programed in the new one.”
“What about my grandmother?” She handed Jack the old phone. “I need to be able to talk to her.”
“You can talk to anyone you want to as long as the calls go through TG. He’ll make sure they’re all untraceable,” Jack said. “I put TG’s number in the notes section. Give it to your grandmother or anyone else who might call you.”
She rubbed a hand over her face. “I hate this. Why can’t the police find Robert?” She glanced at Dallas, tears in her eyes. “If only I’d gotten Henri out of there faster.”
“Hey.” He put his hand over hers. “You can’t think like that. None of this is on you.” Out of the corner of his eye, he noted that Jack and Noah were both looking at the hand he had over hers. The difference was that Noah was grinning and Jack was frowning. Jack was right to be concerned, and he almost snatched his hand away but stopped himself. She was hurting and it didn’t mean anything that he wanted to comfort her.
Well, he wanted to scoop her up in his arms and carry her away to somewhere safe where men weren’t trying to kill her. He supposed it did mean something, that he wanted to wipe those tears from her eyes and find a way to make her smile.
Her old phone chimed, and Jack eyed the screen. “Detective Diaz.” He glanced at Rachel. “Call him back on your new phone.”
“Using the number for Carter?” she asked. Dallas nodded, but before she could call TG, her new phone buzzed, TG’s name showing up on the screen. She jumped, then stared at the phone as if it was a possessed thing.
“Go ahead and answer,” he said. “Put it on speaker.”
“Um, hi, Carter. It’s like you have ESP or something. I was about to call you.”
“Hi, darlin’. Who all’s with you?”
“Dallas, Jack, and Noah.”
Was it his imagination or had she said his name softer than Jack’s and Noah’s? His gaze slid to her, and she smiled. Eff him. He would move mountains for this woman to keep that smile on her face.
“Double D! Dude, where you been hiding?” TG said.
Dallas was curious to hear Noah’s answer. Noah had been through hell but had managed to climb his way out. Dallas wanted to know how he’d done it.
Noah rolled his eyes. “Like you didn’t know exactly where I am.”
That was true, and Dallas chuckled. TG could likely tell you where every single operator he’d come in contact with was and what they were doing.
“Can’t deny it,” TG said. “So, Rachel, darlin’, your detective is calling to give you what he considers bad news, but I find there’s a bright side to everything.”
Chapter Ten
Rachel flattened her hands on the table to keep from putting them over her ears. The last thing she wanted was more bad news. Dallas slipped his hand under the table, put it on her knee, and squeezed. His touch reminded her that she wasn’t alone. She glanced around the table at the three men who’d put themselves in the middle of her troubles without her asking for their help.
Then there was the one on the phone who seemed to be some kind of all-knowing oracle. Carter Jeffers really was spooky, and from what little the guys had said about him, she’d never want to get on his bad side. She straightened her spine, taking courage from these men who had skills she could only guess at.
“Okay, spooky man, lay it on me. What’s the bad news?”
“Your apartment was broken into last night. Detective Diaz is calling to tell you that.”
She couldn’t say she was surprised, but it enraged her. That was her home, the place she was supposed to feel safe. “How do you know?”
“I have my ways. Was there anything there that would give any indication as to where you are?”
“Not that I can think of...oh, wait. My laptop has all my friends’ names and addresses in it...my grandmother’s, Jack and Nichole’s.”
“Does your grandmother live in LA?”
“Yes, but she’s hiding out at a dude ranch in Wyoming.” She sucked in a breath. “Oh God, I never went back in my apartment when I saw Robert’s men. My grandmother emailed me when she arrived, telling me how much she loved the Lazy Horse Ranch. That email is still on my computer. If Robert has it, he can find her.” She pushed away from the table. “I have to go get her.”
