Page 83 of All Wrong
“No activity on any of Corinne’s cards since Monday, when she filled up at the Wawa at the edge of town.”
“And?” Nick asked, sensing there was more.
“And Ian pulled the security footage. She was with Buckman when she stopped.”
A noise rumbled up and out of his throat that sounded like the growl of a wild animal.
Nicki gave him a side-eye. “Chill, Nick. That wasbeforeyou saw her, and she was fine when you left her.”
Finewasn’t the term he would have used, but whatever. He’d take Corinne being pissed off at him over her being in danger.
Buckman had her—he knew it. If he did anything to hurt Corinne, Nick was going to kill the fucker. But first, he was going to make ithurt.
“Can’tthis thing go any faster?” Nick said impatiently from the backseat.
If it had been up to him, he would’ve taken hisHarley and been there already, but he’d had to accept Shane’s logic that Corinne wouldn’t want to make the long ride back to Pine Ridge on the back of his bike. And Nick refused to accept the possibility that she would be in no condition to.
Thus, he was in a Hummer H2, heading north. Sean was at the wheel with Shane riding shotgun. Sharing the second-row bench seat with him was Michael, the doctor. Nick tried not to think of situations that would require his skills, but was glad for his presence, just in case.
They ignored him, remaining as calm and stoic as ever. It pissed him off.
After Ian’s call, things had mobilized quickly. Ian was able to pinpoint Corinne’s SUV’s location in a remote section of the Adirondacks. Repeated attempts to contact Corinne were unsuccessful.
There had been some disagreement over Nick going with them, but there was no way he wasn’t going. Yeah, he knew the Callaghans had skills or whatever. He didn’t give a shit. The only things he did care about were seeing Corinne safe and unharmed and making Buckman wish he’d never been born.
The lack of scenery in the total blackness beyond the vehicle made the trip take even longer. Despitethe nearly triple-digit speed, hours crept by like years.
“Take this exit,” Shane said finally.
“Copy that.”
They left the four-lane highway behind for a well-maintained two-lane. Then another—not so well-maintained. Things got bumpy when they left the road entirely.
Yeah, his Harley wouldn’t have done half as well as the Hummer.
The terrain grew more rugged the farther they went. Nick’s ears popped as they continued to climb and his stomach continued to drop. They were so far from civilization. Anything could have happened, and no one would ever know?—
No, he refused to think like that. Corinne was fine. She had to be. Anything else was unacceptable.
Dawn was just breaking over the horizon when the Hummer’s headlights hit metal and reflected back at them.
“That’s it,” Sean said.
Corinne’s SUV was in front of them. There was no sign of movement.
Nick was leaping out of the vehicle before it came to a complete stop.
Michael reached out and grabbed his arm in asurprisingly strong grip. “Hold up.” He didn’t have to say anything else. The look on his face said it all.
“Let me go.”
“The last thing Corinne needs is to see you get your head blown off because you rushed in, half-cocked,” Michael said quietly but firmly. “They know what they’re doing.”
Nick hated to admit it, but Michael was right. He exhaled and nodded.
Sean and Shane slipped out without a sound, disappearing in the lingering shadows. Nick strained his ears, hoping to hear Corinne’s voice.
“Clear,” Sean’s voice called out several moments later.
