Page 69 of Risk Assessment
He moved forward and peeked over the top of the hedge. He scanned the cabin for movement. Nothing.
He slid farther along the side of the slope. There were more cabins. Ones that appeared to be in rougher shape. Faded green paint peeled in strips off the wooden shingles. Shredded curtains hung over filthy windows. A smattering of tools were on the small porch of the first one.
It was the second one that caught his attention. The door was hanging on a funny angle. The wood frame had a spot of light-colored wood exposed. The door had been forced recently. This had to be it.
After watching for a few minutes, Dylan moved silently through the scrub to the side of the first cabin. He crouched low and ran toward the back. Peering around the corner, he checked out the back of the cabin where he was certain Raleigh was being held. Nothing.
The air was still and hazy in the hot afternoon sun. The ground was dry. No sound reached his ears. Was she okay? Was she still alive?
No sirens yet. Out here, it could take a long while for the cops to come. Matt and the rest of Dylan’s old crew were at least twenty minutes away in the middle of a wedding. He glanced down at his phone. He had service. He hit redial.
“Gabe,” he said in a hushed voice. “I’m ninety percent sure I found the cabin where Josh is holding Raleigh. Trace my phone and send it out to the local LEOs.”
“On it. We’re five minutes out. Hang tight if you can.”
He ground his teeth, but he knew Gabe was right. Backup would be a big plus. He had no idea what was going on with Josh. “Wait. How can you be five minutes away?” Then he heard it. A faint sound at first but growing louder. “You’re in a chopper.”
“We got permission to set it down on the golf course. I have you on GPS. We’ll be there in four.”
“I’m going in if I have to.” Dylan clicked off the line. He went back to the front corner of the cabin. Nothing moving in the next cabin over. The chopper set down on the golf course below. Because of the angle the chopper was at, he couldn’t tell how many people got out or anything about them.
“Smart.” Just in case Josh was watching. He would think they were guests that were late for the wedding or arriving just for the reception. Gabriel Risk left nothing to chance. Dylan was impressed.
He went back to watching the front porch of Raleigh’s cabin. He thought he saw a flicker by the windows but he couldn’t be sure.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“Josh, do you think it would be okay if I sat up?” She bit her lip. “The floor is hard and I’m not feeling so great. The stuff you gave me has made me slightly nauseous.” The smell of his cologne wafting off the blanket filled her nose and made her want to vomit.
“I am sorry about the ketamine, darling, but I did need to get you out of there without anyone noticing and you insisted on flighting me.” He frowned at her.
Her body tensed.
“I’m not sure Ishouldlet you up,” he said as he looked out through the curtains again. “More guests for the wedding. Must be. Who else would be allowed to land a helicopter on the golf course? I wonder who it could be?”
He turned around to face Raleigh. “The governor,” he breathed. His eyes lit up. “That would be wonderful. Now I will have to go back to the reception for sure. Meeting the governor well that would just move up our timetable dramatically. We can skip the whole mayor thing and move right to being the right hand of the governor.”
Josh was prattling on, but Raleigh was getting queasier. “Please, darling? Can I sit up?” She almost choked on the endearment, but she knew she needed to play his game if she wanted to win. “I think it’s safe enough. No one can see us in here. Besides we need to catch up. High school was so long ago. And, we need a plan, if it is the governor.” High school. Was Josh in her high school? She tried to go back over those years, but it was all a blur. Was he in her class? Why didn’t she recognize him?
Josh paused and then nodded. “I guess that would be fine.”
Raleigh pushed back against the wall and managed to sit up without toppling over again. She took a deep breath and tried to get her heart rate down.Think. Her whole body was on overload. Her hands were shaking. She took another deep breath and let it out.
“The governor. It would be so wonderful,” Josh said in a slightly wistful voice. “I know if you were beside me, he would snap me up as his right-hand man instantly. We are such a power couple. With you by my side, I cannot be denied my rightful place of power.” He beamed at her. “Just like back in high school.”
“Josh, I’m having trouble remembering high school. Maybe it’s the ketamine you gave me.” She cursed long and loud in her head as Josh’s face clouded over. “I totally understand why you did it. Brilliant idea, darling. I understand completely.”
Josh’s face relaxed again, and he turned to glance out the window.
“But maybe you could remind me? You know, my high school days were a blur of activity, and to be honest, I fought with my parents a lot. I have blocked out most of those years… I’m so sorry, I don’t really remember how we met back in high school.”
Josh frowned and his eyes narrowed. Then his face transformed. “Oh, you minx! You almost had me there for aminute. You just want to hear me tell the story. You want to hear how I knew from the first moment that we were destined to be together.”
He gave her a smug smile and she fought the sick rising from her belly. She swallowed hard.
“Okay then. Just this once. You know I don’t like talking about high school very much. Brings up too many bad memories.” He gazed out the window and seemed completely lost in thought.
She had no idea if he was going to continue or not. Should she prod him a bit? Keep him talking? Or just leave him to his wonderings? If only she had a fucking clue what he was talking about. She stared at his face. Were any of his features familiar?
