Page 25 of Charmed Forces
“He’ll be gone by then.”
“Are you going to tell me anything else?”
“Not yet,” he said. “I had to make a bunch of calls and we only have a couple more minutes before the lights are back on.”
“Where are you going?”
“I need to run back for my motorcycle,” he said.
“How are you going to explain that if you’re questioned?” I asked, wondering when he’d last ridden it. I assumed it was collecting dust in the garage since I’d barely seen him on it.
“How will anyone know it’s me when I’m wearing a helmet?” he asked. “But I’ll ‘fess up and if anyone presses me, I’ll tell them I like to take a spin on my motorcycle whenever my overly concerned wife isn’t looking.”
“Kinda sexist.”
“And yet, so believable. Plus, I want it to be obvious that I’m alone. Go!” He patted the car roof and stood back.
I didn’t wave, instead I concentrated on not making a terrible drive for Daniel. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of driving with anyone in my trunk, never mind my fugitive brother, and I had to wonder how criminals did it, but then I supposed the only thing they cared about was not getting caught. So we were even there.
A couple of blocks later and all the lights came back on.
I drove around the back of the market’s mid-sized lot and parked as gently as I could. I got out and took a discreet look around. If anyone were watching out for me to arrive, I couldn’t see them. I placed the key on the wheel, the front tip pointing forwards, and walked inside without a backwards glance.
Inside the store, I headed directly for the candy aisle and spent a few minutes browsing chocolate bars. My mind, however, was elsewhere. How did I go from finding several dead bodies to shopping for candy in the space of an hour? But more importantly, what was the case Daniel was working on? He wouldn’t tell me, but would he tell someone else? Perhaps someone he’d had dinner with very recently?
I pulled out my phone and called Maddox. The phone rang and rang and then went to voicemail. I said “Call me back” before I disconnected. Perhaps he was still helping Lily at the bar and would call me when she released him. Or maybe he’d gone home and was preparing ways to torture me some more, not knowing the heinous situation I was already in.
I considered calling Alice to gently question her but I couldn’t work out a way to do that without raising her suspicion. Plus, I didn’t want to upset or worry her. My sister-in-law was a lovely person and she had enough on her plate between her career as a nurse at Montgomery General and her and Daniel’s two kids, Ben and Rachel. It was undoubtedly better she knew nothing for as long as possible, although I didn’t imagine that would be very long. Someone from MPD would certainly be at their house soon.
Plus, she needed plausible deniability too.
As soon as Alice knew something was wrong, she might call my parents and then all hell would break loose. I didn’t look forward to that... or lying to my parents. But perhaps if I simply avoided them... yep, that would work right up until the point my mother tracked me down, stuck me under a spotlight and demanded to know what I knew. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to dump my handful of candy and go climb in the trunk with Daniel.
I checked my watch, grabbed a couple more chocolate bars and made my way over to the freezer aisle to browse the ice cream. After several minutes of contemplation, I scooped a quart of mint chocolate chip and headed to the checkout.
I took my time talking to the cashier, then strolled outside, bag in hand, across the lot to my car. My key was on the wheel, but now it was horizontal not vertical as I left it. Someone had used it and replaced it.
Tossing the bag onto the passenger seat, I headed home, albeit with an elevated heart rate. When I stepped into the house, I called out, “Solomon?” but got no answer.
Taking my purchases into the kitchen, I unloaded the ice cream into the freezer and piled the candy on the kitchen island. While I waited, I peeled the wrapper from one bar and munched it absentmindedly.
Who could have taken Daniel from my trunk? Where was he now? Where did Solomon take him? Did Lucas just knock out the electricity? Or did he perform other tasks? I hated having so many questions without answers.
When Solomon walked in via the garden door ten minutes later, his helmet was under his arm, and I jumped to my feet. “Is he okay?” I asked.
Solomon placed his helmet on the kitchen island. “He’s fine... He’s on the way to a safe house and I’ve arranged for medical treatment. I...” Solomon stopped at the sound of pounding on the front door.
“That’s the police, isn’t it?” I said, as my heart rate leapt a notch. Both of us stared at the door. “I should answer it.”
“I will. You get two bowls and spoons out and start serving that ice cream we were both suddenly craving.” Solomon hugged me quickly and walked to the door far more casually than I felt. I wiped my damp palms on my running tights, and retrieved the ice cream tub, then grabbed two bowls, setting them on the island.
I’d just peeled open the lid when the door opened and I heard a male voice from the front of the house say, “John Solomon?”
“Yes. Who’s asking?”
I grabbed two spoons and called out, “Who’s there, honey?”
“It’s the police,” called back Solomon.