“Did any of the policemen give you a phone number to call?”
“Yes.”
“Give it to me.”
It took Angela three tries to speak clearly enough for Grant to get the number down.
“Are you at home?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to stay there, got it?”
“What about Dale?” she asked.
“I’ll take care of Dale. You need to stay home and stay out of this. Wyatt is a dangerous man, and I don’t want you getting hurt. Understand?”
“Yes. When you find Dale, will you have him call me to tell me he’s safe? Even if it’s late. I don’t care.”
“I promise.”
Grant hung up and dialed Dale’s cell phone. It went straight to voice mail. “Dale, if you get this, call my cell. I’m coming to find you. Just hold on.”
Next, he called the number Angela had given him on his way to the car. There was no way he could let Isabelle know that Dale was missing. Not in her current condition. She was too weak to stay awake for more than five minutes. He was going to have to find a way to deal with this as best he could and pray the police didn’t mess up her recovery by letting her know what was going on.
The doctors had said she’d probably sleep through the night, so he had that long to find Dale and bring him home safe and sound.
At least Keith was up there with her and he didn’t have to worry about her safety while she was in the hospital.
Grant had seen the horrified look on Keith’s face when he showed up and saw her lying there so weak and pale. In that moment, Grant realized Keith loved her. He didn’t like it, but he could hardly blame the man.
Keith would watch over her until Grant could get back to her side.
“What exactly is it you want from me?” Dale asked his father.
The highway was nearly empty this far out of town. The sun was setting, and the idea of being alone in the dark with Wyatt was bringing back all kinds of bad memories. It didn’t matter how quietly he hid in the closet, Wyatt would always find him and drag him out.
“I want to teach you how to be a real man before it’s too late and that bitch turns you into a weakling.”
Dale felt like lashing out at Wyatt for insulting the only person in the world who actually gave a shit about him and what he wanted. She didn’t even laugh when he told her he wanted to be a marine biologist. Instead, she went out and bought him a fish tank.
“What the hell are you talking about? Isabelle was taking care of me, not that you’d know what that looked like if you sat on it.”
Wyatt pulled back his hand as if to strike Dale, but he refused to flinch. He was tired of being afraid of his father. He was nearly a man himself now and needed to grow some balls. “The next time you hit me, I’m gonna hit back. Got it?”
Wyatt grinned and wrapped his arm around Dale’s neck, pulling him over for a hug. “That’s my boy. Don’t let no one push you around.”
Dale’s stomach clenched. If his father approved of him, he had to be doing something wrong. He needed to get away. He needed to escape before he lost every opportunity he might have.
“I’ve got to use the bathroom,” he told Wyatt.
“Hold on and I’ll pull over where you can piss.”
Dale needed civilization, not just some tree along the side of the road. “I need to take a dump, and I’m not doing it outside. Find a bathroom.”
Wyatt grunted his disapproval but said, “Fine. I saw a sign for a gas station a few miles up in Rolla. We’ll stop there.” He reached under the seat and pulled out a gun. “But let me be clear, son. You give me any shit at all or try to run, and I’ll end you. I’d rather have no son than one who betrayed me.”
Grant hated lying to Isabelle about Dale, but he didn’t know what else to do. There was nothing she could do to help him, and worrying wasn’t going to help her recovery. As it was, she looked like she was barely able to keep her eyes open.
She was speaking quietly with Keith, who stroked the back of her hand as naturally as if he’d been doing it for years. Grant suffered through a kick of jealousy. Even though they’d slept together, that didn’t give him any claim on her. He was leaving. She was entitled to her own life without him. Even if it included Keith.
Grant plastered a smile on his face as he made his presence known. “I brought you some clothes in case you want to put on something that doesn’t leave your ass hanging out.”
“Now, why would she want to do that?” said Keith. “She’ll spoil the view.”
The paper sack crunched inside Grant’s tightening fist. “I also threw in some of the stuff you had sitting by your sink. Don’t ask me what it all is, but it’s in there. So is your toothbrush.”
Isabelle gave him a weak smile. “Thanks, Grant. I’ll feel a lot better in my own pajamas, even if they won’t let me go home and sleep in my own bed tonight.”
“The doc said you could go home tomorrow if everything looked good.”
“Where’s Dale? I thought he was coming with you.”
Grant wasn’t a natural liar, but he’d learned how to do it just in case he needed to in his job. He made his voice casual and kept looking at her right in the eye as he lied. “He’s studying with Angela tonight for some big test tomorrow, and I didn’t think you’d want him to mess that up.”
Isabelle frowned. “No, of course not. He needs to study and not worry about me. I’ll see him tomorrow.”
“I’ll take care of him for you, Isabelle. I swear it.” At least that wasn’t a lie.
She reached out a hand toward him, and Grant couldn’t help but take it. He’d wanted to touch her so bad—pull her tight against him and never let go—but she looked fragile. Breakable.
Her skin felt dry and still too hot, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been before. Whatever they’d done to treat the poison was working. Thank God.
“I know you’ll take care of him. It’s nice not having to worry about him. You’re handy to have around.”
Handy? He was a fucking liar. He had to get out of here before she saw it in his face. He had to find Dale and bring him home safely. The boy had no one else right now.
Grant knew how awful that felt.
“I’ve got to go, honey.”
“Go?”
“I’m meeting with Detective Mathews in a few minutes. We’ve got to figure out how to track Wyatt down before he hurts someone else.”
A look of disappointment strained her features for a moment before she gave him a brave smile. “Okay. Will I see you tomorrow?”
“Yes. Bright and early. Dale and I will be coming to take you home.” He kissed her head and silently begged for her forgiveness.
Grant set the clothes on the bed. “Keith, can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure.” He winked at Isabelle. “Be right back.”
Grant closed the door, leaving him and Keith standing in the hall where Isabelle couldn’t hear them. He didn’t bother with small talk—not with the guy who would likely take his place in Isabelle’s bed once he was gone. “Wyatt kidnapped Dale.”
“Oh, God, no. That man’s a killer. We’ve got to find him.”
“I’m on it, but I don’t want Isabelle to know. She’s dealing with enough right now. I’m not sure she could also deal with knowing her son is being held by a fucking psycho.”
Keith’s mouth tightened in anger. “No, you’re right. She shouldn’t have to worry.”
“Can you stay with her? Keep her safe in case Wyatt comes back to finish the job? I’d ask for police protection, but one of them might spill the news about Dale.”
“Of course I can stay. No problem,” said Keith. “I won’t leave her side.”
Grant clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“No you don’t. We’re practically family. There’s nothing I want more than to take care of Isabelle.”
That punch of jealousy was back, making Grant wish he could hate the guy. But he couldn’t. Not when he was so devoted to Isabelle. “You care for her, don’t you?”
Keith’s blue eyes brightened, and an almost ferocious expression tightened his mouth. “I love her. I’d do anything for her.”
“I’m glad she has you in her life.” It was another lie, but one he knew he had to come to accept. That didn’t mean he had to like it.
“Me, too.”
Grant was going to punch the guy if he stayed any longer, so he said, “Gotta run. Call me if you need anything.”
Keith went back into Isabelle’s room and shut the door behind him.
Keith reached into his pocket for the syringe he’d brought with him. As weak as Isabelle was, it wouldn’t take long for the drug to take effect. She’d drift off peacefully this time. He wouldn’t mess up and hurt her again.
He slipped back inside her room quietly. She hadn’t been able to stay awake for more than a minute or two since he’d arrived, and her eyes were closed again, her face relaxed in sleep.
Good. He could do it now and hold her hand until the end.
Keith kept his steps quiet as he moved to her side. It took him only a moment to get the drug into the saline bag dripping into her vein. He didn’t even have to touch her and risk waking her to do it.
His prints were on the bag, but he doubted anyone would bother looking for them. And even if they did, it wouldn’t matter. Keith was nearly done with his work. It was almost time for him to sleep, too.
He sat beside her, took her slender hand in his, and waited for her to drift away.
Isabelle forced herself to wake up again out of sheer willpower.
Grant was hiding something. Something bad.
Keith stroked the back of her hand, but even that much contact made her skin itch. She pulled her hand away and sat up in the bed.
Keith frowned at her. “You should sleep.”
“Later. Right now I want you to tell me what the big secret is.”
His blue eyes widened with a flash of panic. “Secret? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What did Grant tell you in the hall?” she asked. “If it has something to do with my health, I have a right to know.”
For a second, he looked almost relieved that she’d caught him in the act. His body sagged a bit, and he let out a deep breath. “Grant asked me to watch out for you. He’s worried.”
“If he’s worried, why isn’t he watching over me himself? It’s not like Grant to pass off his responsibilities to someone else.” Unless something bigger was happening.
That had to be it. Something big was going down, and he didn’t want her to know about it.
“Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think.”
“I know him well enough to know that he’s trying to protect me because I’m sick. Did they find Wyatt?” she asked.
“No.” Keith’s tone was clipped, as if he was angry with her.
“Then what? What could possibly be so important he couldn’t even stay five minutes?”